Whispers and Shadows

Gabriel Devereaux stepped into the dimly lit hallway of the old apartment building, his footsteps echoing off the worn hardwood floors. The faint sound of a laugh track from a distant television mixed with the soft drips of a leaky faucet created an ambiance that was both familiar and unsettling. 

His fingers lingered on the strap of his laptop bag, his heart beating a touch faster than usual. He had spent the day at work like any other—crunching numbers at the office, enduring the drone of fluorescent lights, and fielding his manager’s passive-aggressive questions and comments. But something about today felt off…way off.

He thought he’d stop on the way up to his apartment and unwind with his friend Devon, who always had time for him no matter what. He’d hoped to throw back a couple of beers and maybe play Overwatch 2 and unwind. A way to put the day behind him.

As Gabriel approached the door to Apartment 3B, voices filtered through the thin wood. It was Devon and Caleb, two of his closest friends. Gabriel paused, his hand resting against the door frame, fully intending to knock. But hearing his name stopped him cold. 

“Gabriel’s getting sloppy,” Devon’s voice was sharp but low like he didn’t want to be overheard. 

“Yeah, I noticed it too,” Caleb replied, his tone equally hushed but carrying a hint of concern. “He thinks nobody’s watching, but I’ve seen it. Last week, he almost got caught at Homewood.” 

Gabriel thought they must be playing the game and talking to each other through their headsets. His heart jolted in his chest.

Caught doing what?

His fingers drew back from the door as if it burned. A cold current of dread swept over him. Homewood was a name he hadn’t spoken aloud in years — the neighborhood where he grew up in more ways than one. A place where his other life played out. He leaned in, his ear pressed against the door. 

“It’s not just Homewood,” Devon continued, voice more intense now. “You saw what happened with Alec, right? Dude barely made it out because Gabriel slipped up.” 

“Exactly. He’s too cocky,” Caleb muttered. “Thinks he’s untouchable just ’cause he’s been going there for a while. It’s always the cocky ones that get caught.” 

Gabriel’s mind spiraled. They know. They know everything.

He felt his throat tighten, his breath shallow. He glanced down the hallway to ensure no one was watching. Old Mrs. Reilly from 3D had a habit of peering through her door’s peephole like some sentry for apartment gossip. But tonight, her periscope was dark. She obviously wasn’t watching. Or was she? 

He turned his gaze back to the door. Devon and Caleb weren’t just talking about him — they were dissecting him, pulling apart every secret he’d buried for years. 

“Man, I’m telling you,” Devon’s voice grew louder, “if he doesn’t clean it up, he’s gonna bring all of us down.” 

All of us?

Gabriel blinked, his thoughts racing like a runaway train. He had never told anyone about what went on at Homewood, never mentioned his moonlit jaunts into that world of quiet danger. A place where crime is common, with bars like the Bucket of Blood and Velvet Slipper. The thrill, the risk, the lack of control — it was his and his alone. Or so he’d thought. 

“Maybe we need to talk to him,” Caleb said, his voice cautious but firm. 

“Talk to him?” Devon scoffed. “Nah, he’s too far gone for that. People like him don’t listen. They think they’re always a step ahead until they’re face-down on the six o’clock news.” 

Silence hung in the air like a guillotine ready to drop. Gabriel’s breathing slowed, his muscles tensed. His mind churned through possibilities.

Did I slip up? Did I leave something behind? Could someone have seen me take Alec there?

“Look, all I’m saying,” Caleb said, breaking the silence, “is we don’t want to be standing next to him when it all comes crashing down.” 

Gabriel’s chest tightened as if iron bands had wrapped around his ribs. For a moment, he considered knocking on the door, walking in, and confronting them. But what would he say? What *could* he say? His life outside their friendship had been a closely guarded secret — until now. 

He stepped away from the door, his back to the wall. Blood rushed in his ears, the sound of it like ocean waves crashing against rock. He glanced down the hallway again. Nobody. He needed air. He was safe and needed to think. 

Gabriel’s apartment was five floors up, and the walk felt longer than usual. Each creak of the old staircase was an accusation. Each shadow at the edge of his vision felt like a set of eyes. By the time he reached his door, sweat beaded on his forehead, and his pulse thrummed like a war drum. 

He locked the door behind him, sliding the deadbolt into place. The familiar surroundings of his apartment — his bookshelves, his plants, the lingering faint scent of cedar wood from the diffuser — it all did little to calm him. He threw his laptop bag onto the couch, running his hands through his dark hair. 

