There weren't many things in this new apartment that you could complain about. The faucets worked, there wasn't any critters running around or paint peeling from the walls. Everything, from the outside, looked normal. Until a few weeks into living there, there was an overwhelming feeling of fear. A shiver up your spine for no particular reason, a boring feeling into the back of your head as if someone was staring just behind you.

It didn't take too long for him to start to get more confident. It was a passing shadow around corners, never too close but never out of sight. It became a constant anxiety, that tall, black void lingering in the corner of your eye. Of course, you wanted to get rid of it- or him, but what were you meant to do? It was worst when you'd get home late, and you could fully see him. He'd stand in your window, facing you with his creepily unproportional silhouette. It was the only time you could see the monster that shared your home.

Tonight was a bit worse than usual, though. He started to seem too close. Even when you got into bed, you could feel his gaze bearing back from the darkened hallway. In bed, it was difficult to calm yourself, attempting to squeeze your eyes shut for a few minutes to ignore that awful feeling. Until something brushed the side of your arm.

"Look at me." The voice was like a creaking door hinge, an ugly mimicry of how a man would normally sound. "Open your eyes and see me."