We, here at Archival Station 4, welcome you to the premier supernatural viewing experience. All of you have been hand chosen due to your flexible thinking; I must say, you are a lucky bunch. Many would simply kill to see what you are about to see.

The only thing we ask of you here at this station is that you obey my or the staff’s orders without delay. It is for your safety. Any deviation from staff orders will result in death.

The first exhibit is composed of transcripts collected in 2022 from specimen 245’s phone and submitted to our archives by one of our retrieval teams. They are presented to you, our dear patrons, not to frighten you, but to engage your curiosity and mind.

245’s government name is Jonathan Meadows. Jonathan was a vagrant who developed a paranoid personality disorder at a young age, a runaway and a criminal who squatted in other’s homes. One day, Jonathan began to believe that something was stalking him.

He was correct.

Headphones are provided from our lovely sponsor, Bose, for the best, modern sound experience in the world. And transcripts have been provided for those hard of hearing, and/or deaf.

Enjoy.

[Audio transcript: November 24, 2022.]

Sometimes there are noises inside the house. Those are ones I can stand. Stomach. I can pretend to be a brave man. The macho man with a baseball bat to protect his family. Guess I haven’t much of a family since Mort left, though. Left is a dumb way to say he died. Wasn’t even on the earth for two years, and he’s already gone. Although sometimes people would still be living in their houses when I was there, and I couldn’t take Mort in then. He liked to bark too much.

He got hit by a car while I was staying in this young couple’s crawl space. It was nice and warm for a while, but then they caught me one day when I went into the house for water, and of course, the guy was faster than me. Tackled me, got me all dirty. Spent a couple of nights in jail for that one.

Sorry. I’m a little scatter-brained. I can stand noises inside the house. I am the noises inside the house. But what I can’t stand is. Wait did you hear it?

[A slight uptick of static and Jonathan breathing.]

I, uh, hold on.

[Pause. More breathing.]

 I think it’s gone. It comes and goes. Sometimes it drags its body across the outside of the walls, and other times it stands at one of the curtained windows and knocks. But

[A deep-throated laugh.]

But when I throw open the curtains to look at the thing, it’s not there. It’s not there.

I can stand noises in the house. I can leave the house. I can pack my two pairs of underwear, my jeans and a T-shirt and be out of here in thirty seconds. I can do it. I’ve practiced. Just in case.

But I can’t stand noises outside the house. Things that want to get in. I’m not talking about ghosts. Those are inside and are usually just confused. Anyway, ghosts are bound to items. It’s the reason why I don’t carry much. Can’t be haunted if all you got is a T-shirt and pants.

I haven’t heard of a haunted T-shirt, have you?

Nah, I’ll bet you haven’t.

My grandma used to have a watch possessed by a demon so I guess demons can be attached to objects too. It gave her special abilities, future telling and stuff like that. Said only women could wear it cuz the demon was a male and didn’t want to possess a person that wasn’t what it was. Said she was safe from it. Then she had a vision of me wearing it, and so she threw it away. Just tossed it out the window when we were driving to a tent revival one day.

Said that was the best way to do it.

Look the dawn is coming up. I can sleep now. Thank God.

[End audio.]

[Audio transcript: Nov 25, 2022.]

I caught them red-handed. Stupid bunch of kids. They were knocking on the windows in the middle of the night, and I heard one of them giggling. So, I started knocking back just like the monster and moaning and groaning. Then I let something crash in the house. And I heard one of them yelp, and tell his friend they ought to get out of there and then they started running. It felt good to scare them. So, I guess I get why they were doing it.

Is that what I’ve been hearing since I moved in? Just kids who wanted to torment their poor old neighbor?

Well, now I’m up, and talking to you so I might as well talk about what I got at the library today. A couple of old westerns and a Victor Lavalle book: Devil in Silver. Maybe, I’ll try reading it first. But with everything going on, I’m not sure I can stomach a horror novel. Probably just read it in the middle of the day.

