Mia Chen stood frozen in the doorway of her new apartment, cardboard box clutched to her chest like a shield. The hallway behind her was silent and still, but something about the empty space before her made the hairs on the back of her neck prickle.
She shook her head, forcing herself to step inside. It was just nerves, the usual anxiety that came with any big change. Moving to a new city, starting a new job - of course she felt on edge. There was nothing actually wrong with the apartment itself.
Mia set the box down with a soft thud and surveyed the bare walls and worn hardwood floors. It wasn’t much, but it was hers. A fresh start, away from her overbearing parents and the suffocating expectations of her small hometown. Here, she could reinvent herself, become the person she’d always wanted to be.
If only she could shake this nagging feeling of unease.
With a sigh, Mia turned to head back out for another load of boxes. As she reached for the doorknob, a floorboard creaked behind her. She whirled around, heart pounding - but the apartment was empty. Just as she’d left it.
Must be settling noises, she told herself firmly. Old buildings made all kinds of strange sounds. It was perfectly normal.
She hurried out into the hall, letting the door swing shut behind her with a bang that echoed down the empty corridor. As she waited for the ancient elevator to creak its way up to the fourth floor, Mia found herself glancing nervously over her shoulder. The hallway remained deserted, lit only by flickering fluorescent bulbs, but she couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.
The elevator dinged, doors sliding open with a rusty groan. Mia stepped inside, jabbing the button for the lobby. As the doors began to close, she caught a glimpse of movement at the far end of the hall - a dark shape, there and gone in an instant.
Her stomach lurched as the elevator began its descent. Just a trick of the light, she told herself. There was no one there. She was alone.
Wasn’t she?
Three days later, Mia still hadn’t managed to fully unpack. Cardboard boxes were stacked haphazardly around the small living room, their contents spilling onto the floor. She’d meant to organize everything properly, but every time she started unpacking, that creeping sense of unease would return. It was as if the very act of settling in was somehow wrong, like the apartment itself was rejecting her presence.
She’d taken to leaving the TV on constantly, desperate for some kind of background noise to fill the oppressive silence. Even with the volume turned up, she found herself straining to hear… something. Whispers just on the edge of hearing, maybe. Or footsteps in the hallway that never quite reached her door.
Mia knew she was being ridiculous. She’d always had an overactive imagination - it was part of what made her a good architect. But this was different. This felt real in a way her childhood monsters never had.
A sharp knock at the door made her jump, nearly knocking over the mug of cold coffee on the cluttered coffee table. Mia froze, staring at the door with wide eyes. Who could it be? She didn’t know anyone in the building yet, and she certainly wasn’t expecting visitors.
The knock came again, more insistent this time. Mia forced herself to stand, approaching the door on shaky legs. She peered through the peephole, half-expecting to see nothing but an empty hallway.
Instead, she found herself looking at a man’s face, handsome features creased in a concerned frown. He knocked again, and Mia flinched back from the door.
“Hello?” the man called, voice muffled. “I know someone’s in there, I can hear your TV. Look, I’m not trying to be creepy or anything, I swear. I’m your neighbor from 4B. I just wanted to introduce myself, maybe see if you needed any help unpacking.”
Mia hesitated, warring impulses leaving her frozen in place. On the one hand, she desperately wanted to ignore him, to pretend she wasn’t home. But on the other… well, it might be nice to actually talk to another human being. And maybe if she got to know her neighbors, this place would start to feel less alien and hostile.
Before she could second-guess herself, Mia unlatched the door and pulled it open a crack. “Hi,” she said, voice barely above a whisper. “I’m Mia. From 4A.”
The man’s face broke into a warm smile. “Nice to meet you, Mia from 4A. I’m Darius.” He stuck out a hand, then seemed to think better of it when he realized how little space there was in the partially-open doorway. “Sorry, I don’t mean to intrude. I just noticed you moving in the other day and wanted to say hello. Welcome to the building and all that.”
Mia found herself relaxing slightly in the face of his easy charm. “Thanks,” she said, managing a small smile of her own. “I appreciate it. I’m still getting settled in, obviously.” She glanced back at the disaster area that was her living room, cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
Darius followed her gaze, eyebrows rising. “Looks like you could use a hand with all that. I’m happy to help if you want - I’m pretty good at heavy lifting, and I make a mean cup of coffee to fuel the unpacking process.”
