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The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/instant_zest on 2024-11-27 18:28:49+00:00.

Hey everyone. If you haven’t already, please check out my previous entry for context.

As expected, when we were eating dinner, Karena talked about moving in together. She’d actually found this place in Oakland. (which for non-Pittsburgh natives is about halfway between Chatham and Duquesne.) It was a steal. Just $950 a month for a one-bedroom apartment.

She was excited. The kind of excitement that makes her eyes light up and her words come out just a little too fast, like she was afraid I’d say no before she even finished. I, on the other hand, wasn’t as thrilled. It wasn’t that I didn’t care about her; I really did; it’s just that her cat freaked me the fuck out. But the way she looked at me, like this apartment was the answer to some question I didn’t even know she’d been asking, I couldn’t say no.

So, I told her yes. I’ll be meeting the landlord, Chuck, sometime today to hash out the details.

Based on his Facebook profile, Chuck looked exactly the kind of guy you’d expect to be renting out a $950 apartment in Oakland. Rugged, a little greasy, probably went to prison at some point for indecent exposure, etc. In his profile picture, he’s leaning up against a convenience store and is wearing a t-shirt that proclaims him “King of the Jagoffs." A half-burnt cigarette is nestled between his fingers.

I gave him a call, and we agreed to meet at at the apartment later today. I’ll probably talk more about it at some point.

After dinner, Karena invited me to spend the night. I reluctantly agreed. I figured I could just lock her bedroom door before we fell asleep to avoid what had happened… last time.

Before we got into bed, I double-checked the door.

Locked.

It’s hard to remember, but I think Karena fell asleep before I did. I’ve been having trouble sleeping lately, but I managed to doze off around 11:00 p.m.

I woke up at 3 a.m., my throat dry and my body heavy with that groggy middle-of-the-night confusion. Reaching out for Karena, I realized her side of the bed was empty. The blankets were rumpled, and she was gone.

The door, locked when I’d gone to bed, was wide open.

And there was Linksy. Sitting on the windowsill, his wide, unblinking eyes fixed on me. His grin stretched far, and his teeth caught the faint moonlight.

I grabbed a pair of shorts and a t-shirt; my pulse was hammering in my ears. As I stepped out into the hallway, the air felt colder than it should have been. The kitchenette light was on, and that’s where I found her. Karena, standing in front of the fridge, completely still.

Her eyes were open, but they weren’t completely there. It was like looking at a mannequin.

“Karena?” I whispered, stepping closer. No response.

I reached out and gently touched her shoulder.

She screamed.

The sound ripped through the apartment, raw and primal. She stumbled back, collapsing to the floor, clutching her chest like she’d just woken up from a nightmare.

"I—I’m sorry,” she stammered, her voice shaking. “I sleepwalk sometimes. I guess I forgot to tell you.”

Her words felt hollow, but I nodded and helped her back to bed. Linksy was still on the windowsill when we returned, but his grin was gone.

As I lay there, staring at the ceiling, something gnawed at the edges of my mind. I’d locked that door. How had she gotten out? Could she really unlock it while sleepwalking? How did she turn on the Kitchenette light? The more I thought about it, the less sense it made.

I waited for Linksy to leave the room; he always did eventually, and got up to lock the door again. Just in case.

That brings me to now. It’s morning, and I’m writing this because I woke up to find Karena gone again. The door is wide open.

And Linksy?

He’s back on the windowsill. Staring. Smiling.

I don’t know if I can get out of bed again. I have a weird feeling that I won’t find Karena in the kitchenette.