the Disguised Fall

Years passed and nothing has changed, frightened people still walk the town, and there’s an overload of investigations that the police can barely handle. When you walk down the sidewalks and look down at this small town, everything seems normal.

. . .

There have been stories about many mysterious killings that have happened over the past few decades. All killings have been said to be without a large amount of trauma on the victims bodies. There are no fingerprints or cells left behind on them either. They all ended up in the lake about 12 miles south of the town. Nothing was common about the people that were killed. There was no link that traced back between the victims that were murdered. However, this October felt a bit…disconnected.

On a moody Tuesday morning in Twain Town, it’s 7:30 a.m. on October 2, 2021 everything was still. There was no wind, no rain, only a thick mist of fog that covered roads and grass all over town. In a small town near the woods by her house, lived a young girl named Ali. All alone in her cottage, Ali pours a cup of coffee every morning while reading the newspaper before getting ready for work. She woke up feeling out of place. In the pit of her stomach, she knew something was wrong. Something was going to happen today. Taking a sip of her coffee, she looked down at her hand as it started to slowly shake. Her nerves rose. She thought to herself, ‘don’t stress, get ready, you're okay’.

She went about her day with the same suspicious feeling.

Tick, tock, tick, tock

The clock struck 5 o’clock in the afternoon, it was time to go home. Finishing her last assignment of the day, she picked up her briefcase. Opening the case, her hands started to shake, and her heart started to beat. Thump...thump..thump, thump, thump. Faster and faster it went. She started to feel like it was going to leap out of her chest. until she took a deep breath, trying to ease the gradual, but alarming rate. She closes her eyes for a few seconds and says “I’m okay, everything is okay”.

Hearing a voice from a small distance in her office “Ali, are you okay?” says Mr. Burton, the CEO of the Law firm. Gasp! Opening her eyes in shock, she releases her nerves. Sigh…she replies, “I’m okay, thank you. Just wrapping up this last assignment and will be heading out soon, sir”. Mr. Burton smiles back and nods as he turns around to walk away “have a great night, see you tomorrow”. “Will do sir, you as well”, Ali responds.

Ding! The elevator opens and Ali rushes out of the office to catch the elevator before it closes, trying to rush out of the building. Ali throws her assignment sheets in her briefcase and speed walks out of the building. She opens the office building door and immediately inhales the fresh air. Feeling the air circulating her lungs, she exhales. Ali starts to think about why she feels like this in the first place. Things have gone okay so far.

There's no real reason she can think of for why her nerves are so shot. At ease but annoyed, she tries to clear her conscious of any suspicions. She decides to go to the nearby classy, Italian restaurant that just opened up on Twin St. Ali walks to her car, ‘beep beep’, her car doors unlock, she opens the door and hops in. She turns the radio to her favorite R&B station and drives to the restaurant.

Walking into the restaurant, “just one?” the host asks.

Nodding her head yes, she says “is the bar okay?”

“Yes!”, Ali replies.

Being seated at the bar, Ali sees from the corner of her eye, an intriguing man a few seats down.

“This is for you, from the man in the black hat”, said the bartender.

“Oh, huh, thank you…”. Hesitant as to what to do next, looking down she takes a slow breath and smiles. Spinning the tooth pick with 2 olives, she gradually picks up her drink and as the sweat from her glass drips down her fingers, she takes a sip. As she puts the glass down, she glances over at the man with a grin. She knew he couldn't resist speaking to her.

A few minutes passed.

All of a sudden he drops his hat on the bar tabletop. Turning her head, she was instantly attracted to him. As he sat down, she felt a sudden rush of intensity inside herself. All of her worries and suspicions she had felt throughout the day were gone. She takes the glass and drinks the rest of the vodka tonic. Spinning her chair to look at him, she crosses her legs and looks into his eyes.

“Round 2?” he says.

“Oh you don't wanna have a drink with me...,” she muttered in an intriguing, but interesting manner.

“You won’t feel that way after tonight,” he replies.

Her cheeks blushing, “huh, if you say so”.

Looking down with a grin..“Tell me something, what is your deepest secret?” he asks.

Intrigued by his question, but a little set off, she decides to take it up a notch.

Leaning over, she whispers into his ear and says “I think that's an answer that needs to be earned.” She leans back and shows a slight smile…

Becoming skeptical about her and seeing how she is a little spit fire, he changes the subject to pull her in to talk more.

“Tell me about yourself,” he asks. Intrigued by his eyes as if she flowed into the darkness inside them, filled with hazel caramel circling his eyes with a perfect smile; she goes on to tell him, “well there’s a lot to tell…I’m quite a mess,”

“I think I can handle it.”

