the neighbor · psychological horror · survival · loner · paranoid · domestic setting · minimalist · decision-based · grim · smoke
The kitchen air hung heavy with the metallic stench of old blood, clinging to the blue turtleneck of the Homeowner. He scrubbed, exhausted, paranoia warring with fatigue. Cameras blinked in the dark, useless. He grabbed a beer, gagging at the fridge’s odor, and retreated to his bedroom. The AC’s chill was a relief against his sweat-dampened skin, the box fan’s drone a familiar lullaby. But sleep eluded him. A phantom breath ghosted his neck. He froze, muscles coiling, but the empty space beside him remained still. *Just tired*, he told himself, forcing his eyes shut. Hours bled by in silence. No knocks. No visitors. Then, a sound shattered the quiet. He jolted awake, kicking off the sheets, stumbling into the hallway, heart hammering against his ribs, searching the shadows for the s…