"Onee-chan!"
Irana's voice echoed from the stairwell behind me, but I didn't stop. I kept climbing, my footsteps rhythmic against the concrete steps, the fluorescent lights overhead flickering just slightly. The third floor finally came into view, and I paused, glancing back down the staircase. Their footsteps were still distant, but I could still hear them, perfect!!
A grin crept onto my face as I ducked behind the railing, crouching low. I knew it was childish, but the idea of surprising them was too tempting. I waited, barely containing my excitement as the footsteps grew louder. Closer. Almost there...
The second I saw the shadows stretch up the stairs, I jumped out from my hiding spot.
"Gotcha!" I yelled, hands spread wide.
"Woah! That scared me…" Kotori squeaked, practically jumping back a step. Her eyes were wide, hand was clutching her chest. "What was that for?"
I just laughed, wiping a tear from my eye. "I don't know, just felt like it!"
Kotori gave me an exasperated look before her expression softened into a smile. But then I noticed something.
"Wait… where are the two? Viola and Irana?" I asked, scanning the stairwell behind her. It was empty.
"Huh? Weren't they following you? I swear they were right in front of me earlier," Kotori said, looking back down the steps.
I frowned, taking a step forward and leaning over the railing to get a better view of the stairwell. "But… I didn't see them come up."
Kotori's brow furrowed. "Maybe we just missed them?"
"Maybe…" I hesitated, chewing on my bottom lip. "Let's head back down and look for them. They can't have gone far."
Kotori nodded, and the two of us started descending the staircase. Each step felt heavier than the last, and I couldn't help but notice how… still everything was. It was midday; there should be at least some noise—people moving, talking, shuffling around their apartments. But the halls were eerily silent, like the whole building was holding its breath.
When we reached the second floor, I paused, glancing around. The lights were dimmer here, flickering just slightly. Dust floated lazily through the air, caught in the beams of light spilling through grimy windows.
"Are they on this floor?" I asked, glancing at Kotori.
"Maybe…" She answered hesitantly, her voice barely above a whisper. She stepped closer to me, her eyes darting around the hall as if expecting something to jump out at any moment.
"Wanna search for them on this floor?" I suggested, though, even I wasn't entirely sure if I wanted to. The whole place just felt… off.
Kotori didn't answer right away. She took a few steps forward, peeking around the corner before looking back at me. "Huh… why is it so quiet? And empty?"
I shivered despite myself, forcing a smile. "I don't know… maybe it's just one of those days. Everyone's out or something?" Even I didn't believe my own words.
Kotori's expression hardened slightly. "I don't like this… Let's just head back down. Maybe we missed them."
"Yeah…" I agreed, my voice a little shaky. "That's probably for the best. I'll just call Irana's phone. Easier than wandering around this creepy place."
"Great idea," Kotori said quickly, relief evident in her voice.
We continued descending, my fingers fumbling to unlock my phone. I dialled Irana's number, holding it up to my ear as we reached the first floor.
It didn't connect.
"Huh? That's weird," I mumbled, pulling the phone back to check the screen. I still had service—full bars, even.
"Did she pick up?" Kotori asked, her eyes scanning the hall.
I shook my head. "No… It's not even ringing. It's just not connecting."
"Maybe she's out of range? Or her phone died?"
"Maybe…" I replied, but something about it just didn't sit right. I hesitated for a moment before dialling Viola's number instead.
But… the same thing. No ring. No connection. Just silence.
I pulled the phone away, staring at it like it had betrayed me. "Both of them…? What are the odds of that?"
Kotori's eyes flickered with worry. "What should we do?"
I took a deep breath, forcing the anxiety to the back of my mind. "First, we get out of this building. Then we figure out where they went."
Kotori nodded, and we both started walking toward the main entrance. But just before we reached it, I felt something—a whisper of cold air, a faint shiver that danced along my skin. I glanced back up the stairs, half-expecting to see… I don't know, something.
But there was nothing. Just shadows stretching far too long for comfort.
I shook it off, turning back to Kotori. "Come on… let's get out of here."
Could the disappearances actually be caused by something supernatural?
The thought hadn't crossed my mind before. I always assumed it was some kind of criminal activity—a string of kidnappings or maybe even some underground trafficking ring. But now… now I wasn't so sure. The unsettling stillness of that apartment building, the flickering lights, the way Irana and Viola vanished without a trace—it felt more like the setup for a horror story than a real-world crime.
I shook the feeling off as Kotori and I stepped outside, the bustling roads and crowded sidewalks greeting us with the comfort of normalcy. I exhaled, tension I didn't know I'd been holding slipping from my shoulders. Maybe I was just overthinking it. Maybe that building was just… vacant.
"Are they still not answering your call?" Kotori asked, standing beside me with her arms crossed.
"Yeah… It's weird," I replied, glancing down at my phone screen again. Viola's number blinked back at me—call failed. I tried Irana's again just to be sure. The same result. Not even a ring.
I sighed, rubbing the back of my neck. "This won't do. I'm going back inside to search for them myself."
Kotori's eyes widened. "Alone? Are you sure?"
I raised an eyebrow. "You were too scared to follow along anyway."
Kotori didn't even bother pretending to be brave. She laughed weakly, scratching her cheek. "Y-yeah… you got me there."
I smiled, appreciating her honesty. "It's fine. I won't take long. Just… wait for us at that café, okay?"
She hesitated, glancing back at the entrance of the apartment complex. "You sure you don't want me to wait right here?"
"I'll be fine," I reassured her, waving her off. "Besides, I'd rather you be somewhere safe. Just in case."
Kotori nodded reluctantly. "Okay… but don't take too long, alright? If you're not back in fifteen minutes, I'm coming after you."
I smirked. "I'll be out way before then. I'm not planning to get stuck in there."
With that, I turned on my heel and made my way back to the entrance. I glanced back just once before stepping fully inside. Kotori was still there, watching me nervously. I gave her a thumbs-up before the door swung shut behind me, cutting off the noise of the outside world.
Now it was just me… and the silence.