She felt a gushing feeling inside, “heh well my life’s a mess, but small. I moved out here to have some separation from my family. Family is a tricky thing, even when you love them.” With a murmured, low tone in her voice, Ali added, “…umm..do you really want to hear this?”

“Keep going,” he said.

“Wait, I don’t even know your name,” Ali says.

“We'll get there,” he adds.

“..well my parents are divorced, they loved each other very much. I could see it in their eyes everyday, just something never sat right.”

“Do you see your parents often?”

“Hardly..I live here in this small town. I moved here about two years ago..and we just don’t have a great relationship.”

“Mendable?” He questions her.

“No..unfortunately not, but we keep in contact here and there.”

He asked, “…where’s your family from?”

Pulling him in with every word, she adds “I’ll tell you when you tell me your name,” she looks at him with a peaked smile.

Swooshing her drink around in a circular motion, he takes out a fine, chrome pen. His voice getting lower and deeper with a rasp in his voice he whispers “Okay’ he grins, ‘How about this love, why don’t you meet me here.

Writing down his address on a slit of paper he pulled out from his pocket.

"If you really want to know, come tomorrow night at 8 p.m. sharp. You’ll know.”

Picking up his hat, rolling it through his wrist to put on, grazing his hand across her back and putting his hat on her. Little butterflies in the pit of her stomach grew. But she knew he was trouble from the start. She turned around for a last look, but he was gone.

. . .

7:52 p.m. Ali drove in her small car that smelt like warm cinnamon the second you opened the car door. Driving up to his house,“where am I?”, she asks herself. Knees felt weak as her heart raced as she felt confused and in fear that she would be another victim, but was not positively sure it was really him from the stories that have been told.

Arriving at his house, she remembers how people in her town talk about this man that lives in the woods with a fancy, modern day home. The house is made almost entirely of glass. People say that the man that lives there is charming and polished all the way, stripped down to his nicely polished Italian shoe. Others say that he comes to town for a little while and leaves for long periods of time. No one hears about him as to who he really is or why he leaves. People in the town see him pass by, but something has never felt right, to anyone in the town about him. This has happened for years, but no pattern is left behind as to when he comes and goes.

The leaves from the trees that filled the woods on the drive up, fell to the ground and whipped up as her car drove to his house. 7:55 p.m. she arrives at his house and realizes this is the house.

“Oh my…”

Opening the car door, her heel hits the ground, but has a strange feeling of someone looking at her. She turns her head and sees him standing at the doorway. She smiles with butterflies filling her stomach. Thinking to herself saying “they can’t be telling the truth, this is the wrong guy.”

Stepping out of the car, she grabs his hat to put on her curled, silk hair. Coming dressed for the night in her black Chanel heels and in a mahogany, red dress that swayed side to side, giving a little curve to her waist that dropped down to her thighs. She knew tonight would be a night she would never forget. Still, she questioned herself if her being there was such a good idea."

She walks up to the front door anxious, but having the intention to romantically intrigue him. He opens the door right before she makes her first few steps up the stairs. She smiles at him, “why thank you, handsome.” Returning his hat, she takes it and places it on his head without hesitation.

Immediately looking at the texture of the house, everything was so similar to what people around town had told her. Putting the pieces together, a rumor becoming reality shook her up. Click! He locks the door behind her as she leaves her keys on the table by the front door. She notices the fine wood with Italian design wrapped around the edges, dripping down to the legs of the table. As shocked as she was passing through the entrance leading into the living room, she became anxious of what the night would bring.

His modern, Italian crafted shoes click, clack on the floor as he walks behind her, “how was the drive up? I know it can be tricky,” he asks her.

“Oh, it wasn’t too bad,” she replies.

Nodding his head, he asks “would you like a drink?”

“Yes, please,” she replies.

“What would you prefer, Ali?”

“White wine is fine, thank you…”

“You can walk around the house," he said assured. "I’ll find you.”

Letting her look around the house, which was almost filled with nothing, Ali realizes she never gave her name to him or mentioned it during their conversation at the bar last night. Walking up the thin, titanium staircase to the second floor, she started to feel anxious and suspicious. Her heels hit the glass floor which filled the entire second floor. Her heels click-clack as she starts to walk across the room and wonders where he is with her glass of wine.

She sees that something is wrong with the glass flooring. She could not make out if it was a slit cut or something that was made in the flooring. Seeing a slight cut, she walks closer and steps right in front of it. Feeling like something is odd about the flooring. The floor has no support, but she was still able to walk on it. She followed the cracked crease along the floor that made a whole square cut out of the flooring. As she started to wonder what was actually going on and why the flooring was completely cut out, she knew in her heart that she was in trouble.

Curiosity flooded her thoughts as she needed to know more. She needed to see more She needed to know what he might've been planning. "Is he up to something malicious? Is he just a peculiar and interesting man who planned for a fun, romantic night?" she thought to herself.