Mia hesitated. She barely knew this guy, and the thought of letting a stranger into her space made her anxiety spike. But there was something reassuring about his presence, a solidity that seemed to push back against the creeping dread that had been haunting her for days.
“That… that would actually be really nice,” she found herself saying. “If you’re sure you don’t mind?”
“Not at all,” Darius said with a grin. “What are neighbors for, right? Let me just grab my coffee maker from next door and we’ll get this place sorted out in no time.”
As he disappeared down the hall, Mia found herself smiling for the first time since she’d moved in. Maybe things were looking up after all.
Six hours and countless cups of coffee later, Mia’s apartment was finally starting to look like a home. Books were arranged neatly on shelves, clothes hung in the closet, and her drafting table was set up by the window, ready for late-night bursts of inspiration.
She and Darius collapsed onto the couch, surveying their handiwork with satisfaction. “I can’t believe how much we got done,” Mia said, shaking her head in amazement. “Thank you so much for your help. I don’t know how long it would have taken me on my own.”
Darius waved off her thanks. “Happy to help. Besides, it was kind of fun. I got to learn all about my mysterious new neighbor.” He grinned at her, dark eyes twinkling with amusement. “Who knew architects could be so interesting?”
Mia felt herself blushing again. She wasn’t used to this kind of easy banter, to someone actually seeming interested in what she had to say. It was… nice. Uncomfortable, in a way, but nice.
“What about you?” she asked, desperate to shift the focus away from herself. “You mentioned you work nights?”
Darius nodded, stretching his long legs out in front of him. “Yeah, I’m a bartender over at The Rusty Nail. It’s not glamorous, but it pays the bills and I enjoy it. Get to meet all sorts of interesting people.”
“That sounds fun,” Mia said, trying to imagine herself in that kind of social environment. The very thought made her palms sweat. “I don’t think I could handle it, though. Too many people.”
“It’s not for everyone,” Darius agreed. “But I like it. And the hours aren’t so bad once you get used to them. Speaking of which…” He glanced at his watch and grimaced. “I should probably head out soon. My shift starts in a couple hours and I still need to grab a nap beforehand.”
Mia felt a pang of disappointment, which surprised her. She usually couldn’t wait for social interactions to be over, but she found herself wishing Darius could stay longer. “Of course,” she said, standing up quickly. “I didn’t mean to keep you so long. Thank you again for all your help.”
Darius rose as well, stretching his arms over his head with a groan. “No problem at all. It was my pleasure.” He paused, seeming to hesitate for a moment before adding, “Hey, listen. I know you’re still getting settled in and everything, but if you ever want to grab a coffee or something, just let me know. It’d be nice to get to know you better.”
Mia blinked, caught off guard by the offer. Was he asking her out? Or just being friendly? She had no idea how to read these situations. “Oh,” she said eloquently. “Um, sure. That would be… nice.”
Darius grinned, apparently unfazed by her awkwardness. “Great. Well, you know where to find me. Don’t be a stranger, okay?”
As she walked him to the door, Mia found herself smiling again. Maybe living here wouldn’t be so bad after all. Maybe she could actually make a friend, start to build a life for herself in this new city.
The moment Darius stepped out into the hallway, however, that familiar sense of unease came crashing back. The air seemed to grow colder, shadows deepening in the corners of the room. Mia shivered, wrapping her arms around herself.
“You okay?” Darius asked, frowning at her sudden change in demeanor.
“Fine,” Mia said quickly. “Just… tired, I guess. Thanks again for everything.”
She closed the door before he could respond, leaning against it with her eyes squeezed shut. What was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she just be normal for once in her life?
A soft whisper drifted through the apartment, too faint to make out words but unmistakably there. Mia’s eyes flew open, darting around the room. Nothing seemed out of place, but the shadows seemed darker somehow, more alive.
“Hello?” she called, voice shaking. “Is someone there?”
Silence was her only answer. But as she stood there, heart pounding in her chest, Mia could have sworn she heard the faintest sound of laughter, cruel and mocking, echoing from somewhere deep within the walls.
The next few days passed in a blur of anxiety and sleepless nights. Mia threw herself into her work, spending long hours hunched over her drafting table in an attempt to distract herself from the growing sense of wrongness that permeated her apartment. She told herself it was just stress, just her mind playing tricks on her. But deep down, she knew it was something more.
