Apartment 27

APARTMENT 27

By

Brett Hosmer

Apartment 27

Brett Hosmer

Copyright © 2012 by Brett Hosmer

Smashwords Edition

This book is a work of fiction and any similarities to actual people, living or dead, places or events is strictly coincidental.

This book should be classified as Adult Reading material due to strong language, violent and sexual themes. Please utilize proper discretion as you read this book.

Many thanks to my mother, Margaret, for her continuing support of me through some difficult times and for not allowing me to give up on my dreams. Without her, this book would not be possible. Thanks also to Ryan Marquardt for his artistry in the cover design. Much thanks as well to Danielle, Kyra, and many others who have stood patiently by me and supported me as I practiced my writing.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

******

APARTMENT 27

******

Chapter 1

A car pulled into the parking lot of the Sunny Acres Apartment complex in downtown Island City. Its driver, Julian Madison, stared at the building with a look of disappointment and disdain. He had searched online for an affordable apartment in Island City, and this one was the cheapest one available. However, the building looked old and in dire need of refurbishment. Having made the near one hundred mile drive to the big city from his father’s home in the small town of Warnerbrook, Julian had come to Island City with nothing more than two large luggage bags full of his clothes and essentials, along with his laptop, cell phone, some money, and his electric guitar. An aspiring musician, twenty-two year old Julian knew that times were going to be rough in the early going as he prepared to adjust to life on his own.

Well, he said with a sigh as he turned off his car and folded up his road map, This is it, I guess. He pulled his wallet out of the left front pocket of his blue jeans and opened it to retrieve a slip of paper he had tucked inside of it before he had left his father’s house. Reading the slip of paper, he discovered that he had the correct address for the apartment complex. When I go in, I have to speak with Bob, he said, reading where he had written down Bob’s name beneath the address to the complex. He stepped out of his vehicle and left his belongings inside for the time being. He approached the front door of the complex, where there was no security lock, and simply walked inside.

A few feet inside the front door to the left sat a small office desk. To the right, a set of stairs leading up to the second and third floor apartments. Julian approached the desk, where there currently was no person stationed, and rang the bell that set atop the desk, marked Please ring for assistance. Julian looked directly behind the desk, where three rows of empty hooks sat directly underneath the top half of the wall. Each individual hook had a number written over it, from one to thirty. Julian happened to notice that the space with the number twenty-seven over it had no hook attached. After waiting a few moments, a middle-aged man with graying hair and a dark mustache approached the desk. He wore a tattered gray T-shirt and blue jeans that were covered in stains of white paint.

May I help you? the man asked in a rough, gravelly voice.

Are you Bob? Julian asked.

The man nodded. Yes, sir, and who might you be?

I’m Julian Madison, sir, he replied. I spoke to you yesterday morning about the apartment vacancy you have here. I e-mailed you my application. He began to reach into the right front pocket of his jeans where he had a small bank envelope, which he placed on the desk, and I have with me here my first month’s rent as well as my security deposit.

Bob looked at Julian with a somewhat sour expression and then examined the contents of the envelope. It’s all here, he said with a nod as he placed the money back inside the envelope, but I’m afraid we’ve filled the vacancy.

Julian had an expression of shock on his face as he shook his head while looking at Bob. No, there has to be a mistake. You see, just yesterday I called you, and you told me you had an apartment all set and ready for me. You told me to simply come on in with my first month’s rent and security deposit and you’d show me the apartment that was available. Now, you’re telling me the vacancy has already been filled?

Bob nodded. I have a new assistant. Yesterday was his second day on the job, and he tried to place you in an apartment that we don’t… his voice seemed to trail off, as if he were trying to think up an excuse, rent out to anyone currently.

Julian stood there, perplexed after hearing Bob’s reasoning. So, what you’re telling me is, you do have an apartment available, but you’re just refusing to rent it out to me. Is that correct?

Bob appeared uneasy in his response. That’s not entirely accurate, Mister Madison.

