The Parasite [Yandere x Reader]

Chapter 23 - (The Finding)

At first, I thought it was a relief not to have to deal with the paranormal shenanigans. But after a few nights of blissful quiet, it started to feel... off. Like an uncomfortable stillness had taken over the place.

Why does it feel so eerie now?

Shouldn't I be relieved?

To make matters weirder, I started having these unsettling dreams while Maia was away. Visions of shadowy figures lurking in the mansion's halls. Waking up with a feeling of being watched. I tried not to think too much of it, but I couldn't shake the uneasy sensation.

These dreams... they feel so real.

What if they're more than just dreams?

With Maia gone for a month to help her sister, I decided to do a thorough search of the mansion myself. There was something not right, and I couldn't rest until I got to the bottom of it.

I need to know.

I can't keep living in this uncertainty.

I spent several days scouring every nook and cranny, checking for any signs that something was amiss. Most of the mansion came up empty, until I reached the storage room tucked under the stairs.

This room...

I always felt something was off about it.

As I rummaged around, I noticed a large antique portrait of my grandparents hanging crooked on the wall. I reached up to straighten the heavy frame—and that's when it swung forward, slamming into the wall and revealing a gaping hole!

"What the..." I gasped, peering into the darkness. There were clear signs that someone—or something—had been living in these walls. A makeshift bed, supplies, the works.

Who could have been living here?

And why?

My heart pounded. Could this be the secret lair behind all the strange occurrences in the mansion? I felt a chill run down my spine as I wondered if something... or someone... could be lurking in there right now.

I need to be careful.

This could be dangerous.

With shaking hands, I grabbed a heavy candlestick from a nearby shelf, gripping it tightly as a makeshift weapon just in case. Inching closer, I shone the light from my phone into the cramped space.

Please, let this be empty.

Please, let this be empty.

The small cot was rumpled and unmade. Shelves were stocked with non-perishable food items and bottles of water. In one corner, a battery-powered lantern cast a sickly glow over the bizarre living quarters.

Someone has been living here.

But who?

Amid the clutter, I spotted some personal items that made my blood run cold—a framed photo of Maia and me at her grandparents' funeral, a well-worn copy of her favorite novel, a sweater I recognized as one of hers that had gone missing months ago.

"Oh my god..." I whispered, piecing it together with horror. This wasn't some random squatter. This was someone who knew me. Someone who had been watching us, studying our lives within these walls like some kind of deranged voyeur.

This is worse than I thought.

Someone has been stalking us.

A floorboard creaked behind me and I whirled around, candlestick raised defensively. But there was nothing there. Just the empty storage room, thick with shadows and silence.

I can't stay here.

I need to find Maia.

We need to figure this out together.

My nerves frayed, I decided I'd seen enough. I had to get out of this house and find Maia immediately. Maybe together we could make sense of this nightmare.

Slamming the hidden door shut, I raced up the stairs and threw open the front door, desperate to escape the mansion's oppressive atmosphere. But I barely made it past the threshold before slamming into a solid figure, letting out a startled scream.

"Whoa, easy there!" A familiar voice made me look up into the bemused face of our neighbor, Damien.

"Damien! What are you doing here?" I sputtered, my head still spinning from my terrifying discovery.

Of all times, why now?

He raised an eyebrow at my panicked state. "I saw your car out front and figured I'd stop by with a little housewarming gift for you..."

I opened my mouth, but no words came out. How could I explain to Damien what I had just found? That he—had been living in the walls, watching our every move?

How do I even begin to tell him?

That's when Damien's gaze shifted over my shoulder, his eyes going wide. "Well, well... Seems like you're smarter than I gave you credit for."

Ice flooded my veins as I turned slowly, following his line of sight to the dark interior of the house. There, framed in the doorway with an unsettling smirk, stood a ghastly familiar figure.

No, it can't be...

It was the same gaunt, hollow-eyed man I had seen lurking in the hidden room. Except now, he stepped fully into the light—revealing himself to be none other than Damien.

"You..." I choked out, feeling dizzy as the truth crashed over me. Our helpful, friendly neighbor had been the one watching us this whole time. Living like a rat in the walls, studying our lives like some kind of twisted obsession.

How could I have been so blind?

Damien's smile was all teeth. "I have to admit, I didn't think you'd ever find my little hideaway. But I guess I underestimated you..." His eyes bored into me with unsettling intensity. "Which is a mistake I don't plan to repeat."

As he began advancing on me, that same wild-eyed look I had seen in the hidden room, I knew I was staring into the face of madness itself. And I had a sinking feeling this was just the beginning.

I need to get out of here.

Now.

______

(914 Words)