The Goddess Watching

The Goddess Watching 

Persephone Student Halls comprised four tower blocks, each one at the corner of a grassed square. In good weather students would lie on the grass: smoking, drinking, flirting, and playing music. But now it was autumn, and the green square was empty except for fallen leaves and litter.

In the dimly lit hallway of Flat 5, Block 1 it was silent, save for the soft hum of the fluorescent light overhead. Mark, a young man in his first year of college, was alone in his room, engrossed in his homework. His fellow students had all gone out to a new club called Neurosis in the town, but Mark didn’t like clubs or his flatmates, so he didn’t go. He also didn’t like the set-up of the other tower blocks. It made him feel like he was always being watched.

It was very quiet. The only sounds were the occasional creaking of old floorboards and the distant hum of traffic from outside. His laptop made occasional electronic burps as it downloaded a file. As he sat at his desk, bathed in the cool blue light of his laptop, he couldn’t shake the eerie feeling that had settled over him. He glanced around his room, searching for the source of his unease, but everything appeared as it should.

From his window, Mark could make out the lit window of the flat opposite his. There was a figure hunched over a desk. He couldn’t see whether it was a man or a woman or what they were doing. He presumed that like him they were studying.

With a sigh, he returned to his work, trying to push aside the nagging sensation that something was amiss. Hours passed, and the clock on his wall ticked away. It was well past midnight when Mark finally decided to call it a night. He closed his laptop, turned off the desk lamp, and climbed into bed.

Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, he heard it—a faint rustling sound coming from the direction of his window. His heart skipped a beat, and he lay there in the darkness, listening intently. It couldn’t have been the wind; the window was securely closed.

Then, he heard it again—a soft, almost imperceptible sound, like the brushing of fabric against the glass. Mark’s pulse quickened as he pulled back the curtains, revealing the inky blackness outside. Moonlight filtered through the window, casting eerie shadows on the walls.

Mark considered closing the curtains on the window when, on the other side of the glass, he saw something that sent a shiver down his spine. A face, partially obscured by a hoodie, was peering in at him. He couldn’t make out the features, but the intent gaze of the stranger was unmistakable.

Panic surged through his veins as he stumbled out of bed, fumbling for his phone. He dialled 911 and whispered into the receiver, ‘I think someone’s watching me.’

‘I see,’ said the responder. ‘Where?’

‘Just outside my window at my college dorm.’

‘That is disturbing, do you know them?’

‘I don’t know, it’s too dark. And even if it wasn’t I’ve only just started living here. I hardly know anyone yet.’

‘Is it a man or a woman?’

‘I can’t tell. They’re wearing a hoodie.’

‘Are they still there?’

‘Yes! And they are staring at me talking to you.’

‘Oh dear. What’s the address?’

‘Persephone Halls, Flat 5, room 2.’

‘Persephone Halls? I know that. Odd name for a student residence. Wasn’t Persephone the goddess of life? Or was it death?’

‘I don’t know! I’m studying maths and have a creepy watcher at my window!’

‘Oh, are they still there?’

‘Yes! Will you send someone? I’m scared.’

‘Of course. I’ll put it out to the local police now.’

‘Thank you.’

‘Make sure that window’s locked,’ said the telephonist and hung up.

Despite the dispatcher assuring him that help was on the way, but Mark’s heart continued to race as he locked his bedroom door and cowered in the corner, watching the figure outside. Minutes felt like hours as he waited for the police to arrive. 

Then the watcher moved. 

If there was one thing worse than being watched, it was when the watcher disappeared. 

Where the hell had they gone? Were they in the block now? And if so, how long until they got into his flat?

His stomach clenching with fear, Mark checked his bedroom door was locked properly and pushed a chair up against it. Despite the face in the window no longer being there, Mark still felt the same prickles of unwanted attention on his skin. He wanted to close the curtains but was scared to in case the watcher returned without him knowing it.

Still waiting for the police, tiredness pushed onto him, and he closed his eyes. The face was there again. Imprinted on his mind like a rubber stamp. Gasping he opened his eyes. Who were they? Why had they chosen him?

Finally, the flashing lights of a patrol car pulled up outside his block. Even though he knew who they were it was difficult for him to answer the banging on the front door.

‘Alright buddy?’ said the officer.

‘I am not! I’ve had a scary face staring into my window all evening!’ spluttered Mark.

‘Okay. We’ve checked all around your block and there’s no one there, so I’m guessing they’ve gone.’

‘For now. They might come back.’

‘Agreed. But they were probably just one of your friends joking.’

‘I don’t have any friends.’

‘I see. In that case…’

The officer was interrupted by a message on his radio.

‘I’ve gotta go son. That’s a code 1141 and I’m needed.

‘Needed where?’

‘At that block across from yours.’ 

‘What’s a code 1141?’

‘Medical emergency,’ said the officer grimly and left.

Out the window, Mark saw paramedics with a stretcher. He closed his eyes willing the face to return, but it didn’t. The goddess watching had chosen life that night.