It’s funny, I used to love horror.

Maybe I’ll read the one by Louis L’Amour right now. How’d a guy get a name like that anyway? I’d ask you, but you’re kinda occupied listening to me. Actually, let me see if I can do two things at once on this pho

[End audio.]

[Audio transcript: Nov 27, 2022.]

It’s back. And I saw it. I threw open the curtains and there it was. Smiling at me. And, God, it had my mother’s green eyes. Oh God. Oh God.

[Unintelligible murmuring.]

It smiled at me. Whatever the fuck it was smiled at me. It raised its hand and said “Long time no see.” I’ve never seen that thing before. And it was naked. Flesh all uneven, bumpy. Fuck me.

Oh God, I can hear it. It’s at the window again.

[A knock. Repeated three times.]

Stop! Stop it! Stop!

[More unintelligible murmuring mixed with what seems like sobbing. This tapers off after four minutes.]

I think it’s gone. Maybe, I have to let it in? The sun won’t be up for another few hours. I’ll just go into a room with no windows so I can’t see it. I’ll just sit there and wait for dawn.

[End audio.]

[Audio transcript, November 28, 2022.]

There were some people outside the house a few hours ago. They interrupted my lunch. Well, it wasn’t much of a lunch. Just a can of beans and some cold deli meat I found in the fridge. I was watching some Netflix show about a fella who could go back in time by watching video tapes. It was a little boring if I’m being honest.

Anyway, the people outside looked like they were doing some type of treasure hunting. They had all this equipment and some stuff that looked like the metal detectors people bring to the beach.

I wish I were still living on the beach. Maybe, I’ll go back. It was nicer there. The stars were out every night. Sure, I got harassed by the cops and by other pricks who wanted to trample my tent to play football in the sand thinking they were Maverick and Goose. I guess Goose is dead now. Sure.

Hold on, I’ve gotta pee.

[Clattering and then silence for a minute.]

Anyway, I’ve done some research. The thing is either a witch, a vampire, or a demon. According to Google, none of them can get in without being invited.

If I was a betting man, I’d pick demon. Far as I can tell, witches are ladies, and I’ve never seen a vampire, but I don’t think they look much like that thing.

I threw all my stuff into my backpack and I’m gonna leave soon. I think then whatever the hell that thing is will leave me alone.

Probably for the best. The body was beginning to stink.

It’s not what you think. I didn’t kill the lady. I don’t do that.

She was dead when I moved in. I’d been watching the house for a day or two and didn’t see anyone come or go, so I figured I’d take my chances. It was a great find. Not as good as finding an empty house with working heat and water, but that’s like chasing El Dorado. Not gonna find it.

[End audio.]

[Audio transcript December 25, 2022.]

Been a long time since I talked to you. It hasn’t stopped following me. Once it came into the house I was in. I was looking through the fridge while its owner took a nap on the sofa. I was being real quiet, and it just opened the door and walked in. Looked around and said, “Nice place.” I tore outta there real fast.

Guess that kills my theory though, huh? I don’t know what happened to the guy on the sofa. I hope he’s okay.

I’m tired. Real tired.

In my weaker moments, I even thought about going to it just so that I could get it over with. Let it do whatever it wanted. Eat me or torture me or something. I never used to understand horror movies where the main character doesn’t just take a gun and blow their brains all over the ceiling.

But I get it now. You want to live. You live each day thinking it won’t happen again. Yesterday was a fluke and that thing will leave you alone any day now. This kind of stuff doesn’t happen to normal people. But it does.

Listen.

Maybe, this thing will even visit you tonight. Just sit back and listen. Don’t speak or breathe. Let the static fill your ears as you wait for a noise. The muffled footsteps of someone walking through grass. A crunch of leaves. A dog whining. Something moving through branches. A soft and muffled scraping on the outside of your house. These familiar noises are the signs.

