Watcher in the Dark

Chapter 14: Cripple the Fog

The walk back to Ethan's apartment was quiet. Too quiet. The earlier tension from the bar lingered between him and Josh, though neither of them spoke about it. Both of them were trying to act like nothing was wrong, like the shadows watching them were just figments of their imagination. But they weren't. Ethan knew that now. He could feel the invisible eyes on him, just like in the guardhouse, just like in the fog.

By the time they reached the apartment, the weight of the unspoken words between them had become almost unbearable. Josh was the first to break the silence as they stepped inside.

"So," he said, closing the door behind them. "Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on now, or do I have to keep pretending this is normal?"

Ethan rubbed the back of his neck, the exhaustion from the past few days finally catching up to him. He couldn't avoid it anymore. Josh was involved now, whether he liked it or not. He couldn't protect his friend by keeping him in the dark, not when the Congregation was watching them both.

"Alright," Ethan said, dropping onto the couch with a heavy sigh. "But it's a lot, and I'm still not sure I understand all of it."

Josh sat across from him, his expression serious. "I'm listening."

Ethan took a deep breath, gathering his thoughts. "You know I've been working as the night guard for that private community, Nautical Heights?"

Josh nodded, but his expression remained tense. "Yeah. You've mentioned it a few times. What's going on over there?"

Ethan leaned forward, his hands clasped together. "There's something... wrong with that place, Josh. I've been noticing things for a while now-strange things. The fog, the cameras, the residents... It's like the entire community is under some kind of control. And it's all tied to this group-the Congregation of the Dawn. They run the HOA, but it's more than that. They're in charge of everything. They control the rules, the residents, even the environment."

Josh's brow furrowed. "What do you mean by 'control the environment?'"

"The fog," Ethan said, his voice low. "It's not natural. It's generated by the sprinklers. I've seen it. They're pumping something through the sprinklers at night, something that makes the fog thicker, heavier. It messes with your head, makes it harder to see things clearly. I've been watching it for weeks, and it's getting worse. And there are people-shadows-moving in the fog, using it to hide."

Josh stared at him for a moment, his expression a mix of disbelief and concern. "You're telling me the HOA is controlling the weather?"

Ethan shook his head. "Not the weather. Just the fog. They're using it to control the residents, keep them in line. And they're watching me, Josh. They know I've been investigating. I got a note on my car last night-someone's trying to warn me to act normal, but I don't know who I can trust."

Josh leaned back, taking it all in. For a moment, he didn't say anything, but Ethan could see the gears turning in his head. Finally, Josh spoke, his voice measured.

"Alright. Let's say I believe you. What's the plan?"

Ethan sat up straighter, feeling a surge of relief that Josh wasn't dismissing him outright. He'd expected skepticism, maybe even disbelief, but Josh was taking him seriously. It was more than he could have hoped for.

"We cripple the sprinklers," Ethan said, the words coming out more confidently than he felt. "If the fog is coming from the sprinklers, we have to stop it. If we can disable the system, we can figure out what the Congregation is hiding without the fog messing with everything."

Josh raised an eyebrow. "And how do you plan on doing that?"

Ethan rubbed his temples, thinking through the logistics. "The sprinklers are automated, but they're on a schedule. I've been watching the patterns for a while now. They turn on every night, just after dark. If we can get to the central control system, we can shut them down or damage the pumps. It'll buy us time, at least."