My Unlikely Roommate

I close my car door with an echoing ‘creak’ as I sling the thick strap of my backpack over my shoulder and make my way across the parking lot. The apartment buildings all look the same – old brick, brown balconies, and coated with a skunk-like odor of burnt leaves that grant both a headache and a high. 

I probably should’ve checked the place out first instead of accepting their offer over the phone, but I’m desperate and it beats living out of my car any longer. Plus, talk about luck finding the only available room within a twenty-mile radius of my job. Not to mention, they so badly wanted to fill the room that the rent was half off with immediate occupancy to the first person who wanted it. 

I climb the two flights of stairs to the door marked ‘3B’ and slide the key into the door with a twist. White coats the walls and carpet with brown leather stretched across the furniture. A few minimalistic paintings hang in random spots for an added splash of color. 

The crisp air stings my lungs before I let out a small relieving cough and rub down my arms for added heat. I quickly walk over to the small empty dining space where the thermostat hangs on the bare wall. The needle wiggles over the sixty degrees marker. It sure feels colder than that. I flip the switch over to ‘heat’ and raise the temperature to seventy-five.

The hallway narrows with an opening to the right where the fridge pokes out from the opposing wall. I steadily make my way past the bathroom to the open, empty room beside it. The last door at the end of the hall remains closed. I frown and twist the handle.

“Don’t go in there,” a male voice quickly says.

I jump and spin as my heart forcefully beats against its cage. A young man with porcelain skin, short blond hair, thin rectangular glasses, dark jeans, and a Star Wars shirt stands in his socks down the hallway. 

“U-Uh…can I help you?” I stutter.

He folds his arms across his scrawny chest. “I could ask you the same thing. That’s my room you were about to enter. I don’t like anyone in my room.”

“I don’t understand. I just rented this unit. No one said anything about a roommate?”

“That’s not my fault. This is my apartment, and that room is available to rent,” he says while pointing to the one next to me. 

Did I misunderstand? I guess that explains why it was so cheap. I swore they said I was getting a two-bedroom apartment. But I guess, in a way, they weren’t lying. Misleading, for sure.

“Okay, well, I guess that means I’m your new roommate.”

He pushes his glasses back to the small dip in his nose before sighing heavily. “Fine. I’m Brian.”

“Skyler,” I say. 

We stand in uncomfortable silence, neither of us willing to move. 

“Do you have a lot of stuff?” He asks begrudgingly.

I shake my head, “Not really. Movies, mostly. But I have a portable TV and a PS2.”

“Huh. So, do you like video games?”

I shrug. “I like movies.”

“Fantasy or Sci-Fi?”

I hope he realizes that there are more genres than just those two. But based on his t-shirt and geeky vibe, I doubt he cares to recognize any others. 

I smirk. “Horror and supernatural.”

His eyebrow raises before snorting. His bony shoulders dance as he giggles and covers his mouth. “Sorry. Okay, I guess that’s fine. Well, you can bring your stuff up then.”

I sure hope so considering I already paid for the room. I pray that I don’t regret it. Instead of a cocky comeback, I nod and stride past him before stopping at the thermostat that dropped back down to sixty degrees. I frown and point at it. 

“Is that broken? I turned it up when I first came in.”

He tilts his head while lowering his eyelids. “No, and please don’t touch the thermostat again. If you get cold, put on a jacket or a sweatshirt.”

Is he serious? I scoff and shake my head. What a prick. Maybe I should get my money back…but then I’d be living out of my car again and I’d rather have my own room. Oh well, it is what it is.

It doesn’t take more than a few minutes to unload my blankets, dump my garbage bag filled with clothes, throw on a hoodie, and as promised, stack my hoard of movies. 

“You weren’t joking, that’s a lot of DVDs. Ooo! Is that Spirited Away?” He practically sings from my doorway while rushing over and snatching the case from my pile. “I haven’t seen it in forever, I love this movie!” 

I chuckle, “Really? You like anime?”

“Uhh, no. I love anime!” His eyes widen while he quickly sifts through my collection. “Oh my gosh, you’re like an easter egg of roommates, aren’t you?”

“I’m not sure I follow.”

“You know, when you play a video game and there’s an easter egg hidden somewhere and you have to find it in order to gain a bonus achievement.”

I bite my lips and shake my head, “I have no idea what you’re talking about. Can I assume it’s a compliment?”

He chuckles while grabbing the next stack to look through. “Yes, the highest of compliments.”

“Ahh, well, thank you. So, aside from video games, what else do you like?” I ask. 

He sighs and mumbles, “I don’t really know anymore.”

“How old are you?”

“Twenty-six. You?”

“Twenty-seven.”