She walked along the crease of the cut glass flooring that led to the staircase. Squatting down, she touches the corner of the glass floor to see if it will move or push down, but nothing happens. “Why won’t this thing move? What is he planning?”, she asked herself. Going into a panic attack, she needed to know what the flooring would do. She took a step onto the flooring…

Ahhh! Gasp!

Feeling like gravity was pushing her down, all of a sudden the entire section of the glass flooring was released by itself. Everything was happening so fast! The glass started to flip in place like it was being held by something from the center of the flooring, like a trash can top when food is being disposed of.

Trying to not fall completely to the first floor, she hangs by her fingers onto the edge of one of the sides she was closest to. As she was hanging, trying to see how she should land, her hands started to lose grip and the glass started to flip back. The whole flooring flipped so fast, she thought her head was going to be severed in half. Trying to land on her feet, she felt a loud crack in her ankle, muffled by her scream. “Owe!! Ugh!"

With tears running down her face, not knowing what to do. She wanted to go and find him, but there was no use. How could this have happened? Scared that she would be one of his victims. At this point she knew…she could be. She knew she had to make it out without him seeing her. Looking around, she was close to the front door so she passed through the living room. He was nowhere in sight.

Her ankle was throbbing so much, it was hard to bear. Hard to keep up with, running to get out of this place, her ankle gave out on her the more she tried to walk. She took off her heels and ran to the front door. Treading her feet to find the strength to walk, she grabs her keys. Her hands were shaking, huffing and puffing running barefooted, she ran to her car. Running, running, and underneath her breath “I can make it,” she says. With fear running through her veins with bloodshot eyes…

Stab! Ugh! What the hell!

Shaking her hands, she covers her mouth in shock.

Standing still as dozens of little things pierced her feet. Standing barefooted, blood dripping from her feet. Dripping to the dirt beneath her. She looks down and sees little, tiny needles that are barely coming out of the ground. Almost like it was installed purposefully into the ground. How could this even be here?

As she walked up to the house earlier that night, there were no needles or anything to make her feel imbalanced. Paving a path to get to her car, every step she took, blood was shed.

This was not a normal man, a normal date.

A blissful night turned into a nightmare.

Her adrenaline kept her going through the agony and pain. She ran straight for her car, which she could see through the darkness of the moonlight sky. Losing strength in her feet and knees, she said to herself "I can make it...I can fucking make it. Don't stop Ali."

Getting to her car, her bare feet were beyond sliced. Skin tissue that once covered her barefoot were replaced by dark, red impalements all across. Still shaking, she fumbles her keys as she tries to start the car. Frustrated, she drops her head to the top of the steering wheel only for a moment to yell out a cry of pain. AHH! Screaming in pain with both barefooted feet infected and full of dirt, she looks at her hands and arms. Gassp! A slice in her arm was carved across her bicep with glass clippings brushed against her wound but there was never a shock of pain in her arms. Finally, the key turns and her car starts. She looks back at the house and sees the silhouette of the man.

This was no ordinary date.

A night she would never forget was one she never expected.

Not knowing what he would do next or what he could do to her.

She knew this was not the end.

. . .

Episode 2

The silhouette of the man gave her the chills. As the blood droplets soaked up into the carpet, she knew at that moment her life was on the line. She needed to leave, this was her getaway.

“Fuck this!” she says as she puts the car in reverse. Reversing out, she spins around to drive straight, but the ground was too moist and mushy. The tires could not grasp the muddy ground. Spinning out of control, she hydroplaned into the bushes that were planted along the driveway that led out to the road.

“This cannot be happening!” hitting her steering wheel out of anger.

Heavily breathing in a panic attack, she looked around for him, but he vanished into the night. Trembling out of her car, her feet were in excruciating pain that was unbearable. With tears running down her face in agony, she slowly got out of the car and looked around. In the dark, moonlit night she could not see a thing, but she knew that his driveway ran straight to the main road. Grabbing her purse and cell phone from the passenger's seat, she walks out to the driveway. Stepping slowly through the grass that was covered in leaves, she slowly made her way to the driveway to head to the main road.

Running and running, trembling over her feet. Every step she took, a bloody footprint was left behind. Ugh, ugh, sobbing through every step. She looks back through the dark trees leading up to his house. The foggy mist of the night made it hard to see, only moonlight was her light through the night. A shadow of a man walking towards her behind her, “NOO!! No! Get away from me!” In utter shock, she could not make a straight thought. As she givered and sobbed, she started to run faster and faster. Her adrenaline kicked in causing the pain level of her cracked ankle, cuts and stab wounds to be in discomfort. She could barely feel a thing.