Listen.

[Thirty seconds of silence.]

I found a new house. The couple had a big argument while I was in their attic. I tell you I don’t like listening to people argue. Makes it hard to sleep. The guy hit her, and she screamed and called the police.

They took him away and then some old lady that looked a little like my own mother came and took her away. I ever tell you I got my mother’s eyes? Probably not. I waited for a few hours in the attic, but I was pretty sure they weren’t coming back until morning.

Now, it’s back again. And its saying my name. Over and over and over again. Like a broken record. Jonathan. Jonathan. Jonathan. Jonathan.

But I’ve got it figured out now.

[Jonathan laughing.]

Oh yeah, it follows me. Like that one movie. Although, the monster chases them because they’re having sex, and I’m still a virgin. You didn’t need to know that, sorry.

There it is again.

[The phone statics.]

Oh, God!

[Something crashes to the ground. There is the sound of breaking glass. And then Jonathan’s voice but farther away.]

Hello, Jonathan.

Tonight’s the night. I remember it. Crystal clear.

Tonight’s the night. Tonight’s the night. Tonight’s the night. Tonight’s the night. Tonight’s the night.

Oh, don’t look so scared. Don’t look so scared. Oh, I can’t stand it, Jonathan. I can’t stand it. In fact, I’m just like you. A little more than just, maybe. They’ll come take us both away. Away together. And we’ll sit together for a long time. Or at least a little while. A solid clear wall between us. I’ll try to get to you. I have to. I have to.

 I can remember.

Please don’t blame me for it. Don’t blame me.

And you, well, you’ll know what to do. And you’ll not be able to help yourself.

I know something. Oh yes, I know lots. Time is not a line. It’s a circle now, and it’s because of me. Has been for a long time. Soon as you put on the watch. You don’t remember that though.

Why are you crawling away from me? From yourself? Silly silly silly. Don’t you know tonight’s the night? And my oh my, look at the time.

[Tires screech on pavement, and several shouts can be heard.]

Might be able to call it a burglary. Window’s busted to shit.

Alright, Cleo. You’re up!

[A scream that sees to echo within the recording. And then forty seconds later, Danny’s voice.]

Oh, thank God, you’re what I was praying for. Thank you, thank you.

Sir, we’re gonna need you to come with us.

No, no. I can’t go. Can’t go with you.

I wasn’t asking.

[End audio.]

We, here at Archive Station 4, hope you enjoyed the presentation. That concludes the audio portion of 245’s story. Of course, it doesn’t end there. We transported both, 244 and 245, to the archives and secured them in cells in full view of each other.

Simply because Archive Station 4 is the public relations branch of our little organization does not exempt us from doing research. Our research on the temporal nature of specimen 244 can be found by scanning the QR code before entering the room.

Through here, please. Stand behind the white line at all times for your safety.

Note how 244 observes 245. It’s almost gleeful if one were to ascribe a human emotion to 244. One wonders if it remembers what human emotions even are. See how 245 avoids his gaze. His fate.

In time, 244 will rise to take 245’s place. One wonders what happens to the original 245. Does it wink out of existence? Do there simply become two 245s? Or does it grow into something even more horrifying? A 246?

Now for another demonstration. Will Miss Julia Albright come to the front? Yes, you. We need the watch you are wearing.

Running will do you no good, Miss Albright. None at all, I’m afraid.

This will only take a moment, folks. Then we will get on with the gallery walk as scheduled.

Ah, there we have it. Miss Albright has been apprehended.

Drop her right here, please. No need to be so rough!

Alright. Thank you.

Now, Miss Albright, the watch if you please.

 See? That wasn’t so hard.

This is truly a pleasure folks. Even now, I can hear the watch begging me to drop it into 245’s containment.

Of course, this was the plan all along. Let’s find out what happens when I do. Shall we?

Originally published in The Stygian Lepus on August 6th, 2023.