The whispers grew louder, more insistent. She could almost make out words now, hissed threats and mocking laughter that seemed to follow her from room to room. Objects moved when she wasn’t looking - nothing dramatic, just small things. A coffee mug on the wrong shelf, her keys in a different spot than where she’d left them. But it was enough to leave her constantly on edge, questioning her own sanity.
She thought about reaching out to Darius, but what would she even say? “Hey, I think my apartment might be haunted, want to come over and check for ghosts?” He’d think she was crazy. Hell, maybe she was crazy. It would almost be a relief at this point.
On the fourth night, things came to a head. Mia jolted awake in the early hours of the morning, heart racing, every nerve in her body screaming danger. The room was pitch black, but she could feel a presence looming over her bed. Something cold and malevolent, radiating hatred.
She lay frozen, barely daring to breathe. Icy fingers brushed against her cheek and she bit back a scream, squeezing her eyes shut. This wasn’t real. It couldn’t be real.
“Leave me alone,” she whispered, voice cracking. “Please, just leave me alone.”
A low chuckle filled the room, seeming to come from everywhere at once. “Oh, little architect,” a voice hissed, right next to her ear. “We’re just getting started.”
Mia’s eyes flew open, a scream finally tearing from her throat. She scrambled out of bed, tangling in the sheets and crashing to the floor. Fumbling blindly, she managed to turn on the bedside lamp, flooding the room with warm light.
The presence vanished instantly, leaving her alone and shaking on the floor. Mia hugged her knees to her chest, rocking back and forth as she tried to calm her racing heart. This couldn’t go on. She couldn’t live like this.
Before she could talk herself out of it, Mia grabbed her phone from the nightstand and dialed Darius’s number. It rang once, twice, three times. She was about to hang up when his sleep-roughened voice came through the speaker.
“Hello? Mia? Is everything okay?”
The concern in his voice nearly broke her. Mia opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was a choked sob.
“Mia?” Darius sounded fully awake now, alarm clear in his tone. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt?”
“I’m sorry,” she managed to gasp out between sobs. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t know who else to call. I think… I think I’m losing my mind.”
There was a pause, then the sound of rustling fabric. “Stay where you are,” Darius said firmly. “I’m coming over. Just… just hold on, okay? I’ll be there in two minutes.”
The line went dead and Mia let the phone slip from her fingers. She should feel embarrassed, she knew. Ashamed of falling apart like this, of dragging Darius into her mess. But all she felt was an overwhelming sense of relief. She wasn’t alone anymore.
True to his word, Darius was knocking on her door less than two minutes later. Mia dragged herself to her feet, limbs shaking as she made her way to the entrance. She hesitated with her hand on the doorknob, suddenly unsure. What if it wasn’t really Darius out there? What if it was… something else?
“Mia?” Darius called through the door. “It’s me. Are you okay?”
She took a deep breath and opened the door. Darius stood there in sweatpants and a faded t-shirt, hair mussed from sleep but eyes alert with concern. The moment he saw her tear-stained face, he stepped forward and pulled her into a hug.
Mia stiffened for a moment, unused to such casual physical contact. But then she melted into the embrace, burying her face in his chest as a fresh wave of tears overtook her.
“Hey, it’s okay,” Darius murmured, rubbing soothing circles on her back. “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”
They stood like that for a long moment, Mia’s sobs gradually subsiding into hiccuping breaths. Finally, she pulled away, wiping at her eyes with shaking hands. “I’m sorry,” she said again. “I shouldn’t have… I mean, we barely know each other, and I just…”
“Stop apologizing,” Darius said gently. “I’m glad you called me. Now, why don’t we sit down and you can tell me what’s going on?”
Mia nodded, letting him guide her to the couch. As they sat, she noticed his eyes darting around the apartment, taking in the disarray that had slowly crept back in over the past few days. Empty coffee mugs littered every surface, and her drafting table was covered in half-finished sketches, the paper crumpled and torn in places.
“I know how this is going to sound,” Mia began, staring down at her hands. “But I swear I’m not making it up. There’s… there’s something wrong with this apartment. With this whole building, maybe. I keep hearing things, seeing things out of the corner of my eye. And tonight…” She shuddered, remembering the icy touch on her skin. “Tonight it spoke to me.”
She risked a glance up at Darius, expecting to see skepticism or pity in his eyes. Instead, she found him watching her with an unreadable expression, brow furrowed in thought.
