CHAPT4: Unsettling Encounters

Lynda spent the next few hours unpacking, arranging her things, and trying to make the house feel like home. The place was nice, she had to admit. It was cozy, had plenty of natural light, and unlike her previous apartments, there were no noisy neighbors blasting music at odd hours.

But despite the peaceful setting, something felt… off.

She couldn’t shake the way Mrs. Dawson and Mr. Callahan had spoken to her earlier. Their words weren’t wrong, but there was an undertone she couldn’t quite place—like they knew something she didn’t.

Pushing the thought aside, Lynda decided to take a break. She stepped onto the porch, stretching her arms as she inhaled the crisp evening air. The sun was starting to set, painting the sky in hues of orange and pink. The street was quiet now, except for the occasional car passing by.

That’s when she noticed him.

A man stood a few houses down, leaning casually against a fence. He wasn’t doing anything in particular, just standing there, hands in his pockets, watching.

Lynda’s brows furrowed. Maybe he was just a neighbor, out for some air like she was. But something about the way he looked at her—calm, unblinking—made her uneasy.

She turned away, pretending not to notice. After a few seconds, curiosity got the better of her, and she glanced back.

He was gone.

Lynda exhaled, shaking her head. Relax. It’s just a normal street. Normal neighbors.

She stepped back inside and locked the door behind her.

Just as she turned to head toward the kitchen, her phone buzzed on the counter. She picked it up to see Stella’s name flashing on the screen.

“Hey,” Lynda answered, relieved to hear a familiar voice.

“How’s the new place?” Stella asked, chewing on something—probably the snacks she always had with her.

“It’s… nice,” Lynda said, walking around as she spoke. “But the neighbors are kind of weird.”

“Weird how?”

Lynda hesitated. “I don’t know. Just the way they talked to me, like they were surprised I moved in.”

Stella chuckled. “Maybe they’re just nosy. Small neighborhoods tend to be like that.”

“Maybe.” Lynda glanced toward the window, her fingers tapping lightly against the counter. “Anyway, you coming by tomorrow?”

“Of course. Someone’s gotta make sure you don’t turn this place into a chaotic mess.”

Lynda laughed. “I’ll see you then.”

After hanging up, she stood in the middle of the room, listening to the silence around her.

For the first time since moving in, she felt truly alone.

Lynda peeked out the window and noticed the house next door was completely dark, as if no one was home. It felt odd, but she shrugged it off. Maybe the residents were out or hadn’t returned yet, she thought, trying to dismiss the strange feeling.

Still, there was something about the emptiness of it that unsettled her. It was too quiet—too still.

She turned away from the window, shaking her head, but the feeling didn’t go away. Maybe it was just her imagination, or maybe it was the loneliness creeping in. Lynda glanced around her living room, now filled with half-unpacked boxes.

She sighed and walked back inside, trying to shake off the unease. She decided to continue unpacking, focusing on the task at hand. But the nagging sense that something wasn’t quite right wouldn’t let go.

Every creak of the floorboards felt amplified in the silence, and she couldn’t help but feel like she was being watched.

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