"Staring at the mirror with the lights out" - Guidance, Jacob Lee

"Hello Miss!" – Mr. Ivanov greeted me in, smiling. He is the custodian of this building, working at night shifts. Mr. Navarro works here at daytime. They are the only people in this building I talk to.

I smiled back and went ahead to press the elevator button. While waiting for it, I turned back to see Mr. Ivanov observing me with curiosity in his eyes. He looked away, making me feel uncomfortable.

I went back to him, "Mr. Ivanov?"

He turned to me from the door, "Yes Miss?"

"Um, has anyone moved lately?" – I asked spontaneously.

He frowned and paused before saying, "No, last someone moved in was 9 months ago, at least that I know of. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, which floor?" – I asked nervously.

"I guess 3rd. Families don't want higher floors you see" – Russian accent clear in his words.

I frowned in doubts, trying to calculate his words. I guessed he measured my expressions. "Is anything wrong Miss? I saw you rushing out of building this evening. You looked anxious."

I felt my eyes go wide, but I hid with lies, "No, it's...nothing. Okay, Mr. Ivanov, I should go now. Good night."

The elevator dinged, I entered as the door opened. I saw Mr. Ivanov still trying to analyze the expression on my face, "Mr. Navarro might know though" – I heard him saying as the elevator door closed.

I put every muscle in my heart together to face the dark corridor, kept playing with the keys in my jacket nervously in the ascending elevator. My heart stopped racing when the door opened to a bright corridor. I couldn't remember if the darkness in here was real or a manifestation of my mind.

My hands were trembling with keys in the keyhole, my heart was pounding as I unlocked the door. The apartment looked black, gorgeously decorated with ambient yellow droplets, reflecting on the window like fairy lights. I wasn't afraid anymore, the breezy rain-smelled apartment hypnotized me.

I found my independence that was lost on the streets. I took a deep breath and entered in my apartment to switch the lights on. Unconsciously checking the time reminded me two unread messages in inbox.

My stomach growled with hunger; I ran the hot water in bathroom before making dinner.