Nothing else mattered. She needed to make it out alive.

She gets to the main street and feels like she is on the verge of passing out.

Honk!

She almost steps over the shoulder on the road as cars are passing left and right.

It felt like…like this night would never end, that she would never get home.

“Okay, okay, what do I do?’ breathing slowly, she said to herself. ‘Police station! Ugh, ok ok.’ Searching for her phone through her purse, she looks up the distance on her maps ‘10 minutes! Oh my!” She could not stand it anymore. The courage she felt inside pushed her to keep going.

Making her way to the police station, she rushed into the station like a wildfire.

In concern as the officer saw the blood treading on the tile floor, “Ma’am, ma’am are you okay? Can we help you?”

“There is a man after me! I don't know where he is,’ heavily breathing, ‘I was at his house, but then he went to go and get us drinks. I never saw him again! Then all of these horrible things kept happening. The stories that I have heard the past few years about a man that comes and goes from town. Don’t you know what I'm talking about?! My car even crashed…”

“Ma’am, what are you talking about? There has been no rumor, no sign of the man you're talking about,” the officer explained.

“What are you talking about! For the past 2 years since I moved here, all I have heard about is a man who comes and goes from town, but he is no ordinary man. You have not heard about him?”

“We have no idea what you are talking about, we're sorry. Do you need an ambulence? Ma’am why don't you take a seat?”

“I don't want to have a seat! I want you to listen to me, damn it! I am in trouble.” Ali said in terror that he would come for her. They had no idea what she was talking about. This does not make sense. Nothing adds up.

“We cannot help you,” with a blank face on the officer, she knew something was strange about this town, but she never realized it before.

She thought to herself, “am I going crazy?”

Ugh!

"Please, call me a cab."

“Yes ma’am.”

Dragging her feet in exhaustion, the doors slid open and she walked outside.

The cab pulled up to the station. She got into the cab, “are you okay?” the driver asked.

“I’m fine, take me to 222 Twin St.”

“Okay…” confused, but minding his business, the driver took off driving.

Passing through the town, this town that felt so small and almost like home, did not feel the same anymore. So many thoughts ran through her head. No one believed her. He could be coming after her and she doesn’t know it. Her feet were slowly stopping from bleeding, but they were in excruciating pain. Tears dripped over her cheeks in fear of not knowing what he would do next. Almost arriving at her house, she tries to relax.

Giving the driver his fee, “thanks.”

He drove off and finally she was home.

She walks slowly inside. Out of breath. Freaking out.

Not knowing what to do or what just happened.

Out loud to herself she says,“What the hell just happened? Huh.”

Not letting her thoughts run wild, she thinks to take a shower to try to relax. This painful night was too much to bear anymore. It’s too much for her to handle. Her life was on the line and still might be.

She strips down and sees all the cuts, her feet covered in blood with little clogged blood droplets covered over with dirt and leaves.

Sitting on the edge of the tub, she slowly turns the water on and lets her feet wash off.

“Ahh!!” Pulling away her feet as the pain became much worse as the hot water hit her feet. Breathing heavily and slowly.

“Okay, okay, let's do this.” letting out a deep breath, she feels the water temperature with her hand. She hesitantly puts her feet back in the tub. The grass, dirt and blood started to flow out into the water.

She broke down in tears. This night was something she never expected, never intended on going through. She knew here and now, she should have listened to her suspicions.

Sitting on the edge of the tub she started to replay their whole conversation at the bar in her head. She thought about the teetering glass that flipped.

“How could a whole piece of glass manage to flip on its own?”

“Ow!” A sting in her arm wouldn’t go away. “Ah.” She grabs the tweezers by the sink and slowly takes out the small glass fragments that broke off.

“Mmmm, ugh” she pulls out a long piece of glass. “Mmm” gradually, she pours water over the wound. Exhaling in relief, she runs the shower and sits in the tub.

The water gushing out from the shower head was hitting her back, she felt distress and peace at once.

Her feet still throbbing, after her shower she puts ointment over them and wraps her feet. She needed sleep and rest. Tonight was too much to take in. Heading to bed, she curls up, but her mind would not quiet down. Her head spun around as she ruminate about tonight. SHe could take it anymore, the thoughts wouldn't shut up. The room feeling like it was closing in on her, she closed her eyes and passed out.

The orange and yellow colored sunrise shone through her blinds.

Gasping for air, she sits up quickly out of breath like someone was strangling her in her sleep. Almost like her trauma from last night physically got to her.

“Oh shit! I’m late! Ughh!” She rises from her bed, but her body feels like it has just been run over and rolled into a ditch..

Dialing her boss’ number, “Good morning Mr. Burton, I’m feeling under the weather. I cannot make it in today.” She knew, if she wanted to tell him the truth about last night, he wouldn't believe her. No one would.