“You believe me?” she asked, hardly daring to hope.
Darius was quiet for a long moment. Then he sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I believe that you believe it,” he said carefully. “And I don’t think you’re crazy, if that’s what you’re worried about. But Mia… are you sure it’s not just stress? Moving to a new place, starting a new job - that’s a lot to deal with. It wouldn’t be surprising if your mind was playing tricks on you.”
Mia felt a flicker of anger, quickly doused by a wave of despair. Of course he didn’t really believe her. Why would he? She barely believed herself most of the time.
“I know how it sounds,” she said, voice small. “But I swear, this is different. It’s not just in my head. Something is really wrong here.”
Darius reached out, taking her hand in his. The warmth of his skin was a stark contrast to the cold, spectral touch she’d felt earlier. “Okay,” he said softly. “I hear you. So what do you want to do? We could call the police, or…”
Mia shook her head vehemently. “No police. They’d never believe me. I just… I need to get out of here. I can’t stay in this apartment anymore.”
“Alright,” Darius said, squeezing her hand. “Why don’t you come stay at my place for the rest of the night? We can figure out what to do in the morning.”
Relief washed over Mia, so intense it left her lightheaded. “Are you sure? I don’t want to impose…”
“I’m sure,” Darius said firmly. “Come on, let’s get you packed up.”
As they gathered some of her things, Mia couldn’t shake the feeling that they were being watched. The shadows seemed to writhe in the corners of her vision, and more than once she could have sworn she heard that mocking laughter echoing faintly through the walls.
But with Darius by her side, solid and reassuring, she felt stronger. Whatever was haunting this place, she wouldn’t face it alone.
Darius’s apartment was a mirror image of Mia’s, but it felt completely different. Warm and lived-in, with mismatched furniture and colorful art on the walls. Most importantly, it felt safe. The oppressive atmosphere that had been slowly crushing Mia for days lifted the moment she stepped through his door.
“Make yourself at home,” Darius said, gesturing to the couch. “I’ll make us some tea.”
Mia sank onto the worn leather sofa, pulling her knees up to her chest. She felt drained, hollowed out by fear and lack of sleep. But for the first time in days, she also felt… okay. Not great, certainly, but okay. Like she could breathe again.
Darius returned a few minutes later with two steaming mugs. He handed one to Mia, then settled into an armchair across from her. “So,” he said, blowing on his tea. “Want to talk about it?”
Mia took a sip of her own drink, letting the warmth seep into her bones. “I don’t even know where to start,” she admitted. “It all sounds so crazy when I try to put it into words.”
“Start at the beginning,” Darius suggested. “When did you first notice something was wrong?”
So Mia told him everything. The creeping sense of unease that had plagued her from the moment she moved in. The whispers, the moving objects, the feeling of being watched. And finally, the terrifying encounter in her bedroom.
Darius listened without interrupting, his expression growing more troubled with each passing minute. When Mia finally fell silent, he set his mug down and leaned forward, elbows on his knees.
“Okay,” he said slowly. “I have to admit, that’s… a lot to take in. But I believe you, Mia. I’ve lived in this building for three years, and while I’ve never experienced anything quite like what you’re describing, I’ve always felt like there was something… off about the place. Especially your apartment.”
Mia’s eyes widened. “What do you mean?”
Darius sighed, running a hand through his hair. “The previous tenant in 4A… well, let’s just say things didn’t end well for her. She had a mental breakdown, started ranting about voices in the walls and shadows that moved on their own. Everyone thought she was crazy. She ended up being institutionalized.”
A chill ran down Mia’s spine. “What happened to her?”
“She killed herself,” Darius said quietly. “In the apartment. They found her in the bathtub.”
Mia felt the blood drain from her face. “Oh my god,” she whispered. “Why didn’t you tell me this before?”
“I didn’t want to scare you,” Darius said, looking guilty. “And honestly, I thought it was just a tragic coincidence. Mental illness, you know? But now, hearing what you’ve been experiencing… I’m not so sure anymore.”
They sat in silence for a long moment, the weight of this revelation hanging heavy in the air. Finally, Mia spoke up, voice barely above a whisper. “So what do we do now?”
Darius leaned back in his chair, a determined look settling over his features. “Now, we fight back. Whatever this thing is, it’s hurt people before. I’m not going to let it hurt you too.”