He paced before the window, his eyes flicking from one corner of the room to the other, half-expecting to find Devon and Caleb lurking in the shadows. 

How did they know?

He had been so careful. Every rule followed. Every precaution taken. No phone calls. No texts. He was a ghost, never using the same route twice. Homewood was supposed to be a fortress of secrecy, a safe harbor from reality.

His heart lurched as a realization hit him.

Alec?

They mentioned Alec. He’d taken him there only once. It was supposed to be clean cut and quiet, but Alec had panicked, speaking out when they needed to be silent. Gabriel had gotten him out — barely. But Alec had been erratic ever since, texting him at random hours. Had Alec told Devon? Caleb? Who else might he have told?

Gabriel pulled his phone from his pocket, fingers moving with urgency. He scrolled through his contacts until he reached Alec’s number. His thumb hovered over the “Call” button, indecision clawing at him. 

If I call him, it will look suspicious. 

He gritted his teeth and dropped the phone onto the coffee table. His reflection in the window caught his eye. He barely recognized himself — eyes wild, jaw tense, shoulders raised like a boxer ready for a fight. 

He had to be smart. Patient. Calculated. 

Frantically grabbing his laptop, he powered it on, his fingers typing rapidly as he opened WhatsApp. He typed a message to one of his contacts at Homewood. 

> Any word on Alec? Is he talking? 

Seconds felt like hours. His leg bounced as he sat, eyes fixed on the screen. Then a response. 

> No word. He’s laying low. Why? 

Gabriel’s fingers hovered over the keyboard. *Do I tell them?* No. Not yet. Paranoia could get him noticed just as quickly as a mistake could. 

> Just checking. Let me know if anything changes. 

He closed the chat and leaned back in his chair, his head tilted up toward the ceiling. His mind replayed every conversation he’d had with Devon and Caleb over the past month. Were there signs? Clues? Had they said anything that hinted at knowing his secret? 

A memory surfaced. Two weeks ago, at Caleb’s apartment. Devon had asked, “You ever think about just dropping everything and disappearing? Like, really disappearing?” 

At the time, Gabriel had laughed it off. “What, like go off-grid? Nah, no way, I like video games and hot showers too much.” 

But now he wondered. *Was that a test?* 

Two days later, Gabriel snuck up to the rooftop patio and stood at the edge, gripping the rail, with the city lights flickering below like distant fireflies. The wind cut through his jacket, but the cold grounded him. The rain had stopped, but below, cars rolled along wet streets. 

Behind him, the creak of footsteps on the grated metal patio. Someone was approaching. Gabriel didn’t turn. He knew the rhythm of those steps. 

“Figured I’d find you here,” Devon said, his voice smooth but cautious. “You always come up here when you’re thinking too hard.” 

Gabriel tilted his head but kept his eyes on the city. “Thinking’s free, isn’t it?” 

Devon shot him a quick smile, “Sometimes it costs more than you realize.” he stepped alongside him, leaning on the railing, gazing out at the city skyline. Silence stretched between them. 

Finally, Devon spoke, his tone lower than before. “We know, man.” 

The words cut like broken glass through his chest. Gabriel stiffened, his breath misting in the cold air. 

“Know what?” he asked, his voice careful, even. 

“Don’t do that,” Devon sighed. “You’re smart, Gabriel. But not as smart as you think.” 

Their eyes met for the first time. Devon’s face was set like stone, his eyes hard. Gabriel’s chest burned with anger, fear and uncertainty. 

“You’re in deep, bro,” Devon muttered. “But you don’t have to go down alone.” 

“Is that a threat?” Gabriel asked, jaw clenched. 

“No,” Devon said quietly. “It’s an offer.” 

Silence. Just the sound of the city below and the swirl of the surrounding wind. 

Gabriel’s eyes narrowed. “Offer, huh?” 

“Yeah,” Devon said, stepping closer. “But offers don’t last forever.” 

Gabriel’s fingers gripped the cold metal of the railing. His mind calculated every possible move, every possible outcome. 

He nodded slowly, his gaze never leaving Devon’s. “So you know Alec walked the earth before we did?”

“Yeah. And that Homewood was real once.” Devon looked down at the street and back at Gabriel, his lips tight and eyes narrow. “Man, we know that past lives live through us, your secret is safe. That is, if you want it to be.”