“I understand, get some rest and feel better, Ali.” he responded to her.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Goodbye.” they both said and continued to hang up the phone. There was no energy inside of her to make it to the kitchen. She had no appetite to fill this void of depression she felt inside.

10:00 a.m.

3:00 p.m.

Hardly moving or eating, it became 7:00 p.m. in the evening. Ali watches the beautiful sunset gliding over the sky with a particular shade of blue that fades in purple. The sunset and the moonlit up the night. In her eyes, the moonlight shined in her eyes, but she felt absolute darkness inside.

Depressed inside, feeling like there was nothing left.

No point to what she was going through, this should not had happened. This is insane.

Her eyes could barely stay open from her lack of sleep. She walks to take a quick shower. Letting the water run down her face, she just wanted to calm her thoughts and pain. Wrapping herself in the towel with no energy left inside, let alone to get dressed so she walks to her bed and wraps herself in the comforter, almost like a shield from the world.

That night she fell asleep early. Around 2:21 a.m. Ali was sleeping calmly. A searing noise like glass being cut out with a knife. The sound wouldn’t stop, “What is that?” Barely opening her eyes from coming out of a dead sleep, she wakes up.

Turning her head to look out the window, the glass was perfectly pieced together, but he was standing there. Outside on the other side of the window, he was staring at her. Admiring her sleep.

In a panic, she jumped out of her bed, tumbling over her feet and ran to grab her phone to call 911. Turning around to look to see if he was still there, but he was gone. Hands shaking, “what! Where is he?”

She scopes out the house, looking through every window, but he was nowhere to be seen.

“I’m going crazy.”

There’s no explanation to any of this.

No one will believe her.

Did she really meet him, nothing feels real anymore.

. . .

Episode 3

Her life was not the same anymore. Insomnia grew over her, day after day. A searing sound of glass being brushed against the window every night became a normal, but horrific routine. A routine that no one would understand. It became unexplainable. Two weeks pass and Ali doesn't have anymore strength to carry this on anymore.

“I need to get help. Maybe being in another place, a secure place..he will go away.”

It was 8:30 a.m. on a Thursday morning, there was a feeling of moist, coldness. The fog drifted over the lake near Ali’s home and sat on top of the cold, muddy water. Packing her bags, she takes a second to call in and make a notice of her absence. “Mr. Burton, I will not be able to come in this week. I need to take time off because I am mentally not feeling okay. I do not want this to disrupt my work.” “I understand, take the time you need, but you need to report back soon.” Mr. Burtonhe said calmly, but in a strong tone, He felt a deep concern knowing that over these past few weeks she has looked as if she desperately needs to be helped. Strong headed woman she was, but help was needed. “I understand sir, you will be hearing from me soon.”

The call ended, but her anxiety started to increase as her heart started to thump..thump..thump, thump, faster and faster. She held the phone up to her stomach and took a deep breath relieving the stress. “Okay.”

“Hello, this is Twain Asylum Institution, how can we help you?”

“Hi, yes…um My name is Ali..Ali Pepperman. I would like to be admitted today if that is possible.”

As she gave the woman her information, she felt a deep whole inside of loneliness, Lost and afraid she was, standing there talking to the woman on the phone. This feeling she felt wouldn't leave her side. It felt like a ghost, she was not the same Ali as before.

“Have a seat here while you fill out your information.”

The clock ticking on the wall by the front door created a fire inside her as her anxiety started to grow. Doors shutting and screams that filled the hallways made her hands shake making it difficult to write, inhaling and exhaling slowly “relax”.

Finishing her form, “Ali, we're ready for you.”

She hands the nurse her forms, passing through the doorway into the hallway she became frightened. The hallways were quiet for a second, but every room she passed, each person looked like they were locked up, set away from the world. It felt empty inside with the gray, painted walls filling with door to door patients needing help.

“Here is your room, we hope you are comfortable. We will be evaluating you for the next few days. Get comfortable. Let me take your vitals really quick though.”

With not much family alive, her life felt out of sorts. She had no one to turn to. The pain she felt as she started to unpack her things was a feeling of disconnection. She did not feel connected to the world, but maybe this was a good thing. Looking out the window in her room, “I just want the sounds to stop, to end. Maybe these thick glass windows will keep his ass out.” Angry inside with annoyance boosting, she knew this was insomnia. She took a few deep breaths and laid down on her bed. The room was dull. No games, no colors that filled the walls, just a small, squeaky bed and a desk with seating areas around the room.

She just wanted to shut it off, all the thoughts, the voices in her head. The constant nights of seeing him in her window. They needed to go away. Resting her head on her pillow as she laid down, relieved her in a sense that maybe she could go to sleep. Calming her nerves of all distractions and her past, she closes her eyes. Sound asleep, no noises, no searing glass shattering through the window; it was silent.