Well, I’d like to know exactly what is accurate, Julian retorted. This surely sounds like what you’re trying to say to me. I may not be a so-called ‘minority,’ but I know housing discrimination when I hear it.

Bob sighed and turned toward a room positioned in the back of the front desk. Arnold? Could you come on out here, please? he yelled.

A moment later, a bespectacled man of approximately thirty years of age joined Bob at the front desk. He had an apprehensive and nervous expression on his face as he noticed Julian. Look, sir, he said, trying to force a smile, I made a mistake yesterday when Bob and I were going over your application. I thought that there was still one apartment available, but there actually wasn’t.

Julian folded his arms across his chest and glared at both Bob and Arnold. He made a motion with his right hand toward the rows of hooks. Which one is it that you have that you’re not wanting to give to me? Is it by any chance, number twenty-seven?

Bob and Arnold each exchanged worrisome glances. After a moment, Bob looked back to Julian and took a deep breath. Number twenty-seven is… he hesitated as again he appeared to be pondering a proper excuse as to why the apartment was unavailable. Let’s just say you don’t want that one. It hasn’t been occupied in well over thirty years, it’s almost certainly not up to the current standards of code, and I simply cannot in clear conscience rent that particular apartment out to you. I’m sorry.

Julian shook his head in disbelief and began to laugh. Look, I didn’t drive over one hundred miles to this city just for somebody to tell me their conscience won’t allow them to rent an apartment to me. If number twenty-seven is unoccupied, and it’s all that you have, I could care less about any kind of code violations or standards. I mean, if the toilet’s clogged or there are leaky pipes or something, I don’t really care. I know how to fix those types of things.

You don’t understand, sir, Bob replied as he held his hand out in front of him, trying to convince Julian of his case. There’s a reason why nobody has lived there in more than thirty years.

Julian scoffed. Well, what is it?

Bob sighed. I… I don’t exactly know, to be perfectly, one hundred percent honest with you. I’ve only been the manager of this complex for the past seven years. I was told the day that I took over the complex from the previous manager that apartment twenty-seven is deemed off limits. I asked him why, he said with a shrug, and he wouldn’t tell me. He didn’t know either. He was simply following the order that had been passed down by the manager before him, and the manager before that. He shook his head and placed his hands on both hips as he looked down. Now normally, whenever a new applicant comes in here in search of an apartment, I always have one available. And if I don’t, then I don’t. Nobody has even asked me about twenty-seven in a long time. When they do, though, they usually accept my explanation and move on.

Julian stood in front of Bob. He was not willing to accept no for an answer. He had driven too far and given up too much to simply be turned away in this manner. You know, I’m just going to say this to you one time, he said sternly. My father is an attorney. I can make one phone call right now and sue this place for housing discrimination. Or, he continued as he pointed his finger in the direction of the empty hooks, you can give me apartment twenty-seven which you already said is unoccupied. It’s your choice.

Bob looked over to Arnold and then glared back at Julian. All right, kid, he said as he took a deep breath, I’ll let you look at the apartment, on one condition.

And what condition is that? Julian asked, appearing annoyed at Bob’s suggestion.

Bob reached under the desk and pulled out a sheet of paper with a bunch of writing on it. This is a waiver form, he explained. This tells you that I have explained to you that there are certain hazards that go along with the apartment which you seek and that if you should happen to succumb to any of these hazards, you cannot sue us, and we cannot be held liable for any damages to yourself, anyone else who happens to enter the dwelling, or any of your possessions. Is this understood?

Julian took a moment to look over the document placed before him. I’ll sign it if I decide that I want the apartment, he said after quickly skimming over its contents. But you said you would show it to me first.

Bob nodded and turned to Arnold. Arnold, go and find the key to number twenty-seven, will you? It should be in a box somewhere in the storage area.

