Behind Closed Doors

Chapter 10: Closing In

The tension was suffocating. As Maya sat in her room, her mind raced with everything she and Ethan had uncovered so far. Their investigation had started small, a simple idea that maybe the stalker was someone she knew. But over the past few days, that idea had grown, each piece of information leading them closer to the truth—and to someone terrifyingly close.

Ethan had been relentless, spending hours going over their list of suspects. They’d narrowed it down to a handful of people who had the opportunity, who were always just close enough to be watching her without seeming suspicious. But the more they looked, the more Maya felt trapped.

Whoever this was, they weren’t just observing from a distance. They were in her world, walking the same halls, sharing the same spaces. Every interaction she’d had in the past few months now felt tainted with suspicion.

Maya’s phone vibrated on her desk, pulling her out of her thoughts. She glanced at the screen, half-expecting another message from the stalker, but it was Ethan.

Ethan: I think I’ve got something. Can we meet?

Her pulse quickened. What had he found? She grabbed her jacket and stuffed her phone into her pocket, texting him back.

Maya: Where?

Ethan: The park again. Same spot as last time.

She was out the door in minutes, her heart pounding with both fear and anticipation. As she walked the quiet streets, she couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched. Every sound, every flicker of movement in her peripheral vision felt like it could be him—whoever he was.

When she reached the park, Ethan was already there, pacing nervously by the bench. His eyes locked onto her as she approached.

“What is it?” Maya asked, out of breath from both the walk and her anxiety.

Ethan didn’t waste any time. “I’ve been thinking about that last message. ‘I’m always watching.’ It’s not just a threat—it’s a clue.”

Maya frowned. “A clue? What do you mean?”

Ethan pulled out his phone and opened up the messages they’d been analyzing for days. He scrolled through them, stopping at several points and showing them to her.

“Look at the times these were sent,” he said. “They’re always during specific moments—when you’re alone, when you’re vulnerable. But more importantly, they’re sent just after you do something. It’s like he’s reacting to you in real-time.”

Maya’s stomach churned. “You mean... he’s watching me live?”

Ethan nodded, his face grim. “That’s what I’m thinking. We assumed it was someone texting you after they saw something from a distance, but it’s more than that. I think there’s a camera involved.”

Maya felt like the ground had dropped out from under her. A camera? Her mind reeled at the possibilities. Where could he have put one? Her house, her bedroom, her school? The thought of being surveilled so closely made her skin crawl.

“But... how?” she stammered, her voice barely above a whisper. “How could he have set that up without me knowing?”

“That’s the thing,” Ethan said, his voice tight with frustration. “It has to be someone who’s had access to your personal space—someone who could get close enough to plant something without raising suspicion.”

Maya’s mind raced through the people she interacted with daily. Her family, her friends, her teachers. None of them seemed capable of something this twisted, but then again, she’d never thought she’d have a stalker in the first place.

Ethan continued, “I think we need to check your room. Look for anything unusual, something small enough to hide a camera. It’s the only way to be sure.”

Maya hesitated, the fear of what they might find weighing heavily on her. But she knew Ethan was right. If there was a camera, it had to be found. She couldn’t go on living with the feeling that she was constantly being watched.

“Okay,” she said, her voice steadier than she felt. “Let’s do it.”

---

Back at Maya’s house, the air felt thick with tension. Ethan followed her inside, and they both immediately headed for her bedroom. Maya closed the door behind them, her hands trembling as she flipped on the lights.

“Start with the obvious places,” Ethan said, his voice low. “Corners of the room, places that could hide a small camera.”

They began combing through every inch of the room, checking behind picture frames, under her desk, inside her closet. Maya’s heart raced with each new spot they uncovered, dreading the moment they’d find something.

Minutes passed, and still, nothing. Maya’s frustration grew. Was she really being paranoid? What if there was no camera? What if they were back at square one?

But then, Ethan’s sharp intake of breath made her freeze.

“Maya,” he said quietly, holding up her bedside lamp. At first, she didn’t understand what he was pointing at, but then she saw it—a tiny, almost invisible black dot nestled in the base of the lamp.

Her blood ran cold. It was a camera. A small, hidden camera, right by her bed.

“Oh my God,” Maya whispered, backing away as if the object were a snake ready to strike.

Ethan gently set the lamp down, his expression dark. “That’s how he’s been watching you. He’s had a front-row seat to everything.”

Maya’s mind spun with horror. Every vulnerable moment she’d had in this room, every private thought—he’d been there, watching. She felt violated, exposed in a way she had never thought possible.

But with the horror came a rush of anger. Whoever this was, they had taken too much from her. And now, she was going to take back control.

“We need to take this to the police,” Ethan said firmly. “Now that we know how he’s been spying on you, they’ll have evidence to go after him.”

Maya nodded, but her mind was elsewhere. She was thinking about the stalker—how he’d always been so careful, so methodical. And now they’d found his biggest secret. If he realized they’d discovered the camera, what would he do next?

“Ethan,” Maya said slowly, “what if he knows we found it?”

Ethan’s eyes widened. “You think he’s watching us right now?”

Maya swallowed hard. The thought chilled her to the bone, but it wasn’t impossible. The camera had been right under her nose for who knew how long. What if he was seeing everything they were doing? What if he was planning his next move?

“We need to leave,” Ethan said quickly. “Get this to the police before he can act.”

But just as they turned to leave the room, Maya’s phone buzzed again.

Unknown: Nice try, Maya. But it’s too late.

Her heart stopped. He knew.

Ethan’s face paled as he read the message over her shoulder. “We need to go. Now.”

As they rushed out of the house, Maya’s fear mixed with a burning resolve. Whoever this stalker was, they had underestimated her for too long. It was time to fight back—before he took everything from her.