He nods while setting down the last case. 

“So, how long have you been living here?” I ask while straightening out my weighted blanket in the corner.

The light in the hallway flickers behind him as my stomach flips into nerves. I hate that I’m always so jumpy. He doesn’t seem to notice while pondering.

“I guess for a few years,” Brian says.

“Alone?”

“Yeah. I’m what people call, ‘an introvert.’” His index and middle fingers bend while he avoids eye contact.

This is starting to make a lot more sense as to why he’s so awkward. “What made you decide to look for a roommate?”

He snorts. “Oh, I didn’t have a choice. It was either someone fill this room, or I find somewhere else to go. To be honest, I don’t really have anywhere else and I’m afraid to look at my options. It’s nice that the person taking over the room enjoys the same type of movies and—what the hell is that doing in here?!” 

He nearly falls back while pointing at my Ouija board box being used as my TV stand.

“It’s just a game where you can communicate with spirits. Or is it?” I tease.

He slaps the floor while rolling his eyes.

“That’s a demon waiting for an invitation. Please, I beg of you, get that out of my apartment!”

“Our apartment,” I correct with a sly grin.

The light in the hallway suddenly flashes like a bug zapper again as he leaps to his feet and stumbles.

“See? See?!” He jaggedly points to the hallway. “Everything was fine until you brought that mumbo jumbo in here.”

I giggle. “Superstitious much? It just needs a new bulb.”

“Skyler, I’m not joking. Get that thing out of here.”

“Fine, fine.” I groan while moving my little TV to the ground and lift the box free. 

He jumps a good two feet away from me as I walk past him towards the living room. I can’t help but laugh. Nothing has ever come from playing this game in my car. I reach for the door when a clatter echoes from behind. I turn to where the painting above the couch now lies at an angle on the floor and my new roommate nowhere in sight. 

“Brian?” I call out.

“Is it gone?” He shouts from my room.

I glance at the shiny brown box in my hand as acid springs through my chest. Okay, that was weird timing. Maybe he has a small point…I quickly exit the apartment and run down the two flights of stairs, across the parking lot, and toss the game in my trunk. A small chill runs up my spine as I squeeze the rim. I glance up to where our living room window should be as Brian clutches the curtains and peeks at me from the hem. 

My lip pinches between my teeth before I snatch the game and close my trunk. I dash for the large dumpster and toss the box inside. It lands with a hard ‘thud’ before I spin on my heel and stride back. It doesn’t hurt to be on the safe side, especially since I signed the year contract. I’d rather he not be scared around me.

“Thank you,” Brian exhales with relief as I re-enter our apartment. 

“It’s not a problem.”

He stares at the painting that had fallen before nervously glancing up at me. I sigh and sluggishly hang it back up. 

“Faulty nail,” I say.

“It wasn’t faulty yesterday,” he mumbles. 

I roll my eyes and make my way to the kitchen. “We should probably discuss how we should split up getting groceries and how we’ll store it.”

I swing the door open when the light blasts from within the fridge and grants an extra gloss to the clear, empty shelves. I blink and stand straight in confusion. He shrugs like it isn’t a big deal. I shake my head and open the freezer. Frost swoops in a haze across the blank platform.

“Uhh…Brian, I’m only going to ask this once and I’d like you to be honest with me. Are you a vampire?” 

He busts out laughing while shaking his head. “No! I just don’t use the fridge because I don’t need it.”

“What about milk and eggs?”

“I’m lactose intolerant and never cared for eggs.”

I puff out the excess air from my chipmunk cheeks. “Uhh okay, what about drinks?”

“The faucet works just fine if you need water. Easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy.”

“My gosh…okay, so what about leftovers? What do you do if you buy a pizza and want to save some for the next day?” I ask.

“I couldn’t buy enough pizza for leftovers even if I wanted to.”

“Fruit?” I challenge.

“Doesn’t need to be chilled.” 

“Vegetables?”

“Gross.”

I rub my face and laugh into my palms. He’s like a little kid. “Never mind, I don’t know why I’m arguing about this. There’s more room in the refrigerator for me, I guess.” 

“Yeah, I don’t know why either. I just assumed you liked to argue.” He says. 

Oh boy. 

“Anyway, if you’re hungry then there are a lot of fast-food places around here,” he says. “The neighbors always talk about a lot of fun things to do in town, but I personally don’t agree with them. However, if you want to go anywhere, then they’d know places you could try.”

“Nah, I’m not hungry, but thanks. Honestly, I’m not much of a partier either. I think I’m just going to watch a movie. Would you like to join?”

“What movie?”

“I’ll let you pick.”

He gasps and grins boldly. “Spirited Away!”

