Forgotten Goodbye

I started locking my door twice after my neighbor waved at me from inside my apartment.

I was across the street, digging for my keys, when I glanced up and saw him standing

in my living room. He smiled, raised a hand, then stepped out of sight.

I told myself I was mistaken—wrong apartment, bad angle, stress.

When I went inside, everything looked normal. No signs of forced entry.

Still, I checked the lock. It turned easily. That night, I moved a chair

against the door and slept with the lights on. In the morning, the chair was back

at the table. I stood there, heart racing, and noticed something else: the lock was