It was the early morning on Christmas Day, and it was snowing.
It rarely snows where I live, as mild climate and mountains force copious amounts of rain down on us every winter.
I had looked out the window as I was thinking about retiring to bed, and caught the blizzard by mistake. Large snowflakes were sticking on the ground on the empty street. As comfortable as I was with my micro-fleece blanket, I knew this opportunity to go out and explore the silent snowy world outside was quite rare. So I seized it.
As I didn’t plan on staying out too long, I stuck my bare feet into a pair of waterproof boots and a jacket to sling over my pajamas. I contemplated on whether I should tell my husband, but decided against it as he was in deep sleep. I pressed the elevator button and headed down to the first floor.
As I opened the door to my front lobby, a gust of cold air blew in, ruffling my hand and giving my face a frozen kiss. Excitedly, I ran across the empty street, seeing no cars at all, towards the park that was adjacent to my condo building.
The snow was falling hard, snowflakes landing on my eyelashes and obscuring my view. I slowly walked up a hill, surrounded by trees, until they thinned out. Before me was a large lake with a little island in it’s centre. I, marvelled at my footsteps and the crunch of snow along my boots. I took in the heavy silence, the warm light from lamp postings painting the snowflakes orange, and the undescribable feeling of being absolutely alone in this cold, winter wonderland. If I strained hard enough, I could almost hear a tinkling sound as the snowflakes were being blown around by the wind.
I raised up my phone to take a few photos, when on my cellphone screen, the face detection box popped up on the shore of the little island across from me.
I momentarily froze, thinking that perhaps…there was someone there? Was the lake frozen enough to support a person’s weight? Could they also be exploring? But as much as I tried, I couldn’t see anyone on the island.
I then brushed it off as a camera malfunction from the cold, or maybe the snowflakes were confusing the camera’s detection. I wiped off my phone. As I raised my phone again, I saw that the face detection box had moved slightly, a little further left from where it originally was.
I looked at my camera, then back to the island.
Nobody there.
I looked at my camera, holding it up and still.
And then, I saw it. The box was moving slowly to the right. Straight line across. My eyes went back to the island - nothing there. My breath caught in my throat, and my mouth suddenly felt dry. I had the feeling that I needed to get out of there - NOW.
I quickly backed away, holding my phone up still, checking for the face detection box. It was still there, the small box moving along the shore of the island. Once I got back to the treeline, I turned around and started power walking back to my condo, fully aware that I was completely alone. Nobody knew I was out here. And something, something was wrong.
When I hit the lamppost that marked my halfway mark, I stopped briefly, and turned on my camera again. I slowly scanned my surroundings in an arc, my breath in little gasps. Nothing there -
And then suddenly, there it was. A large box, as if someone was immediately to my left. A cold dread filled my entire body, and I furiously ran for it. Down the small hill, across the street towards my building.
I nearly ripped my lobby door open in my haste. I ran towards the elevators, bathed in bright light, but for some reason the uneasiness did not disappear. Both elevators were on the floor, doors wide open. I went into the closest, and clicked my floor.
The elevator lights flickered. The light went on for the 3rd floor.
It was 2 am in the morning. Who would have pressed the button for the elevator to stop on the third floor? Both elevators had been on the first floor. If someone had pressed it, I would have heard the second elevator go up. But it didn’t, and the doors opened for the 3rd floor…
And nobody was there. I pressed the door close button, but it didn’t react. And it was then I felt something….large enter.
I couldn’t see it. I couldn’t feel anything except something was taking up the space in the elevator, and I was goddamn right next to it. I couldn’t breath; my face was hot but my heart was beating furiously and icy cold. Every hair was raised, every nerve was screaming danger. I made myself as small as I could, cornering myself.
I could only wait for my floor to arrive and once it did, I flew out to get to my door.
Now, my door has a 4 digit code instead of a traditional lock. The passcode is very straightforward: 1,2,3,4.
Nobody can mess that up.
But when I pressed the numbers, the lock made a mechanical spluttering sound. A sound I’ve never heard before.
Try again. Fail.
Again. Fail.
Again. Again! Again!!
Now I could feel this large presence slowly, slowly coming up from behind me, taking up the entire hallway. At this point, I started banging on the door, calling to my husband to please open up, something is out here with me. I turn around, facing the hallway, trying to see what the fuck was in there approaching me. I saw nothing except for some slight flicking of light from the corner, which slowly made it way to the light outside my neighbour’s door.
As I was facing the hallway eventually my screams to my husband to open the door gave way to, “I’m not inviting you in! You are NOT welcome! You are NOT welcome here!” And suddenly, I fell backwards right into my husband’s arms as the door suddenly opened.
I quickly shut the door and lock it, pulling my husband away.
He is half asleep and disgruntled, wondering why the heck I was outside so early in the morning, making a ruckus that surely would wake our neighbours. But he also saw how tightly wound up I was, my whole body shaking violently.
I tried to explain to him what I felt, but he just played it off as my overactive imagination.
I don’t go out in the middle of the night by myself anymore. Nor do I take the elevator alone.