“Uhm, hello to you, too. And no. It sounds suspicious.”
“Right! It sounds suspicious. But why do I wanna go?”
His exhale was loud and heavy. “I know what you’re thinking so don’t even try it. You’re gonna risk your life for a hundred dollars?”
“Two hundred.”
“What? He offered two hundred? That’s a huge reason for you to sit still.”
“But...what if it’s not? Do you know how many houses I’d have to scrub to get that amount of money?” I mentally did the maths. “Seventeen houses. And you know, better than anyone, how much cleaning houses suck.”
“I do. And I also know how risky it is for you to leave your house tonight because he offered you money you can’t make in two weeks. No offence.”
“You’re not convincing me, Vincent. I called you to do that.”
“What more do you want me to say? Don’t lie to yourself, Ainsley. You want to go, and no matter what I say, you’re going to follow your instinct. But I hope you don’t. People are very dangerous these days.”
“I could take a knife.”
“Ainsl—”
“I know Kung Fu. You saw me that day, right?”
“That’s karate. And no, you’re a shit at it. You can’t even throw a kick right.”
I rolled my eyes. “The point is, I’ll be armed. And also, I’m gonna be texting you every ten minutes. So if you don’t see my text, you know something is wrong.”
“What if I’m too late? Look, I’m not into this whole idea—”
“Please, Vin. I love you so much. I’ll forward you the address now, okay.”
“Ainsley—”
I apologised and cut the call.
Me:Text me your address. I’m on my way.
The reply came in immediately
4
AINSLEY
I stood in front of the door, my heart hammering in my chest. The cold air bit at my skin, but I barely noticed it. The house stood before me, dark, stirring an unease deep in my gut. This wasn’t just a job—it felt like a mistake. I wasn’t sure if the two hundred dollars he’d offered was worth my head.
My fingers twitched at my sides, brushing against the hidden knives I’d tucked into my jacket. It was probably irrational, because what kind of person would offer so much money for a late-night house cleaning? He could be anyone...or anything. The thought made me shiver, but I tightened my grip on the blades, forcing myself to move. I had to be ready for whatever was behind that door.
I’m going to die.
I took a deep breath and knocked—once, twice. The sound echoed unnervingly in the stillness, louder than I expected. My heart skipped a beat as silence swallowed the noise. Nothing. I glanced over my shoulder, half considering turning back, but I couldn’t afford to. Not after I walked here with frequent glances over my shoulders. I’d come too far to chicken out.
Before I could decide whether to knock again or wait, the door clicked open.
I stepped back, my breath catching in my throat. The door swung open slowly, revealing a dim living room. I blinked, staring into the space. Cold air drifted out, carrying a faint scent that I couldn’t quite place.
With one last glance behind me, I stepped into the house, gripping the knives tucked into my jacket. The door clicked shut behind me, the sound like a final seal made by a ghost.
I briefly recalled that the beginning of horror movies always played out like this, so I began to scan my surroundings.