Mia felt a surge of affection for this man she barely knew. He had no reason to believe her, no obligation to help. And yet here he was, ready to take on a malevolent entity for her sake.
“Thank you,” she said softly. “I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t answered the phone tonight.”
Darius reached out, taking her hand in his. “Hey, what are friends for? We’ll figure this out together, okay?”
Mia nodded, managing a small smile. For the first time since she’d moved into that cursed apartment, she felt a flicker of hope. Whatever was haunting her, she wasn’t alone anymore. And maybe, just maybe, that would be enough to drive the darkness away.
The next few days passed in a whirlwind of research and preparation. Darius took time off work, dedicating himself fully to helping Mia unravel the mystery of her haunted apartment. They pored over old newspaper articles, interviewed longtime residents of the building, and even consulted with a local paranormal investigator (who turned out to be more interested in selling them overpriced “ghost hunting” equipment than offering any real help).
Through it all, Mia found herself growing closer to Darius. His unwavering support and determination to help her were unlike anything she’d experienced before. For the first time in her life, she felt truly seen and understood.
But as they dug deeper into the building’s history, a disturbing pattern began to emerge. Mia’s apartment wasn’t the only one with a dark past. Over the years, several residents had reported strange occurrences - whispers in the walls, objects moving on their own, a pervasive sense of dread that seemed to seep into their very bones.
And in each case, things had ended badly. Suicides, mysterious accidents, people committed to mental institutions. The previous tenant in Mia’s apartment was just the latest in a long line of victims.
“It’s like the whole building is cursed,” Mia said, staring down at the stack of newspaper clippings spread across Darius’s coffee table. “But why? What could have caused something like this?”
Darius frowned, tapping his fingers against his knee in thought. “I think we need to go back further,” he said. “These articles only go back about 50 years, but the building is much older than that. There has to be something in its early history that explains all this.”
They spent the next day at the local library, digging through dusty archives and microfiche records. It was tedious work, but Mia found herself enjoying it despite the circumstances. There was something soothing about losing herself in research, in the methodical process of piecing together the past.
It was Darius who finally found the key to the mystery, buried in a yellowed newspaper from 1923. “Mia,” he called, voice tight with excitement. “I think I’ve got something.”
She hurried over to his table, leaning over his shoulder to read the article he was pointing at. The headline screamed in bold type: “TRAGEDY STRIKES NEWLY OPENED APARTMENT BUILDING.”
As Mia read, her blood ran cold. The article detailed a grisly murder-suicide that had taken place just months after the building first opened. A man named Edward Blackwood had killed his entire family - wife, two children, and elderly mother - before taking his own life. The bodies had been found scattered throughout the building, with Blackwood himself discovered in the basement, hanging from a pipe.
But it was the last paragraph that really caught Mia’s attention. According to the article, Blackwood had been ranting about “voices in the walls” and “shadows that moved on their own” in the days leading up to the killings. Sound familiar?
“This has to be it,” Darius said, voice hushed. “Whatever’s haunting the building, it started with Blackwood. But why? What made him snap like that?”
Mia shook her head, mind racing. “I don’t know. But I think… I think we need to go back to the apartment. To the building. If we’re going to stop this thing, we need to confront it where it all began.”
Darius looked at her sharply. “Are you sure? After everything that’s happened…”
“I’m sure,” Mia said, surprising herself with the conviction in her voice. “I’m tired of running, of being afraid. Whatever this thing is, we need to face it head-on.”
For a moment, Darius just stared at her. Then a slow smile spread across his face. “Alright then,” he said, standing up. “Let’s go ghost hunting.”
They waited until nightfall to return to the apartment building, hoping the cover of darkness would make it easier to avoid awkward questions from other residents. As they climbed the stairs to the fourth floor (Mia flatly refused to take the elevator), the air seemed to grow thicker, heavier with each step.
By the time they reached Mia’s door, the oppressive atmosphere was almost unbearable. She fumbled with her keys, hands shaking so badly she could barely fit them into the lock.
“Hey,” Darius said softly, placing a steadying hand on her shoulder. “We don’t have to do this if you’re not ready. We can come back another time, or…”
Mia shook her head firmly. “No. We do this now. I’m done letting this thing control my life.”