Arnold replied, Yes, sir, and then returned to the office room behind the desk. He walked to the back of the office, and opened a door at the rear of the room. The door led to a small closet, which Bob had referred to as the storage room. The closet was crammed with boxes from ceiling to floor. A box somewhere in the storage area, Arnold said, repeating Bob’s words. Uh, yeah. He pulled a string that was situated above his head, which turned on a light bulb which was hanging in the center of the small closet. Arnold was now able to examine the outside of each of the boxes, which were all marked on the outside in black permanent marker the contents of each box. He scanned the shelves for several minutes, with no luck.

Out in the lobby, Julian was beginning to grow impatient as Bob stood behind the desk tapping his foot repeatedly on the floor. Just then, the front door opened, and an elderly man entered the lobby. Bob glanced over in the man’s direction. Good afternoon, Tommy, he said with a smile.

The elderly man smiled over at Bob and nodded in Julian’s direction. Hello, young man, he said. You look vaguely familiar. But I’m not sure that I know you.

Julian smiled and shook his head. No, sir. I’m quite positive we’ve never met. I just arrived in Island City today. I’m looking to move in.

Tommy smiled back and glanced at Bob. What apartment are you giving him, Bob?

Bob had an uneasy expression on his face as he replied, I’m not quite sure yet, Tommy. He’s interested in twenty-seven.

Tommy’s expression suddenly changed from pleasant to one that was decidedly faraway and blank. Twenty-seven, eh? he said quietly after much hesitation. Well, it’s been a long, long time, he said as his smile returned as he grabbed a hold of the banister and began to slowly walk up the stairs. Take care, young man. I hope you’ll do well in this place.

Julian smiled. Thank you, Tommy. My name’s Julian, by the way. Julian Madison. I hope I’ll see you around sometime.

Tommy turned back toward Julian upon hearing him speak his name. He seemed to stare quizzically in Julian’s direction for a considerable time, and the unusual expression on Tommy’s face seemed to give Julian an uneasy feeling. After a long moment, Tommy finally began to slowly climb the stairs again. Julian continued to watch him walk up the stairs, baffled by the attention he was being given by the elderly man, when suddenly he was brought out of his momentary daze by the voice of Arnold, shouting I found it!

Inside the closet, Arnold had discovered a small shoe box at the back of the very bottom shelf, stacked beneath two other small boxes. The box was old and dusty but was still in prime condition. The box was marked in faded black marker on its side, Key to 27. DO NOT ISSUE. Arnold ignored the box’s warning and took it, bringing it out to the front desk where Bob and Julian were both anxiously awaiting.

Here it is, Arnold said, handing Bob the box. It took me quite some effort to locate that box, I’m telling you.

Bob set the box down on the desk and opened it. Inside was an old key, much older than any of the current keys that were in use for any of the other apartments. The key had a small tag on it that was extremely faded and worn. Well, he said with a deep breath to Julian, we found it for you. Shall we go upstairs and have a look?

Julian nodded as he stared at the key. So who was that man? he asked Bob as Bob walked out from behind the front desk toward the flight of stairs that led up.

His name’s Tommy Stevenson, said Bob. He lives in apartment twenty-eight, directly across the hall from this one. He’s been living there for a number of years now, long before I ever took over as the manager. He looked up as he reached the top of the stairs and they were now on the second floor. He made a one hundred eighty degree turn as he began to climb a second flight of stairs which led to the third floor as he continued. Tommy really doesn’t venture out all that much, so it was a bit of a surprise for me to see him today. He’s kind of an old hermit, if you will. His wife passed away awhile back and he just kind of spends much of his time alone up there. He turned to Julian as he continued to walk up the stairs. But if there’s anyone at all that might know even a little about the history of apartment twenty-seven, he’d most likely be the one you’d ask.

Julian nodded as he and Bob reached the third floor. I guess I won’t bother asking you any more questions then, about why this apartment has been kept vacant for so long, he said with a laugh. I’m not superstitious or anything, so if it’s supposedly unlucky for whatever reason, I’ll be willing to take my chances with it.