I laugh and grab the movie before getting everything set up in the living room. 

“Hey, Skyler?” He asks while sitting on the couch.

“Hm?”

“Where are your friends? Why didn’t they help you move into your new place? Not that you needed help, you came with about as much baggage as a raccoon.”

I click the shiny disk in place before sliding the top closed. The television switches from blue to black as the start-up music begins. I grab the remote and take a seat on the opposite side of the couch. 

“I guess I don’t really have any friends,” I mumble. It’s not like it’s a big deal, I’m just a loner.

We don’t say anything more as the movie plays. An odd comfort settles in my gut rather than the previous tension. Usually, I feel like I have to strike up a conversation or entertain, but he seems perfectly content in silence. I’m glad about that. 

“I love No-Face,” he says while suppressing a chuckle to himself.

“He’s my favorite character,” I yawn.

“Mine too. He shows what being abandoned and lonely can do to someone.”

“For sure,” I mutter.

An added weight fills my eyelids as I descend to the armrest and wiggle into a more comfortable position. If I fall asleep, it’s no big deal. It’s probably better than the floor, anyway. I yawn again while allowing the audio to be my main source of entertainment. 

“Hey, Skyler?” Brian whispers. 

“Hm?” I barely croak. 

“I don’t mind being your friend.”

I smile, unable to open my eyes. “You can be my friend too.”

I jerk and lift my heavy head from the arm of the couch. When did I fall asleep? I stretch my tight muscles loose before wiggling the chill away. The rest of the living room remains empty with the TV off and the glint of moonlight casting a gentle glow through the curtains. Brian must’ve gone to bed. 

I glance at the weighted blanket stretched over me that wasn’t there previously. That was nice of him. I return to my position and sink deeper into the blanket. As my eyelids attempt to take over once more, a shadow passes from above. I jump and sit straight again. 

“Brian? Is that you?” I ask.

Nothing. 

I lean over the edge of the couch towards the dark hallway. My door and the bathroom both remain open while his door stays closed. The rest of the living room keeps quiet until a faint ‘creak’ sends the bones in my chest rattling. I squeeze my blanket tighter and peek down the empty hallway again. 

“Brian?” I whisper harshly.

Nothing. 

He must be asleep. If we weren’t on the top floor, I’d assume it was someone above us walking. I don’t know, I guess I’m hearing things because I’m tired. I shake my head and nestle back into my spot before fading into the void of dreams.

The sun grants little warmth compared to the light it casts for a rude awakening. I stretch and grunt before sighing and leaning over the armrest towards the hallway. Nothing has changed. I wonder if he sleeps in? 

I roll off the couch and toss my blanket into my room before sliding on my slippers. He said there were some fast-food places nearby; I’m sure one of them offers breakfast. I’ll get him something too and if he’s not hungry, then I’ll save it for later. 

I close the door and lock it as the neighbor across the hall closes theirs. A bearded man smiles at me with a heavier gut hidden beneath his sweater. 

“Hey, you must be new. I’m Tom,” he says. 

“Hi, I’m Skyler, Brian’s new roommate.”

His face falls as he squints back at my door and suppresses a laugh. “Uhh, Brian?”

“Yeah, you know him?” I ask as we descend the stairs. 

He blinks a few times. “I knew him. Sort of.”

“What do you mean, he still lives there?” I chuckle.

He stops and faces me. “That’s not funny.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Brian died a month ago.”

I shake my head and grab the railing. “What?”

“He hung himself in his room. I mean, he was always alone and never really talked to anyone. But yeah, there were complaints of a weird smell, and then they found him.”

Pebbles rush down my flesh as another cold chill stills my thoughts. No, that can’t be! I quickly run back up the steps and shakily scratch the key in place before whipping the door open. A firm beat pulsates against my ears as I slowly inch closer to the door I was once told not to enter. This is a prank, just a sick joke. He’ll yell at me for being gullible. I know it.

I swallow the lump in my throat and brush the handle with the tip of my fingers. My breathing echoes as my body vibrates in a warning not to open the door. I have to. I turn the handle and slowly push it free. The blood leaves my head as I stand frozen in the doorway of an empty room. No bed. No clothes. Nothing. I slowly trail up the window before landing at the ceiling where a small hole remains. Tom’s words echo through my skull, “He hung himself.”

I stumble back before turning to run but fall short as my feet stun me into place. Brian solidifies in front of the door, blocking my exit, with his hands in his pockets and his eyes filled with sorrow. 

“I’m sure you have some questions,” he says.

I swallow and lick my dry lips as my mind races with overlapping thoughts until one resonates louder than the rest: my friend is a ghost.