If You Hear Breathing, Don’t Answer

I moved into the apartment because it was cheap. Too cheap for a place this close

to the city. The landlord avoided eye contact when I signed the papers. He only said one

thing before leaving: “If you hear breathing… don’t answer.” The first night was quiet.

Too quiet. At 3:17 AM, I woke up to a soft sound. Breathing.

Slow. Wet. It wasn’t coming from the hallway. It was coming from

inside my room. I held my breath, listening. The sound stopped. Then I felt it.

The mattress slowly sinking beside me. Like someone was lying down… Without touching

me. I didn’t move. I didn’t scream. I remembered the landlord’s warning.