Bob took a deep breath as he stepped into the hallway of the third floor. Down the hallway were the doorways to ten apartments, numbered twenty-one through thirty. The odd-numbered apartments were all on the right, and the even-numbered apartments were all on the left, directly across from each other. Bob led Julian slowly down the hallway as they passed the doors to apartments twenty-one, twenty-three and twenty-five on the right side of the hall. Upon reaching the door of apartment twenty-seven, Bob looked up and down the door, which was noticeably different than that of the other apartments on the hall. This door looked older and the paint appeared thinner. He glanced down at the lock, which also looked different. Um, Bob began, it appears as though this lock does not have a modern deadbolt on it as the others do. It appears to be equipped with an old-style mortise lock. Would this be a problem, Mister Madison?

Julian shook his head. I don’t see why it would be. If the lock works, and the key works, that’s really all I care about.

Bob nodded as he placed the key inside the lock, and slowly turned the doorknob. As he pushed the door open, he slowly began to step inside. Almost immediately upon entering, he closed his eyes tightly and winced as his lungs were filled with moist, dense, stale air. Julian followed behind Bob and didn’t flinch once, as he examined the surroundings of the apartment. To his surprise, the apartment was fully furnished, with a coffee table, television console, desk and chair set, couch and recliner in the living room. He looked through the open doorway to his left and discovered a king-size bed, a nightstand and a large oak armoire dresser in the bedroom. Through the kitchen to his right, a dining room table and chair set in the dining area. He opened the kitchen cupboards and was surprised to see it fully stocked with plates, glasses and bowls. The silverware drawer was also full of knives, forks, spoons and other cooking utensils. The stove had a large pot and frying pan set on top of it. All the furniture, appliances, and silverware appeared to be at least thirty to forty years old, if not older. Julian decided to open the refrigerator to have a look inside, and upon doing so, he too winced and covered his nose. The refrigerator was filled with stale and rotted food. Oh, God, I think I’m going to throw up, Julian said as he quickly closed the refrigerator and began coughing.

After taking a moment to recover from the hideously foul odor, Julian glanced toward the living room window, where Bob was already coughing as he pushed open the window, sticking his head outside to gather in some clean, fresh air. Julian walked over to where Bob was standing. Didn’t anyone bother to clean this place out after the old family left? he asked, with an expression of disgust on his face. The last people to live here, they must have left everything. Why on earth would they just leave all that stuff behind? I just saw a block of green cheese and a gallon of solidified milk in the fridge! That’s just disgusting!

Bob continued to cough as he held his head outside the window. I’ll… be sure to get someone to clean that out for you right away, sir, he said, trying to breathe. That is, if you actually still want this wretched place.

Julian patted Bob twice on the back as he continued to cough. Are you all right? he asked. It didn’t really smell bad in here or anything. At least I didn’t think so. Just when I opened the fridge, he said with a chuckle as Bob continued to cough. Julian noticed that Bob had begun to bleed from the nose and his coughs were accompanied by yellowish phlegm. Maybe I can just take care of the old food, he said. You don’t look so good, Bob.

Bob continued to take deep, prolonged breaths from the fresh air emanating from outside as he glanced over to Julian. How can you stand it? he asked. The air… it’s so thick, so oppressive. It’s almost as if the thirty years or so of air and dust have just collected itself in here and continued to build in layers throughout the entire apartment. It almost feels like there is some sort of otherworldly presence in here.

Julian chuckled. What, you mean something like an evil spirit? Come on, Bob. Quit trying to scare me out of taking this place. I want to go back downstairs and sign the waiver form.

Bob looked at Julian with an incredulous expression on his face. You actually want this apartment?

Julian nodded with a wide-eyed look on his face as he threw his hands in the air. And pass up all this free furniture? Hell, I didn’t bring anything with me except for my clothes and my guitar! I don’t even care that it’s old. If I don’t like it I can always sell it and buy new stuff. I bet some of this stuff in here could be considered antiques by now.

