Page 40 of White Noise

Silas tilts his head.

“Not yet.”

The answer wipes some of the satisfaction off my face.

He reaches for my chin again, but his hand breaks apart before he can touch me. White noise cracks through the space between us, and the edges of his body start dissolving into static.

I take one step back, and he watches with a dark, possessive smile.

“Don’t make the mistake of thinking this means you’re free.”

The lights flicker.

Behind me, the front door lock engages with a heavy click.

Then the balcony.

Then every smart lock in the condo answers one after another.

My stomach drops.

“You asshole.”

His laugh crackles through the room.

“See?” His voice comes from the television now, then the speaker, then somewhere behind me. “I don’t need to be standing in front of you to keep you exactly where I want you.”

Half of him is gone now, his chest and shoulder breaking apart into white static.

I stare at him, but his smile never slips.

“You’re mine, little echo.”

My pulse jumps.

His eyes sharpen like he felt it anyway.

“Fight it. Deny it. Have you’re cute little tantrum.”

The static swallows more of him.

“It won’t change shit.”

I grab the front door handle and yank.

Locked.

“Silas!”

His face flickers across the television one last time, all cocky and smug.

“I’ll be back,”

The screen flashes white.

“And eventually, I won’t have to leave at all.”

Then he’s gone.