Phantom of the Apartment

Shattered Glass

     As the three cowered together in a bush, staring at a murderer across the street, Jason realized something. There was something about terror that transformed moments into something more... surreal. The world slowed and grew quiet, as though the very universe was holding its breath and waiting. The silence was almost a tangible thing, pierced only by the distant sound of moving cars. Moving seemed an impossible thing, as though the air had been traded out for molasses. They simply sat and watched, like a four way stand off. Jason didn't realize his hands were shaking until Thomas reached over very slowly and placed his hand over his trembling fingers, a small sign of support.

     The stillness shattered like glass.

     As slight as the movement had been, it had somehow been enough to be seen. And seen it was. Oswald's head jerked to the side, scanning the hedge with eyes that seemed to burn like coals in the streetlight. Thomas gasped slightly and his grip tightened. Beyond him, Jason caught sight of Rebecca becoming slightly more transparent, trying to hide. Even for her, talking about your murderer's ghost around a well-lit dinner table and having him standing right there were two very different things. His heart beat wildly, seeming to throw itself violently against his rib cage in an effort to escape. The ghost across the street seemed to stare right through them for a moment that stretched on for an eternity. Suddenly, his eyes stopped, fixing on the middle of the hedge. Then, he turned away and continued his walk to the building he haunted. They sat perfectly still until he had completely vanished, drifting through the door with an air of carelessness. Jason didn't released the breath he hadn't realized he was holding. Thomas looked between the two of them, his eyes wide and frightened. "He didn't see us, right?" No one replied. "Right?" he asked, slightly more urgent.

     "Well," Rebecca noted, "considering we have the same number of dead people as before, I think we're safe."

     Thomas didn't look quite convinced, but he nodded. "So, are we gonna wait him out or--"

     "And go through that again?" Jason interjected. "Nah. We got lucky this time, but I don't want to press that. Besides, I've got work tomorrow."

     Rebecca raised an eyebrow. "You were serious about that?"

     "Of course I was. Having a haunted apartment hasn't left me with a lot of sick days," he replied, shooting a look over at her as he rose carefully to his feet.

     "Yeah, sorry about that." She stood up and smiled. "Shall we?"

     Thomas followed them out of the hedge, casting wary glances back toward the building as though expecting Oswald to make a sudden reappearance. However, the three made it back to the main streets without further incident.

     Their walk was littered with cautiously whispered plans as to how to proceed. Rebecca argued against waiting any longer to act, but Thomas was more hesitant. "Look," he protested, "we hardly know what we're dealing with."

     "Sure we do. We know what he is and we know how to kill him."

     "Yeah, based on what? The words of a shady barista? We don't know who he is or why he's trying to help us."

     "Does it matter?"

     "Of course it does," Thomas sputtered. "He could be working with Oswald for all we know!"

     Jason sighed. "Thomas, you're being paranoid."

     Rebecca threw up her hands.  "Thank you!"

     Jason pointed at her. "And you," he said, "are being reckless. Thomas is right. We need to step back and consider our options before we go rushing to our deaths."