Let’s go then, Bob said, laboring to breathe. I’ll give you the key once you sign the form. I can’t handle another minute in this place. He quickly turned from the open window and began to scamper off to the front door. He opened it and Julian calmly followed him out of the apartment. Bob closed the door and locked the apartment. As he did so, his breathing seemed to return to normal once again. He turned and stared in the direction of the door for a moment, as Julian had gone ahead of him in the hallway. He was close to the first stair leading down to the second floor when he turned back to look at Bob.

Are you sure you’re okay? he asked.

Bob took one more deep breath before turning back to Julian. Yes, I’m fine, he said as he caught up to Julian and led him back down the stairs until they reached the front desk on the first floor.I just am amazed that you actually wish to stay there. I couldn’t even handle being in there two minutes.

Julian shrugged. It seemed fine to me in there, he said. Like I said, the only real problem I had was with what I discovered in the fridge. But if you let me borrow a couple of boxes, I can have that thing cleaned out in a matter of minutes.

Bob nodded as he seemed too involved with getting the forms ready. Arnold approached and could see that Bob’s skin appeared slightly on the pale side. Are you all right, Bob? he asked. You look sick.

Julian looked over the two forms, one the waiver form and the other the apartment lease. He took a moment to read over each of them, and discovered that in the space where the monthly rent was listed, Bob had written in a price that was a full two hundred dollars a month less than what Julian had originally been told over the telephone.

Is this right, Bob? Julian asked. Are you really going to lease me this apartment for just four fifty a month?

Bob nodded. I figure if you want it that bad, I’ll give it to you at a discount price. Something tells me you won’t make it there for the full year.

Julian laughed. I’d be willing to bet you on that.

Bob shook his head. I’m not going to place any bets with you, Mister Madison. I’m just telling you my own opinion.

Julian nodded without responding as he signed both forms and handed them to Bob, who in turn handed him the key to apartment twenty-seven. Julian offered Bob a handshake. I appreciate the opportunity, he said with a smile. Thank you for reconsidering your initial offer. He turned toward the front door. I’m going to go out to my car and get my stuff.

As Julian left, Bob turned to Arnold, who had a worrisome expression on his face as he saw the pale complexion of Bob’s skin and the dazed, tired look in his eyes. What the hell happened in there? Do you need me to call a doctor?

Bob shook his head. I’ll be all right, he said as he looked over to the front door briefly to where Julian had departed before turning back toward Arnold. There is something very, very wrong with that apartment, he said softly. I can’t explain it. It was as if I took one step in that room, and the life was being choked right out of me. I couldn’t breathe. I had to run to the window and stick my head outside just to get air. I don’t know how on earth he was able to handle it. He seemed completely unaffected by it.

Arnold had a look of confusion and uneasiness on his face as he looked at Bob. Should I try going up there?

Bob shook his head. I wouldn’t dare. I never knew before the reasons why that apartment was always kept vacant. Nobody ever said a word about it, or even asked. The order simply was that nobody was to go in there. I never questioned it. I never sought for an explanation. I just simply avoided it. He looked at Arnold. If I were you, I would certainly avoid it as well.

Arnold’s expression was now one of fear, as he silently nodded in acknowledgement and understanding.

Chapter 2

Julian spent the next several hours within the confines of Apartment 27, cleaning out the refrigerator of its rotten food and taking several dust cloths to the appliances and furniture. He had discovered an old vacuum left over inside a coat closet, and to his surprise, it still worked. He vacuumed the floor and the rugs, took the hose of the vacuum to the numerous cobwebs and spider webs that had collected on the windows and the corners of the walls, and sprayed down the kitchen counter, dining room table, refrigerator’s shelves and all the other surfaces with an all-purpose cleanser. Not once during this period did he experience any sort of uneasy feeling, difficulty breathing, or unpleasant sensations whatsoever. It seemed that whatever happened to be the source of Bob’s ailments, to Julian they had no effect. He seemed immune to it.

