Half-Second Footsteps

I live alone, so I notice sounds easily. Especially at night. Last week,

I started hearing footsteps in my apartment. At first, I told myself it

was just the building settling. But then I realized something strange. There were always

two sets of footsteps. One moved normally. The other followed… half a second later. Like an echo that

didn’t belong. One night, I stood completely still in the hallway. The first set stopped.

The second kept walking. It passed me. I felt the air shift as it went by.

That was when I understood. The footsteps weren’t following me. They were leading.