This had to have been the worst week of your entire life. The company you worked for was officially out of business so you were out of a job. No income was not something you were used to and the idea that you weren't sure how quickly you could find a new job was setting panic up at the corners of your mind. Not to mention that your partner of four years disappeared last week. No clue where they went to or ended up, just plain vanished off the face of the earth. The police were either suspicious of you, or they think your partner just left you. No matter how much you begged, pleaded, told them that they would never do that to you, the cops wouldn't budge.

You reached down and felt the water pouring into the tub. Nice and hot. Baths were always how you used to relax, maybe it would help you now. You couldn't remember the last time you bathed. The stress from the last week or two have completely turned your brain into mush and all of the days were flowing into each other. The bath was almost ready so you slipped out of your clothes and left them on the floor with about three other day's worth of clothing you hadn't bothered to pick up yet. As you dipped your toes into the water you let out a slight hiss, the heat was just that right temperature that hurt just a bit, the kind that would make you feel like you were purging everything evil out of your body.

You lowered yourself into the tub and placed your phone on the closed toilet seat next to you. Tapping the play button on the screen, music began to fill the bathroom as you settled into the tub completely. Heat rushed into your body and so did a wave of pain. Your heart clenched in your chest and you immediately started to sob. This kept happening. One minute you were fine, and the next everything crashed back into your head again and you couldn't stop the tears. Probably grief, you figured. That seemed to be the correct emotion. Eventually you stop crying and you reach out to grab some shampoo when a wave of uselessness washes over you as well. What was the point in washing your hair? No one was here to caress it, and you weren't going out anytime soon. You slunk back down, allowing your chin to rest below the water. Eventually, you just slide your whole head under the surface. The world got quiet and still.

"Why not just stay under here forever?" You think, "I could just let go and never worry about anything ever again."

It was a joke, but somewhere deep down, you actually considered it. No more pain or responsibilities. You wouldn't have to worry about finding a new job, or the sighs coming from the other end of the phone when you call the police station for the hundredth time.

A sharp sound jolted you out of your macabre daydream and you sat up out of the tub. Your phone was ringing. You hopped out of the tub and grabbed a towel. Glancing over at your phone, you desperately reached out to answer. Any call could be from them, apologizing, saying they got kidnapped or lost or had some kind of accident, anything.

"Hello?" you say, panic in your voice.

"Hello."

The voice is kind of hard to make out, static and muffled. It's a very deep male voice, not the one of your partner. You feel your body relax maybe it was the police station?

"Yes, hello?" You ask again, "Can I help you?"

"I sure hope you can," they respond. You wait for them to continue but they do not.

"Well," you say after waiting an akwardly long time, "what is it?"

"Am I speaking with Allison?"

The voice was so strange. They spoke in a weird, gravely voice and drew their sentences out as long as they could.

"No, I'm sorry you have the wrong number."

"Wait!"

You heard the voice on the other end as you were pulling the phone away to press the end button.

"What?" You ask as you bring the phone back to your ear.

"Forget Allison, tell me more about you."

You grimace. Who the actual fuck talks like this? Does it really work for some people? The last thing in the world you wanted now was some random man hitting on you over the phone.

"Sorry guy, not interested."

You pressed the end button before he could respond and set your phone on the sink. With your towel in hand you meander into the bedroom, drying yourself off as you go. You click on the TV and the blue-ish light bathes over you. Your phone goes off again in the bathroom. You sigh. It's probably just that weirdo again, but you can't take that chance. It really could be your partner or the police station. You walk into the bathroom, grab it and walk back into the bedroom.

"Hello?"

"That wasn't very nice, hanging up like that."

You feel like you're going to have a migraine.

"Seriously dude?" You ask, "Can you not take a hint? Maybe go hit on someone at a bar or something? Bugger off."

"Oh come on, don't be that way, I just wanna chat and I could use a friend."

"Look man, I've been through a lot lately and I'm just not in the mood."

"Well," there was a slight chuckle, one that the hair on her neck prickle up, "You've got me in the mood. Especially the way your naked body looks in the light of your TV."

Your heart becomes an ice brick and your eyes immediately lock on your window. The curtains were mostly closed but they were parted slightly in the middle, just allowing for a small viewpoint to outside. Throwing the towel around your body you rush to the window to close the curtains, but keep a small opening for your face. All you can see is darkness. Nothing in the view of the street lamps.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I scare you? Or have I finally got your attention?"

"What the fuck dude?" you gasp, "What do you want?"

Your head felt like a swirl of anger and confusion and embarrassment. Why the hell would someone be stalking you like this? And why now of all times to do it?

"I told you, I just wanna chat. How about movies? Do you like scary movies?"

"Nope, not doing this. I'm going to call the police you perv," you reply, "I'm so sick of shit happening to me and I have no patience for it."

You hang up the line and call the police. Making sure your apartment is secure.