Julian’s cleaning was interrupted by the sudden ringing of his cell phone. He grabbed the phone to see that his father was calling. He answered it.

Hey, Dad.

Hello, son, spoke the voice of Jerry Madison on the other end. I’m surprised I hadn’t heard from you yet. So, how did it go this morning? Did you get the apartment?

Julian seemed delighted in his tone as he informed his father that, indeed, he had secured the apartment, fully furnished, for a monthly rate that was more than thirty percent off of the rate in which he had agreed upon.

Wow! That is fantastic! Jerry said with much exclamation and enthusiasm. I’m proud of you, son. Now all you have to do is find yourself a job down there and you can start to make the most of life.

Well, Dad, I know you probably want me to start searching online soon for whatever jobs I can find around here. But what I really want to do is see if I can find any openings with local bands that are looking for a guitar player. I really want to have a career in music, Dad.

I understand that, Julian, Jerry replied with a subtle hint of somberness in his tone. But the reality is, it’s not likely that you’ll earn very much money playing in a local rock band. That’s more something you would want to do on the side, as a sort of a hobby. What you should be doing is trying to find some work. I really wish you would have tried going into college first.

Julian sighed. Dad, you know how much I struggled just to get past high school. Remember how pissed you were at me when I flunked 20th Century history?

Jerry sighed. I know, Julian. But that’s all over with now. You’re on your own now, and you need to start earning some money. It’s not going to be easy to find a decent job there with your education and limited working experience.

Julian interrupted. Can we please, not discuss this right now, Dad? he said as he ran his right hand backward over his forehead and through the average-length brown hair he had on the top of his head. I just got here, I just got the place cleaned up, I’m tired and I want to relax awhile.

Jerry sighed. Certainly, son. I’m sorry. I just want what’s best for you. You know that.

I know you do, Dad. It’s okay. I’ll talk to you soon. Bye.

Julian pressed the end button on the phone and walked into the living room. He examined his surroundings, and saw the old whitish-gray couch that rested against the wall. He sat down on it, looking ahead at the coffee table, which was made of a finished wood and had a fancy-looking sliding door at the bottom. He slid open the door, and came across several old magazines. He looked at the issues, and examined the dates on them with much curiosity.

July, 1980? he said aloud as he saw that all the magazines were dated with this month and year. That was well over thirty years ago. Could that have been when the last people to live in this apartment left?

He set the magazines down on the coffee table then lay on his back on the couch. It had been an exhausting day. He had awoken early that morning still in his father’s home in Warnerbrook, before making the long drive out to Island City. He had just spent several hours cleaning the place and now wanted nothing more than to simply take a short nap before calling his two closest friends, Greg and Abigail, to inform them of the move. As his thoughts were on what lay ahead for him, it didn’t take long for Julian to fall asleep.

******

The door opened and into the room walked the stunning brunette. With piercing brown eyes, dark red lipstick and her hair in pin curls, she approached slowly, step by step in her vintage black evening gown and women’s pumps, as her onlooker watched with anticipation and excitement. A radio was turned on nearby, with swing music playing. She flashed her onlooker a seductive glance as she turned the radio off and approached.

You are everything to me, she spoke in a soft, sultry voice, with a slight hint of a British accent, as her unseen onlooker placed his arms around her slender figure. Ever since that night when you first came to visit me at the club, I knew you would be the one.

The woman leans in slowly, kissing the man deeply and passionately. Take me now, she moans softly into the man’s ear, when all of the sudden, the door to the room swings open violently, and a tall, dark-haired man wearing a black fedora and a suit entered the room angrily.

Get your filthy, disgusting hands off of my wife, the man in the suit and fedora ordered.

Oh, Gregory, the woman turned and shouted, you’re not half the man that he is. He knows how to treat me like a lady. That’s something that you haven’t done since our days of courtship.

The man in the suit and fedora, identified by the woman as Gregory, approached the woman and gave her a vicious backhanded slap across the face. You’ve turned into quite the whore, Susanna. I’d expect nothing more out of you these days.