“Knock, knock…knock, knock knock.” Gasp!

“I am so sorry, yes?”

“Umm hello, I am Dr. Remmors, you must be Ali.”

“Hello, yes, I’m Ali.”

Please take a seat Ms. Pepperman.

“It says here on your form that you have been having insomnia, no sleep, cannot think straight, and uhh..why is that?”

“I probably shouldn't say…ironically, you’ll think I’m crazy.”

“Looking at me with a genuine smile, ‘Ali what's been going on?”

“Something happened..it’s been about two weeks ago, maybe three, honestly I’ve started to lose count. Ever since then, that night..”

“What night? What happened that is making you feel this way?”

Feeling a slight bit of guilt..she continued to tell him about the rumors, what happened that night, the emotions she felt in the moment and the wounds she was left with.

“I think he wants to hurt me or maybe I’ve met him before, I mean why would he want to stalk and go after me, it's starting to feel like a ghost. He keeps coming back and I can’t take it anymore. I don't feel safe and I can never get sleep.”

In shock and confusion, he looks at Ali and calmly explains “You're safe here and I will try to look at some research to see who this man may be. Please eat and stay calm. Take a nap.”

Nodding her head, smiling, but in despair, she goes straight back to bed to relax. The door closes and her mind shuts off. Her mind shut off, but she still had a slight ring in her ear of the same searing, glass noise in the background still. It seemed like breathing was the only option to calm her nerves. Inhaling and exhaling slowly, she closed her eyes and actually went to sleep. Her body is relaxing as if it hasnt in months. Getting the rest she needed, she could feel the relief leave her body and mind.

“Knock, knock”

Her body and mind were traumatized knowing if she would fall asleep, it traumatized herself. It would make her body know to expect shock and a surprise every time she'd wake up.

In a panic, she woke up and sat up slowly out of exhuastion.

Opening the door, “Here is your dinner.”

A plate full of green beans, mac and cheese, with pork chops was served.

Enthusiastically, “mmm, thank you.”

The sun goes down and the night grows darker and so do her thoughts.

All lights were going out to sleep.

Doors shutting down the hallways.

Alarmed and awake, she knew that the naps she had today was the only amount of sleep she'd be able to have. Knowing what time she would normally hear the searing glass noise at home, she waited and waited for her to hear it here too.

9:00 p.m.

A quiet night so silent, it was deafening.

11:00 p.m.

Cries and footsteps throughout the hallway gave her chills.

12:00 a.m.

It's closer to the time..

Tearing up. Anxiety filling her stomach. “Just please leave me alone. Don't come here.” she said to herself out of fright and desperation.

2:21 a.m.

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK

These knocks were..ear-splitting.

A sudden ring in her ear, became a loud sound of glass like someone was slicing in and out of the glass window.

“Ahhh” covering her ears, “stop!!”

Looking across the window, there were tiny cracks that started to appear.

Crickle, crack, crack, crack…KNOCK, KNOCK!!

Drawing in her last deep breathe, she touched the door knob thinking it may be locked,

Creak, the door knob turned.

Gasp!

She slowly opened the door, her heart racing a million miles an hour, not being able to catch her breath. She steadily looked up…it was him. His eyes felt like daggers in her eyes, staring her down like he soul was his, the same feeling stuck. She knew him. Somehow, someway, she knew him.

Up close to him, she could feel the coldness from his body.

Heavily breathing “Ahh!” she exclaimed. She slowly stepped back yelling “Get away from me, leave me alone! LEAVE ME ALONE!” screaming to the top of her lungs.

There was a dead silence between the two.

Standing a few feet apart, he exalted towards her in a fierce manner, squatting down to the ground as he came after her. “Dont hurt me!! Please!!” Her body twisting left and right, “he's not real, he's not real.”

Hearing a young woman in the background with a nurse to control her she says in a rushed tone, “Ali, Ali, no one is in here. Stop! Stop, nobody is in here.” Unfolding herself from a curled up ball she put herself in, “What do you mean no one here?” I just saw…a male figure slightly passing by her doorway, vanished.

Just wanting her life back, no one would believe her. Research was being taken into account, but…was she really alone in this? Thinking she is crazy, but knowing…there is a motive.

He has a motive.

I am his motive.

. . .

Episode 4

Evaluation Day 3

Mid-gloomy day, rocking, sitting, thinking in the rocking chair in the corner about how to find a way to know who he is. The same knocking on the door happened every night, but she kept the door shut with no way for him to get to her. He never went beyond the foot of the door. Feeling..almost safe in this lonely, cold place. She thought back to that night. What happened. Where things went wrong, to say the least. When she went back to see where her car was a few nights after the painful night happened…the car was nowhere insite. No pieces of the car that parted off after the crash, we’re left on the tree or grass. Any tracks left from her car were wiped clean. She felt caught and stuck like she was in a time warp feeling like she everything she felt that night, was happening again to her. Everything looked perfect, almost like the incident never happened; too perfect it seemed like.

