Michael
"You sure this is the last box?" Ashton asked as he sets down a particularly heavy box. (I wouldn't lie if I said I didn't purposefully give him the heavy boxes to carry so I didn't break my back)
"Yeah I'm pretty sure." I said and looked around the room. The walls are painted sky blue and there's a soft rug on the floor. The windows are open despite the chilly fall breeze blowing in. I had lit a few candles around the apartment to keep the dusty smell out. For some reason nobody has ever lived in this apartment for very long.
"I'm pretty sure it is." I said, glancing around the room and mentally counting the boxes to see if everything was off the van. "I think we're done."
"Then I've got to head home." Ashton said, wiping his brow with the hem of his shirt. "See you soon."
I walked Ashton out, closing the door behind him and suddenly feeling so alone in the apartment. But not entirely alone. There was some sort of presence in the room that I just couldn't place.
I walked down the hall to my new bedroom, pushing the door open with my foot as I carried my box of clothes. I dropped the box on the floor and collapsed on the unmade mattress without a frame sitting in the middle of the room. I would have to go at least a week without a bed frame before my new one was shipped in.
I quiet knock on the front door startled me and made me jump. I ran back down the hall to answer the door, not forgetting to look through the glass spy hole to see who was outside. I swung open the door and greeted a boy about my age. He had dirty blonde hair, dull blue eyes and heavy bags under his eyes. He wore all black, his sweatshirt, jeans, and shoes, except for his blood red shirt with various holes in the collar.
"You're my new neighbor?" He asked with a quiet scratchy voice, like sandpaper on cement. Painful sounding, yet almost pitiful.
I frowned and nodded slowly. "I'm Michael." I said, holding my hand out warily.
He glanced down at my hand and didn't move, didn't crack a smile, didn't acknowledge my hand at all. "Luke." Was all he said.
Something about him unsettled me deeply. He seemed so cold and distant and I didn't even know him, but I remembered the lessons my mother taught me when I was younger, about being a good neighbor and being kind to others. "Would you like to come in?" I asked, forcing a smile. He shrugged and nodded, and followed me to the living room.
"Sorry there's not many places to sit. It's kind of a mess right now." I said awkwardly. Luke ignored me again and spot in the middle of the room looking down at his shoes.
I frowned and started at the boy, confused. "Would you like something to drink-"
"I don't- I mean, no that's alright." He said.
Just before I was about to say something, the clock hanging on the wall chimed eight o clock and Luke's eyes widened. "I'll see you around." He said, quickly making his way outside.
I walked briskly after him, seeing his disappear out the front door. "At least let me show you out-" I glanced into the hallway and he was gone. Completely disappeared.
+
That night I was awoken by a loud crash somewhere in the apartment. I shot straight up, half asleep and eye heavy, dragged myself out of bed to investigate.
I stumbled into the kitchen, seeing the toaster on the counter had fallen on the floor all on it's own. I could have sworn I put it in the middle of the counter.
I knock on my door at three in the morning made me jump, and I grabbed the nearest thing I could use to protect myself, which happened to be a spoon from my silverware box.
I crept towards the door, careful not to make too much noise. I slowly unlocked the door and swing it open, closing my eyes and preparing for the worst.
"Hey Michael." A voice said a little too loudly for three in the morning. I jumped. I looked up to see Luke standing there in flannel pyjama pants and a black t-shirt. "Shit! I'm so sorry for scaring you." He said.
"Shut up luke." I snapped. "What are you here for anyway.
"Left my phone here when I was over earlier. Too awkward to come back and get it. You know-"
"So you just need your phone?" I asked, dropping the spoon and glaring at him.
"Pretty much." He sighed. "It's on the coffee table."
I glanced at the coffee table and sure enough Luke's phone was sitting there, probably being blown up with texts.
I snatched his phone and handed it to him, smiling awkwardly. "Night." I said drowsily.
"Night." he said back before I closed the door.
"Little fucker." I mumbled to myself. "Making me think my own house is haunted."
