He Hisses

~1~

Looking out the window excitedly, Penny had heard from the landlords that a new resident was moving into the apartment above hers. Finally, some fresh blood in this place. She could only hope they’d be younger, more lively. All her current neighbors were either old enough to be her grandparents or just plain weird like the guy down the hall who she had ran into about twice and just stared at her creepily and she had not seen him since then.

Lost in thought, she suddenly caught movement downstairs. A moving truck and a sleek black car pulled up in front of the building. Boxes were being unloaded, carried inside. She leaned in closer, her heart skipping a beat, hoping to catch a glimpse of this mysterious new neighbor. All she saw was a flash of dark hair disappearing into the building.

Her phone rang, snapping her out of her curiosity. Groaning, she glanced at the caller ID and rolled her eyes. "Hey, Mom," she answered, barely masking her irritation.

“I’ve been trying to reach you for two days! Are you avoiding me?” Her mother’s voice was sharp, almost accusing.

Penny sighed, already rubbing her forehead. "No, Mom, I’ve just been busy. You know, deadlines and all that." She wasn’t in the mood for this. "Is there something you need?"

A heavy silence followed. “Never mind. Your father was just worried. We wanted to check on you,” her mother finally said before hanging up without another word.

Penny frowned at the phone. With a huff, she shut the window, losing all interest in the new neighbor. Her mood had soured, and she needed to distract herself. Grabbing a book, she curled up in bed, hoping to get the sleep she'd been deprived of the night before, mentally reminding herself to introduce herself to the new tenant whenever her mood improved.