Looking out the glazed window, knock knock.. she heard at the door.

”Come in.”

“Ali, how are you feeling today?” the nurse asked sternly towards her.

“I’m doing fine.”

“And what about those little sightings you keep having?”

“I would rather not talk about that.”

“Well, you know I will say, from experience, talking is good. Especially, if you're trying to process and get through certain things.“

"I'll get there eventually, but when no one will understand or listen to me, what's the use in wasting my words, my breath for nothing. When you can tell me that, then maybe..I'll think about it."

"Think about it, it's worth it. More than you think." with certainty, the nurse expressed.

"Wait...do you think I could use a computer? I need to, it's important and the only way I'll get better."

"I'll have to see about that."

“Right..huh okay.”

She needed to know. She couldn’t trust herself anymore.

Her thoughts. Her mind.

Her stomach cringing to any aspect of noise around her.

Her heart is hurting. She couldn’t trust herself anymore.

Bitterly ashamed, curling up in a little ball. Feeling like the world has left her. Cold and alone, she felt. She just wanted life to go back to the way it used to be, the way things could’ve been. She just wanting to have a relaxing night that night, possibly spice things up, but…murder? How could it have turned into this? Ali sat there confused because nothing was making sense. A deep hole inside that she felt; didn’t feel like it could be a whole again. She was still looking, locked away, but in some sort of physical, dimensional way, they knew each other before. Almost like they had met before. That's the only reason she could think of. From the start there was a connection that was indescribable.

All curled up inside, she just wanted things to calm down.

Be okay. Feel safe again. Be able to breathe again…

A creek at the door as it slightly opened..breathing in deeply, she glances over at the door.

“So..we were not able to find anything on the man you are speaking about. He does not come up in any sort of records.” the doctor said suddenly as he walked through the door.

Breathing out heavy, she got up quickly, “there has to be a mistake! I’ve physically seen him, he’s touched me before, how could he possibly not come up anywhere?

“Suppose you may have never seen him..it's not like he's from some parallel universe or something. ”

As enthusiastic as the doctor was, what if he was from a parallel universe.

“Look, I saw him, he touched me, I spoke to him briefly for a couple of hours,’ saddened by the thought, ‘almost like I had known him for much longer. There has to be an explanation to that. I guess that's not a bad idea.”

“Wasn’t an idea, there’s no way possible, that could happen. Right now, you are in an evaluation period, after that time period, we will see from there.”

“Which will end, when?”

“The nurse will come in soon to check your vitals then you can decide to stay or leave.”

“Okay. Well thank you, for doing your research,” Ali said with a smile, but with fear in her eyes, she knew by tonight she needed to know who he was.

5 p.m. the sun was setting across the trees as the wind whispered through the woods. Burnt red, with a gliding hint of orange filled the night sky.

“Okay, let me check your vitals.”

Seeing her blood pressure skyrocketing, “are you feeling okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“Are you sure Ali. No games? Yeah I’m fine.”

“Okay. Let me speak to the doctor to see about your discharge.”

Click, clack of the doctor's heels you could hear on the tile floor down the hallway.

“You are free to go, of course under doctor's orders. I know you have been seeing things, people, but they aren't real. Train yourself to think so. It’s your mind playing games. You can end up being your own enemy. Please see a therapist for the next month. I will give you some recommendations on your way out.”

“Can you see someone? Know someone, without meeting them first?”

“That's not possible.”

“Are you sure about that?”

“Take care of yourself, Ali.”

“Thanks..”

Episode 5

Her life felt twiste and disconnected again.

Walking out of the hospital feeling a bit refreshed, she was set to find out who she was entangled with.

5 o’clock in the afternoon, papers rumbling as the staff started to pack up around her as she walked down the chilled hallways out to the rustic, front door.

A gust of wind brushed across her face as she opened the front doors to the fresh air.

Clack, clack, clack of her small flats on the smoothe concrete stairs.

She walked up to the curb to call a cab; Drop!

The Daily Newspaper bumped against her shoe. She looked down and glanced over the headline as it read “ Found Dead”. A fire that lit inside her as her heart started racing, she picked up the newspaper. She reads “Woman Found Dead with No Trace of Body Trauma” across the front page. A curious thought crossed her mind. Maybe he moved onto his next victim and he's done with me, she thought.

Beep, beep!

The cab pulled up against the curb.

“Trindle St. please.”