With a deep breath, she pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The apartment was exactly as she’d left it days ago, but it felt… different. Colder, somehow. The shadows seemed deeper, more alive. As Mia flicked on the lights, she could have sworn she saw something dart across the far wall, there and gone in an instant.
“Okay,” Darius said, voice tight with tension. “What now?”
Before Mia could respond, a low chuckle echoed through the room. Both of them froze, eyes darting around for the source of the sound.
“Well, well,” a voice hissed, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at once. “The little architect returns. And she’s brought a friend. How… delicious.”
Mia felt Darius stiffen beside her, his face pale in the harsh overhead light. “You hear that too, right?” he whispered.
She nodded, throat too tight to speak. This was real. It was all real.
The voice laughed again, cruel and mocking. “Oh yes, it’s very real. Did you think you could just walk away, little one? Did you think you could escape me so easily?”
Mia swallowed hard, forcing herself to stand up straighter. “Who are you?” she called out, proud of how steady her voice sounded. “What do you want from me?”
For a long moment, there was silence. Then the shadows in the corner of the room began to coalesce, twisting and writhing until they formed a vaguely human shape. Two pinpricks of red light flared to life where eyes should be.
“Who am I?” the shadow-thing purred. “I am the darkness that lives in the spaces between. I am the whisper of madness in the depths of night. I am hunger and rage and endless, endless loneliness.”
It took a step forward, and Mia felt Darius’s arm wrap protectively around her waist. “As for what I want,” the entity continued, “that’s simple. I want you, little architect. Your fear, your pain, your delicious despair. Just like all the others before you.”
Images flashed through Mia’s mind - the previous tenant, Edward Blackwood, all the poor souls who had fallen victim to this thing over the years. Anger surged through her, burning away the last of her fear.
“No,” she said firmly. “You can’t have me. Or anyone else. This ends now.”
The shadow-thing laughed, the sound like breaking glass. “And how do you propose to stop me, little one? I’ve existed for longer than you can imagine. I’ve fed on the fear and misery of countless souls. What makes you think you’re any different?”
Mia glanced at Darius, drawing strength from his steady presence at her side. Then she turned back to the entity, chin raised in defiance.
“Because I’m not alone,” she said. “And I’m not afraid of you anymore.”
For a moment, the shadow-thing seemed to falter, its form flickering uncertainly. Then it lunged forward with a howl of rage, tendrils of darkness reaching for Mia and Darius.
What happened next was a blur of motion and shouted words. Mia vaguely remembered Darius pulling her back, remembered the two of them reciting a hastily-researched banishing ritual as the entity thrashed and screamed.
There was a blinding flash of light, a sound like thunder that shook the entire building. And then… silence.
Mia blinked spots from her vision, looking around the suddenly quiet apartment. The shadow-thing was gone, leaving no trace of its presence. Even the oppressive atmosphere that had hung over the place for so long had lifted, replaced by a sense of lightness and peace.
“Is it… is it over?” she whispered, hardly daring to believe it.
Darius nodded slowly, looking as shell-shocked as she felt. “I think so. I don’t know how, but… I think we did it.”
They stood there for a long moment, clinging to each other in the aftermath of their impossible victory. Then, without warning, Mia burst into laughter. It bubbled up from deep inside her, equal parts relief and hysteria and pure, unadulterated joy.
After a startled moment, Darius joined in. Soon they were both doubled over, tears streaming down their faces as they laughed and laughed and laughed.
When they finally caught their breath, Mia looked up at Darius with shining eyes. “Thank you,” she said softly. “For believing me. For helping me. For… everything.”
Darius smiled, reaching out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. “Anytime,” he said. “Although maybe next time we could do something a little less life-threatening for our second date?”
Mia felt a blush creep up her cheeks. “Second date?” she echoed.
“Well, yeah,” Darius said with a grin. “I figure ghost hunting and exorcisms count as a pretty intense first date. So what do you say? Want to try for something a little more normal next time? Dinner and a movie, maybe?”
Mia pretended to consider for a moment, then nodded solemnly. “Dinner and a movie sounds perfect,” she said. “As long as it’s not a horror film.”
Darius laughed, pulling her into a hug. “Deal,” he said. “No more horror for us. I think we’ve had enough to last a lifetime.”
As they left the apartment hand in hand, Mia felt a weight lift from her shoulders. The whispers between floors had finally fallen silent, leaving only the promise of a brighter future ahead.