So, I have only been living in my flat for three days. Last night, I was woken from my sleep by what sounded like a real commotion. I blinked the sleep from my eyes and looked at my phone on my bed-side table. Three thirty-seven am. Both too late and too early for anything significant or routine to occur.
At first, I thought it might be something outside so swung my legs out of bed and padded over to the bedroom window. With one hand I parted the curtains only slightly so as not to be seen by whatever was causing the disturbance.The car park that my flat overlooked was devoid of people or activity, yet the noise continued. It sounded like heavy footsteps getting louder and then faint before becoming louder once again. It was at this point that I realised that the sound was coming from inside the building. I slowly made my way to the hallway of my flat and listened. The noise was decidedly louder now and appeared to be coming from the landing and stairwell outside my front door.
To be honest, I was unsure what to do at this point. I assumed it had to be one of the other occupants in the flats below. My block was part of a larger complex but there were only three flats in my block and mine was on the third floor with two others on each of the two floors below. We all shared the same stairs, landings and main door with the only way to gain access being the use of a key or being “buzzed in” by the intercom system.
So, now I had a decision to make. I am a new tenant, and this being the first week of my tenancy I was a little reluctant to start yelling at neighbours and demanding quiet. As I stood there, the sound continued and the realisation hit me that the reason that the footsteps seemed to be getting louder and quieter was the fact that they were traveling up and down the communal stairs.
Over and over this cycle continued for the next couple of minutes as I stood and listened intently, trying to figure out exactly what I should do. Eventually, I thought that if I quietly approached my door I might be able to get a look at whoever was responsible through the peephole. I slowly began to make my way toward the door and as I got closer I swear the sound of the footsteps seemed to speed up but also, not get as faint - almost as if they were not traveling the full range of the staircase and instead alternating only between my floor and the one below. When I was about 6 feet from the door the footsteps seemed to be running around my landing only and another quality made itself known.
There seemed to be more than one set.
It didn’t seem to match the rhythmic steps of one person and appeared to be a constant barrage of noise - almost like a scuttling. I pressed forward slowly. I was aware my breathing had become laboured and my palms were now slick with sweat.
As I reached the door, I quietly pressed my hands up against it and tentatively placed my eye up against the peephole. The cacophony now seemed to be right outside now with just my door acting as a barrier between myself and the unknown.
Then silence.
I stayed in place for a moment and could not believe what I was seeing. Nothing. Just a black abyss beyond my peephole. The lights outside were motion activated and despite the fact that this noise suggested otherwise, these light sensors had picked up nothing. I took my eye away from the peephole and looked towards the bottom of the door. No light bled from underneath. How could this be possible? How were the lights not picking up the erratic movements of whoever had been causing this racket. I slowly dropped my hands towards the handle and the lock. Was it worth it? Perhaps I should have a word with these guys? It was clearly someone trying to mess with me as there was no-reason to be up here. After all, was the only top-floor resident.
With trembling hands I took grip of the thumb turn lock which became slick with my perspiration almost immediately. At that moment, I was aware of being able to hear my heart pounding in my chest, the blood pulsing in my ears and my breathing loud, deep and rattling. That was when it hit me.
The breathing was not my own.
I was holding my breath and had been since I had reached for the door lock. In that moment a wave of terror washed over me causing my stomach to plunge as I realised the source was right on the other side of the door. Before I had time to think a huge thud came from the other side of the door causing me to fall backwards to the floor. I let out a gasp as the wind was knocked out of me on impact and I quickly began to shimmy my way back from the door - my hands and feet burning from the friction with the carpet.
Another impact rattled the door against the frame.
Once I had reached the living room door at the opposite end of the hall, the noise stopped. There was still no light coming under the door.
Were those responsible still there? Waiting on the other side of my door, ears-pressed against it listening intently?
I didn’t know what to think, so I crawled into the living room, shut the door and pushed my sofa up against it and sat there in the dark. It was at that point that I realised my mobile phone was still in my bedroom back down the hall but I was more than a little reluctant to get it.
Who was I going to call anyway? A friend? The police? What was I supposed to tell them? I heard a noise and now I’m scared?
So I remained where I was. Sat on my living room floor, leaning against my sofa that was against the door. And that’s where I stayed until the exhaustion and stress manifested itself as sleep and I closed my eyes.