Suddenly, Gregory hears the other man in the room scream in anger as he charges toward him. Gregory has a wide-eyed look on his face as his attacker throws a vicious right hand that knocks him off his feet.

Get him, darling! the woman named Susanna shouts as Gregory and Susanna’s lover wrestle each other inside the room. Punches are exchanged and Susanna’s lover tosses Gregory into a glass table, which shatters on impact. Gregory appears to be in a daze as he holds his head in pain. Susanna approaches her lover with a most lascivious expression on her face as she glances briefly at the window at the back of the living room and says, You’ll have to kill him now, darling. And then we can have each other. Forever.

******

Julian suddenly sits up in the couch. He has an expression of extreme confusion on his face. He feels a slight pain in his jaw on the right side. What the hell was that? he asked himself, shaking his head. That was undoubtedly the most bizarre dream I’ve ever had in my entire life. With the dream still fresh in his mind, he tried to make some sense out of it. Susanna? he said, shaking his head. I don’t know any woman named Susanna. She looked pretty damn hot in my dream, though. I’ll say that, even though she was dressed kind of weird. He stood up and rounded the living room wall to where the front door of the apartment was. Hmm, he said as he stared at the doorway and the area directly ahead and to the right. That’s funny. This looks like the exact area where Susanna was standing, right when that Gregory guy walked through the door. He was pissed. I guess I would be too if I was married and my wife caught me cheating. He paused. My best friend’s name is Greg. That’s short for Gregory. But he’s definitely not married and even if he was, I wouldn’t mess around with his wife. He shakes his head and laughs. I’m making too much out of this. It was just a stupid dream. It means absolutely nothing.

At that moment, he felt an odd sensation, as if the air directly behind him had thickened. He turned around and saw nobody there, yet he could feel this rush of moist air on his face and around his head. It was an unusual, but not overly, unpleasant, feeling.

His thoughts were interrupted by a knock at the door. Who could that be? he asked himself as he slowly and cautiously approached. I just moved in here. Nobody except the manager even knows I’m here. And something tells me he wouldn’t come back up here, considering this apartment seemed to literally make him sick.

He opened the door and in front of him stood Tommy, the elderly man from apartment twenty-eight. Oh, hey, Julian said with a smile as he noticed Tommy’s eyes grow wide as he seemed to be looking beyond Julian and into the apartment. Julian took a look back inside, made sure he had his key with him, and then stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind. As soon as he closed the door, Tommy’s eyes narrowed and his attention turned back to Julian. Tommy seemed to be staring at Julian in a peculiar manner, which gave Julian a rather uneasy feeling. He decided to speak first, to try and start a conversation.

So, Bob tells me you’ve been living here quite a long time, he says with a smile. How long have you been living here?

Tommy nodded. About forty years now, I’d say, he said in his quiet, somewhat raspy voice. Long enough to remember when someone actually was brave enough to want to live in the apartment you just moved into. I honestly thought the day would never again come when anyone would dare attempt to enter that place.

I was wondering about that, said Julian. I found some magazines in there that were dated July of 1980. Were they left over by the last people to live there?

1980, Tommy says, appearing as if he were in a state of deep thought. That seems about right. The years pass by so quickly sometimes I tend to forget when things were after awhile. I remember my childhood more vividly than I can recall the past thirty or so years, I’m afraid.

Julian shrugged. I’m sure I’ll have that to look forward to when I get older. He looked back at his apartment door and then to Tommy. So, how well did you know the last people to live in that apartment?

Tommy glanced up at Julian. Oh, not very well. They didn’t stay there long, maybe two or three days at the most. They were a young couple, about your age, perhaps a little bit older. I remember the wife seemed to get violently ill almost from the moment she first entered that place. She seemed to have trouble breathing and vomited a couple of times from what I understand. The husband, however, seemed unfazed by it all. I really don’t know much else other than that. I seem to recall on the third day, after being unsuccessful the first two nights, she tried to sleep in the bed and her husband made a mention of her having some sort of seizure which frightened him so much that the two of them ran out of the apartment in the middle of the night and never returned. She was screaming that the place was haunted by some sort of evil spirit.

