The snow had been falling since afternoon, not gently, but with purpose, as if the sky itself was trying to bury the town before night fully arrived. It clung to the streetlights, softened the edges of buildings, and swallowed sound. By the time darkness settled in, the world outside the apartment blocks felt sealed off—quiet enough to hear your own blood move.
Ethan pressed his forehead against the cold window and watched his breath fog the glass. Somewhere below, a man dragged a black suitcase across the courtyard, its wheels stuttering against frozen concrete. The sound made Ethan's shoulders tighten. No one dragged suitcases at this hour. Not in winter. Not here.
The man stopped beneath the far lamp. For a moment he just stood there, breathing hard, snow gathering on his coat. Then he opened the suitcase.
Ethan recoiled, heart slamming. He couldn't see what was inside—only the man's frantic movements, the way his hands shook. A dark stain spread beneath the suitcase, blooming slowly against the white ground. The man swore under his breath, glancing around, eyes darting toward the windows. Ethan stepped back instinctively, though the man couldn't possibly see him.
A small voice spoke behind Ethan.
"Don't look too long."
Ethan spun around. A girl stood in the doorway of his room. He was sure—absolutely sure—she hadn't been there a second ago. She looked about his age, maybe younger, dressed too lightly for the cold: thin sweater, worn shoes, no coat. Snow melted in her hair but didn't seem to make her shiver.
"Who are you?" Ethan whispered.
The girl tilted her head, studying him with unsettling calm. Her eyes were dark, reflecting no light at all.
"I live here now," she said. "Or I will."
Ethan glanced back at the window. The courtyard was empty. No man. No suitcase. Only smooth, untouched snow.
When he looked at the girl again, she was closer. Much closer.
"You shouldn't invite strangers in," she said softly. Her lips curved into something that wasn't quite a smile. "But it's already too late for that, isn't it?"
The lights flickered. Somewhere in the building, something heavy fell—and screamed.
And the girl, finally,smile