Elias grabbed the laptop to slam it shut, but the screen stayed upright, locked by an invisible force. The timestamp on the notepad began to count upward, faster and faster, blurring into a strobe light of digits.
In the mirror-world of the kitchen, a figure was standing directly behind him. It wasn't Sarah. It was a tall, blurred shape with fingers like frayed rope, reaching out toward his reflected neck. Note 11/19/2022 11:48:51 AM - Online Notepad
Elias laughed, a dry, nervous sound that died quickly in his cramped studio apartment. It was a prank. It had to be. He’d left his laptop open while he went to grab the mail. Maybe his neighbor, Sarah, had slipped in? No, the door had been deadbolted. Elias grabbed the laptop to slam it shut,
Elias froze. He looked back over his shoulder. The laptop was definitely open, the bright white screen of the notepad illuminating the wall. He looked back at the microwave. It wasn't Sarah
He turned back to the kitchen. The microwave was no longer reflecting the room. It was showing a live feed of the notepad. And on that digital screen, a new line appeared: “Turn around. I’m finished typing.” The microwave timer let out a sharp, piercing BEEP .
In the reflection, the laptop remained shut. And there was something else.