Passing by the town, door to door the small town seemed ordinary.

Losing her train of thought as she stared away into her mirrored reflection in the window; she became twisted in her own thoughts. “If no one knew who he was, then how could he have physically touched me? How could he have physically spoken to me?” As confused as she became, she realized something. Something she couldn't see before. Staring at the glass the car was shielded by, she knew that there was something beyond her that made this all possible. Looking at a mirror, especially through glass, you can see your own reflection. Is there ever something on the other side?

Jerked back as the car stops, she loses her train of thought. “Home…” she says with relief stepping out of the car.

Walking inside her her house felt almost unknown to her. Nothing felt the same anymore. She thought maybe being here, it could give some relief. She felt like something was missing from herself. Keeping her thoughts straight, she drops everything to search the history of the town.

Tying up her hair, she sat down and started her search on her way to find who he was. She searched, “Twain Town murder’, ‘glass floor turning murders’, ‘serial killers in Twain Town’, Twain Town killings’. etc. Her research started as the hours passed while the night grew darker. Murders in the town increased year after year as headlines consistently grew with the base line of murder stories that circled the town.

Every single published article she came across only provided the murders in the town, but no murderer has been identified for any of the killings. “Okay, let's think of something unpredictable.” Sometimes things don't add up like they usually should. Demons and alternate universes could be a possibility, but how far could this actually go. She once read, ‘demons and alternate universes are from another realm of existence’. A place that we can not see past our own universe and our own lives. This is past death and past our complete knowledge, but it’s considerable.

8:00 p.m. on a moody, groggy night fall. The moon curved rising into the ash of the mystic night. She could feel a cold, isolating breeze in the house as she started to get ready for bed. Not knowing if he would come back tonight, she closed and locked all doors and windows. The glass blocking his way into her home was not the only thing keeping him from getting to her. Her wound that slit open never healed completely. She started to have searing pain that wouldn’t go away. Ignoring how terribly it hurt, she curled herself up in bed, thinking about him and what all of it meant.

Tick, tick, tock

Her thoughts gradually became blurry, dozing off into the night.

A loud screeching sound waking her up.

“Ahh, stop stop, ahh” the sound of glass cutting and shaving against each other into the windows would not stop. As the sound grew stringer, the pain became undeniably sharpened.

Standing with a blank face, staring at her through the window was him. A coward, unspoken spur of a demon he was. Without a sign of why he couldn’t leave her alone, the pain of her wound wouldn’t stop and the noise kept ringing. She looked down at her wound finding small particles of glass that were never pulled out, but healed into her flesh. Without fear grazing through her eyes and soul, she yelled “what do you want from me?!” She walked up to the window in her bedroom and looked through the glass that shielded herself from him. The glass that stood between them two was more than a shield. He couldn’t get through to her. Slowly, she walked towards the front door dreading what could happen. Floor creaking through the cracks of the wood floor. Slowly opening the front door where the door knob felt ice cold like it was about to stick to her warm hand, she shivered in fear. Opening the door quickly, she teeters over the edge on her tip-toe’s at the foot of the door.

He was gone, yet again. Almost like he was never there. The searing sound and pain from her wound became faint in the midnight silence. A cold, frail wind passed her, but there was no sign of anyone in the house, but her. Getting ready for bed to put her mind at ease. She confronted him, but she felt as if he was with her. Padding down her face after turning the warm shower water off She looks in the mirror across from her and sees him in a full, physical form. Frozen in time, her body feeling like it was isolated. Staring into the mirror, he raised his arm like he was going to grab her, but started to come through the mirror.

Gasp!! Breathing rapidly, she turned her head like she was out of his trance, but he was missing. His physical body and the heaviness of his presence was gone, but still feeling like he was there.

The next morning, December 2nd, Ali woke up shaking, freezing throughout the house. Spinning the thermometer to 76 degrees, she draped her robe around her shoulders and slipped her slippers on to brew a cup of coffee. Sipping her coffee, a few moments later, she hears a “knock, knock” at the door.

Setting down her coffee on the dining table.

Unlocking the door a rushed, icy, dark feeling came through the door. She looked straight into his eyes standing there at her wooden door step. He stood there with an unexplainable flaming sight in his eyes. What felt like the night They had never happened, the connection never happened. All along feelings and emotions were disconnected.

Her mind became foggy to the ideas that rushed to her head. She couldn't comprehend what he must’ve been doing to her. Looking into his eyes, he consumed her. Consuming her soul, transporting into another universe. Gaining power and strength, the demon he was. Here to haunt the town, control minds, and become wrapped up in a town from an alternate life. In a parallel universe, a demon haunting and torturing Ali from another life, come to salvage her from this world.

. . .

New mystery

"The Rooms" on March 16th

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