Julian shook his head. An evil spirit? Seriously?

Tommy nodded. I remember hearing the manager at the time mention the story to me of what she had stated to the police. The wife described the seizure as feeling as if she were being strangled. She said she felt hands around her throat but there was nobody doing it. Her husband, of course, was sleeping peacefully and soundly and awoke to see his wife’s body in a most unusual position. He had claimed her body was actually being physically lifted up from the mattress by this unseen force and being strangled by it. He said he jumped on top of his wife to protect her, and then felt as if someone scratched his back with sharp fingernails. Apparently he even had scratch marks to prove it. Tommy shook his head. Completely bizarre. The manager then locked the apartment up and that was the last time I ever saw anyone so much as touch that door until today.

Julian stared at Tommy with an expression of disbelief. That doesn’t even make any sense to me. I’m not a believer of ghosts or the supernatural or whatever you want to call it. But you said the wife became ill upon first entering the apartment? That sounds similar to what I saw happen to Bob earlier when he was just trying to show me around. He said it was the air in there. Funny, I had no problems breathing. I only had problems with the smell of the apparently thirty-plus year old food that was left in the refrigerator.

Tommy nodded. Well, apparently the apartment has decided that it likes you, he said with a chuckle.

I guess, Julian said with a smile. I guess I’d rather it liked me than not. Say, you’re a pretty cool old man. How old are you anyway, Tommy?

I’m seventy-eight. I’ve lived all those years in Island City, my friend. I’ve been saying since I was a little boy, I was born here, I was raised here, I plan to die here.

Julian offered his hand to Tommy, which Tommy shook. Well, I’m happy to have met you. I do play the guitar a lot, so hopefully I won’t be too much of a noisy neighbor.

You seem so familiar to me, Julian, Tommy said, Almost as if I knew you once in some other time and place. He shook his head. But we both know that’s not possible, he said with a laugh.

Julian shrugged and smiled. Who knows? Maybe I was someone else in a previous life or something. He chuckled and patted Tommy lightly on the shoulder. Anyway, I’d better get back inside. I have a couple of phone calls to make.

Come by anytime if you ever have anything you’d like to talk about. I don’t have any grandchildren in the area anymore, so it would be nice to get to know somebody from the current generation.

I’ll be sure to, said Julian before returning to his apartment. Upon locking the door, he looked around at the walls, ceilings, and lights. There aren’t really such things as ghosts, are there? he asked aloud, as if awaiting an answer from someone- or something. A minute went by without a response, and he returned to the couch in the living room, where he picked up his cell phone. Before he could dial any numbers, suddenly, his phone beeped. It was a text message from Abigail Collins, a close friend from Warnerbrook. Abigail was nineteen, three years Julian’s junior, and a college dropout. In the five years which she had known him, she always seemed to have a sizeable crush on Julian, although he did not reciprocate those feelings, and only thought of her as a good friend. Julian read her text message, which simply stated, Call me?

Julian found her name in his contacts list and hit the call button. She answered right away with an upbeat tone, which Julian had discovered after a while that she only seemed to be perky around him. Most of the time, she was rather quiet and seemed to spend much of her life in a daze. A heavy marijuana user, Abigail seemed to spend much of her free time getting high, it seemed.

Hey, Abigail, Julian said with a friendly response. I made it here safe. That’s the good news.

Abigail’s tone quickly shifted from joyful to concern. There’s bad news?

I’m not entirely sure yet, Julian said as his eyes moved around the room, as he suddenly seemed to have this strange sensation that somebody was watching him. Not seeing anyone around, he shook his head and kept talking. The apartment I’m in is really weird, though.

Weird, in what way? Abigail said on her end, sounding intrigued, as she lay on her bed while twirling her