Chapter 2

The rain outside was coming down harder, the sound of it relentless against the windowpanes. The glass trembled under the combined assault of the downpour and the wind's howling shriek.

I clutched my phone tightly, my hands trembling.

"Cough… so, uh, why is he helping me check on my car?" My voice faltered, growing smaller, until the last syllables snagged in my throat, trapped by an unnameable dread. I already knew the answer, but denial lingered, stubborn as a shadow at dusk.

"Don't worry, ma'am," the voice on the phone was steady, like an anchor thrown into a stormy sea. "How about I come over and accompany you to check? Would that help?"

In that moment, his calm assurance was like a lifeline, something solid to cling to in the rising flood of unease.

"Yes, please come! I'm in Building 3, Unit 304. I'll wait for you!"

I ended the call and moved to the foyer, sitting on the edge of the shoe bench.

The silence in the apartment stretched unbearably, every faint noise from beyond the door twisting my nerves tighter. My mind raced with self-reproach. Why had I chosen to buy in this new complex, with its dismal occupancy rate? If more people lived here, maybe it wouldn't feel so desolate.

The minutes dragged. The more I thought about it, the less sense it made. If Wayne was no longer working security, why had he offered to check my car? Was he just pretending to be a guard?

A chilling realization hit me like cold water. If the man and woman from earlier really meant me harm, was Wayne somehow involved with them? I stared out into the night, every shadow suddenly a potential threat.

My phone rang, shattering the silence.

It was Wayne.

My chest tightened as I stared at the screen. He didn't know I had discovered his resignation. What could he possibly want now?

After a long pause, I answered.

"Hello? You haven't come down yet?" Wayne's voice was casual, almost too normal, but the quiet in the background was unsettling. It was so silent, I could sense an undercurrent of tension, like a hidden wire humming with energy.

"I'm… I'm busy right now. Thanks for your help, but I won't be able to come out tonight." I forced my voice into a semblance of calm.

"Ah, well, if it keeps raining like this, your car's going to be flooded by morning."

There was a pause.

Longer than it should have been.

"What are you so afraid of?" he asked. And then he laughed.

Not loudly, not joyously, but softly, restrained. It was the kind of laugh that didn't belong in casual conversation, the kind that made your skin crawl because you knew something was not right.

"What do you want?" I asked, trying to keep my voice steady.

He didn't answer right away. The laugh faded, replaced by a tone so calm it was almost more unnerving.

"How about this," he said. "I'll come upstairs, grab the keys, and handle it for you. Wouldn't that be easier?"

He wanted to come up.

He knew where I lived.

My mind raced. I could almost feel the gears turning in his head, each word he spoke perfectly calculated.

"No, it's fine," I said quickly. "I won't be driving tomorrow. My boyfriend will take me." I emphasized "boyfriend," hoping it would deter him, force him to rethink whatever plan he might have.

Wayne chuckled again, the sound hollow and strange, echoing like a void.

"I remember now," he said. "Building 3, Unit 301… 302… 304. Yes, 304. You bought that place yourself, didn't you?"

He knew. He knew everything.

And then, suddenly—

Bang, bang, bang!

Knocks pounded on my door, sharp and forceful.

Was he here?

I jumped to my feet, heart slamming against my ribs. My phone slipped from my grasp, clattering onto the floor, spinning until it landed near the door.

"Hello? What's that noise?" His voice, still on the line, crackled faintly.

Bang, bang, bang!

"Open the door!" A voice called out from the other side.