English is not my native language, pardon bad grammars and typos.

Happy reading :)

I feel oddly scared of something. I call it odd because I am not sure what I'm scared of about. It has been 3 weeks since I moved here alone. A new small apartment which, I think, comfortable and convenience for me. Room number 674. Let me describe how my apartment looks like. The walls are painted with light pastel blue. The lights are shining flame that makes you feel like in the middle of the beach at dusk. Two semi-large sofas are puffy because all of these furniture are new. The windows are formed with tough glasses with no curtains. I like to sit on the sofa, drink soda while looking at the city lights. One of my favorite ways to entertain myself. My bedroom is small that contains only bed and wardrobe, with no desk or chair. The bathroom is all white and clean. I like the smell of the freshener, pines perfumed. The kitchen is merged with living room, no border needed because, again, this apartment is small.

The next explanation is about my fear. I don't know why but I can't find the cause yet. It's just, scary, strange and unexplainable. I told my co-worker and she said that I was just anxious because I had never been living on my own before. It's true. This is my first time live my life separately with my parents. I am the only child, the only daughter. So, when I got a job I intent to be independent. My parents allowed me to and they came here once a month because it only needs 2 hours from my hometown.

Maybe my friends are right about my anxiety, or they're wrong.

"Wait…" I remember put my toothpaste in the glass, but now it's placed on the counter. Well, maybe I don't really remember about it. I found my things are placed in random places like this every day. Once, I found my phone under the bed and my car key in the wardrobe. I am perfectionist and discipline person. Back in my house, I never misplace things like this before. All of my stuffs are organized well. That makes all these occurrences scary.

I did some test. I put all my things in its places and captured it in my phone. I did it before sleep and in the morning, some stuffs are moved randomly. After i did it like 3 times, all I know is, things that certainly moved every day are car key, cellphone and sandal. Others are like notebook, some stationaries, utensils and bathroom's equipment.

I am getting scared day by day as if there is someone who live here with me, watching me secretly and do their activities when I sleep.

"Ai, You can't sleep again tonight?" My friend, Sera Masumi asks.

"Yes, I need to buy some sleeping pills maybe."

"Well, I remember you are not allowed to drink sleeping pills by your doctor, I accompanied you to the clinic back then, remember?" Yes, she is right. My blood pressure is high that forbids me to drink some pills like sleeping pills.

I need to sleep tonight, I have meeting in the morning tomorrow, so I need to look fresh.

I arrived at my apartment door and look for my keycard in my purse.

"Gosh, this storage room can't be opened again!"

"I think there are some dead mice, it stinks!"

I look at my neighbors who are standing in front of storage room's door, they are talking about the strange storage room in this floor. That room is randomly broken. Once it's open, the cleaning service found some dead mice and sometimes footprints.

"Footprints…" I mutter.

I enter to my apartment and sit on the sofa, facing the window. The sun is hiding slowly behind those skyscrapers. Once moon set, I can see my reflection vaguely on the window glass. I keep thinking about what happened back then. Maybe there's someone who live in the storage room and sneak into my apartment. If there's none, how can I explain about the footprints whose the owner is still unknown. The footprint can be anyone's because it's formed by apartment branded sandals. I have that kind of sandal too. Maybe someone who sneak into storage room use mine, I have no idea at all. It makes me crazy and dizzy. I need to do something.

I place my camera recorder under the pillow on the sofa so it's hardly noticeable. I want to see who this person is.

In the morning, I wake up late and rush into my office. I notice my utensil is moved again today, but I have no time to see the recording.

"Hey, I heard that police officers came to your apartment this morning, what happen?"

I look at Sera.

"I don't know, my department had meeting in the morning today, then how did you know?"

"It's on the morning news."

I browse the internet and find the news about 12 corpses are found depraved in the storage room. My heart beats faster. So, I live on the same floor with the corpses and maybe with the killer too. My hands are getting wet and my face is white pale.

"Are you okay, Ai?"

I ignore her rhetorical question and hold her hands.

"They live with me! In my room!"

"Hey calm down!"

"I am scared…" She hugs me. She knows everything about my stories, my anxiety. I am sure she has some conclusion in her brain about what I am scared of.

I come home with her tonight. She said that her brother, who live together with her, has party tonight in their condo, so she wants to sleep over at my place. I gladly accept companion tonight, especially my best friend.

"I want to use bathroom first, may i?" She asks.

"Of course, I need to settle things first." I said while holding my purse and jacket.

I remember the cam recorder in the living room. My heart beats faster again, wondering what scary person might be seen here. I play it while sitting on the sofa. In the first 3 hours, there's nothing. At 01:12 am my bedroom door is open. I see myself come out and go to the front door. I see myself use sandal and go out after doing something in the kitchen. I can't see what I did in the kitchen, blinded by the table. At 04:33 I see myself again, walking slowly to the bedroom and close the door. This is weird, I don't remember waking up and going out in the midnight, tonight.

I let it slide because I think there's nothing to worry about, maybe I was sleepwalking.

"Hey Ai, just sleep, I accompany you tonight." She sees my hesitation.

"Okay, good night, Sera." I smile and sleep soundly.

Or so I thought.

13 Corpses Case Hypothesis

Another corpse is found in the storage room, a woman (27) was lying dead with a cut on her neck. Police officers explain this woman may be another victim of the same killer who killed 12 people. The kill techniques are random. 5 of them are cut by sharp tool, 4 of them are died suffocated by tools like rope, 3 of them are knocked out to death. All of corpses' both hands are missing. Police investigated all rooms on the 6th floor and found 13 pair of hands above the ceiling of the room number 674. The motive is unknown. The occupant of room number 674 is a primary suspect. Based on Inspector Megure's explanation, blood prints are found on many utensil and tools of the suspect. Advanced investigation has been applied in this case included using lie detector. The suspect admits that she doesn't know anything about the mass murder and 13 pair of hands. Many surmises, hypothesis and temporary conclusions from various parties are publicly arise. Hypothesis from Dr. Rum as president of American Psychological Association (APA) is that the killer has Dissociative Identity Disorder, formerly referred to as multiple personality disorder, is a condition wherein a person's identity is fragmented into two or more distinct personality states. This is a rare condition that can't be cured but can be treated medically and psychologically. It explains why the killer can't remember anything about the sadistic act she did. He said that the killer also has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder that can be recognized by looking at her apartment. She is known as a perfectionist in her workplace. Dr. Rum elaborates that her other personality might be a perfectionist sadistic. He surmises she might hates how things are not organized and not placed well... (page 23)

-Fin-