The Man in the Shadows-5

I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching me. After the encounter with the man from the gas station, the rest stop stalker, the parking lot setup, and the home invasion—my life spiraled.

The police dismissed my calls, blaming paranoia after my late shifts. Friends stopped answering my messages. Even my parents thought I was losing my mind. But I knew the truth.

He was still out there... waiting.

The breaking point came one stormy night when my parents left for a weekend trip. I was home alone, exhausted after work. The house felt too quiet.

As I locked every door and window, the power went out. My phone’s flashlight flickered on, illuminating the darkened hall. A faint noise echoed from the basement—a soft click like a door creaking open.

“Stay calm,” I whispered. Knife in hand, I slowly descended the basement stairs. The air felt stale and cold, heavy with an unfamiliar scent—rust and mildew.

The basement was empty... except for a single Polaroid photo pinned to the wall.

It was me. Taken that very night... from inside the house.

My blood froze. Footsteps thudded overhead. I rushed back up the stairs, only to find the front door wide open. The spare key—still missing.

Suddenly, a distant buzzing sound filled the house. It came from the dining room. Heart pounding, I stepped inside... and saw an old, cracked radio on the table, its speaker hissing with static.

A distorted voice crackled through the static:

“Happy to see me... again?”

The voice was his.

Before I could move, the lights snapped back on. The dining room table was empty—except for the same knife I had grabbed from the kitchen... now lying there clean.

Was I imagining all of it?

Just then, my phone buzzed. A text message. It was an unknown number:

“YOU’VE BEEN CHOSEN.”

“THE GAME ISN’T OVER.”

I stumbled back, breathless. The police later confirmed no signs of forced entry. No fingerprints. No evidence.

But every night since then... I still hear the footsteps... and the static...

Maybe he’s still out there... or maybe he’s already inside.