Watcher in the Dark

Chapter 1: The First Night

The hours slipped by with a strange fluidity after Ethan settled back into his chair. At first, he had found himself reading the words of the novel without really absorbing them, his mind still caught up in the strange figure he had seen on the camera. But eventually, the routine monotony of reading dulled his anxiety, and the images on the screen began to blend together. It was the same scene on every monitor-empty streets, silent houses, and the occasional flicker of a passing shadow that he quickly dismissed as nothing more than a tree swaying in the wind.
By the time he glanced at the clock again, it was nearing 2 AM. The guardhouse was quiet, the dull hum of the electronics the only sound keeping him company. His coffee had gone cold, but he hadn't noticed until now, his throat dry from sipping at the lukewarm liquid without tasting it.He put down the book and stretched his arms above his head, feeling the stiffness in his shoulders from sitting still for too long. *So this is what the rest of the night will be,* he thought. *Nothing but quiet streets and shadows playing tricks.*But there was still a part of him that couldn't fully let go of what he'd seen earlier. Every so often, his eyes would dart to the monitor that showed the house on the cliff, almost expecting to see the figure again. But the screen remained still, the house standing in its desolate silence, bathed in the faint glow of a nearby streetlight.Ethan rubbed his temples. *Gregory was right. You start to see things in a place like this.*He considered stepping outside for another walk, maybe to stretch his legs and shake off the grogginess that had settled in. But the thought of the cold wind and the eerie stillness of the streets outside kept him planted in his chair. He wasn't ready for another round through the empty neighborhood, not just yet.Instead, he reached for the radio on the desk, flipping the switch to turn it on. The device crackled to life, a soft burst of static filling the room. Nautical Heights had its own radio frequency, meant for communication between the guards and, in rare cases, the residents. But tonight, as expected, the airwaves were silent. No chatter, no calls for assistance. Just the faint hiss of dead air.He fiddled with the dial, tuning through the channels out of boredom. As he passed through the frequencies, a few distant signals came through-some music, mostly static, and once or twice the murmur of voices too faint to make out. Ethan settled on a station that played old rock songs, letting the low hum of the music fill the otherwise empty guardhouse.For a while, it helped. The music, combined with the soft glow of the monitors, created a kind of cocoon around him. The outside world seemed far away, reduced to images on the screen and the occasional gust of wind rattling the windows.But then, a noise broke through the static.It was subtle at first, just a soft click from the radio. Ethan paused, listening closely. Another click. Then a faint, high-pitched tone, like the sound of feedback from a microphone being turned on. He frowned, leaning closer to the radio. It wasn't unusual for signals to get crossed, especially this close to the coast where weather and interference could mess with the frequencies.But as the noise persisted, it shifted-no longer just random clicks or feedback. It began to form a rhythm, a pattern. Almost like... tapping.Ethan's hand froze over the dial, his breath catching in his throat. The tapping grew louder, more distinct. It wasn't coming from the radio anymore. It was coming from outside.He sat up straight, turning his head toward the door. The tapping continued, steady and rhythmic, like knuckles rapping softly against the glass. Ethan's pulse quickened. He stood, his feet moving before he had time to think.The tapping stopped the moment he reached the door.Ethan stood there, hand hovering over the handle, listening. Nothing. Just the wind, the trees swaying, and the distant crash of the ocean waves. His breath fogged the small window in the door as he peered outside, scanning the area. The road in front of the guardhouse was as empty as it had been all night. The gates remained closed, the trees casting long shadows in the dim light of the streetlamps.He felt a chill crawl up his spine. The rational part of his brain told him it was probably a branch hitting the side of the guardhouse, or a loose piece of metal rattling in the wind. But the way the sound had been so deliberate, so distinct, sent his nerves on edge.He shook his head and stepped back from the door, forcing a laugh. "You're losing it, man," he muttered to himself. "First shadows on the cameras, now tapping at the door."Still, his pulse didn't slow, and he found himself glancing back at the monitors, checking for anything unusual. The cameras showed the same thing as before-empty streets, dark houses, and nothing moving.Except for the camera near the gates.Ethan blinked and leaned closer. He could have sworn he'd seen movement-just a flicker, like something passing through the corner of the frame. He tapped the keyboard, bringing up the full feed for the gate. The camera zoomed in on the area just beyond the iron bars, the entrance to the community.Nothing. Just the empty road stretching out into the darkness, leading away from Nautical Heights.He waited a moment longer, watching the screen, but no movement came. Whatever he'd seen was gone-or hadn't been there at all.Ethan sat back, running a hand through his hair. He was too keyed up, too jumpy. It was only his first night, and already he was starting to see things that weren't there. He needed to calm down, take a breath. It wasn't like he was in some horror movie. This was just a job-a simple, easy job.The radio crackled again, and he almost jumped. This time, however, it wasn't the strange tapping sound. It was a voice-garbled and faint, but unmistakable."-llo?-somebody-there?"Ethan grabbed the radio, turning up the volume. The voice came through again, this time clearer. It was a woman, her tone urgent but distorted by the static."Hello? Is anyone there? I need help."He pressed the button to respond. "This is security. Who is this? What's your location?"There was a pause, the static thickening for a moment before her voice broke through again. "Please... I don't... something's wrong..."The voice faded out again, swallowed by the crackling static. Ethan adjusted the dial, trying to get a better signal, but the channel remained filled with the hissing white noise of interference."Hello?" he called again. "Are you there?"Silence.Ethan leaned back in his chair, gripping the radio tightly. He glanced at the monitors, his eyes scanning for anything out of the ordinary. But the streets remained still, the houses dark.Whoever the woman was, she hadn't given a location. It could have been anyone-a resident, maybe, or someone passing by the gates. But there had been something in her voice-fear, desperation. She hadn't sounded like someone with a simple problem. He grabbed his flashlight and stood up. Whatever it was, he couldn't just sit here and ignore it. He needed to check the area, maybe do another round just to be sure.As he stepped outside into the cold night air, the wind picked up, whipping through the trees and sending leaves skittering across the road. The distant roar of the ocean sounded louder now, more ominous, as if the sea itself was growing restless.Ethan walked toward the gates, the flashlight beam cutting through the darkness. The iron bars loomed ahead, tall and imposing, casting long shadows across the pavement. He reached the gate and shined the light beyond, scanning the road for any sign of movement.Nothing.The road stretched on, empty and silent. There were no cars, no people. Just the endless expanse of asphalt leading back toward the main highway.He stood there for a moment, listening. The wind howled through the trees, but there was no sign of anyone. No footsteps, no voices.Maybe it was just a prank call, or maybe the signal had come from somewhere far away, bleeding into the radio frequency by accident. That kind of thing happened sometimes, especially in remote areas like this.But as he turned to head back to the guardhouse, something caught his eye.There, just beyond the edge of the trees, a figure stood watching him.Ethan froze, his heart leaping into his throat. The figure was barely visible, half-hidden in the shadows of the trees, but it was there-still, silent, watching.He took a step forward, shining the flashlight in its direction.And then it was gone.One moment, the figure had been there-tall, dark, motionless. The next, it had disappeared into the night, leaving nothing behind but the rustling of the wind in the trees.Ethan stood there for what felt like an eternity, his breath shallow, his heart racing. He scanned the area with his flashlight, but there was no trace of anyone. No movement, no sound. Just the empty road and the endless night.He swallowed hard, his grip tightening on the flashlight. Whatever he had seen, it was gone now. But the sense of being watched remained, crawling up his spine like ice.With one last glance over his shoulder, Ethan turned and made his way back to the guardhouse, his mind racing.