Night 1 at the Spruce Ridge Apartments in Columbus, Indiana was supposed to be the beginning of a new chapter for Veronica Lodge and Reggie Mantle. After years of dealing with the darkness and chaos of Riverdale, the couple had decided to leave it all behind and start fresh. Veronica had made a dramatic exit, announcing to her friends that she was done with Hiram Lodge—her manipulative and dangerous father. She wanted nothing more than a peaceful life away from his toxic influence, and Reggie, always the supportive boyfriend, was eager to go along with her plan.
As the movers left, closing the door behind them, the apartment felt strangely empty despite being filled with boxes and newly placed furniture. It was cozy but modern, with high ceilings and large windows that let in just enough light to make the space feel welcoming. Still, something about the apartment felt... off.
"Finally," Veronica sighed, running her hands through her long dark hair. "No more Riverdale drama. Just us, starting over."
Reggie smiled as he plopped onto the sofa, stretching out his legs. "Yeah, no more Hiram breathing down your neck. No more creepy mysteries. Just peace and quiet."
But the sense of relief didn't last long. As they began to unpack a few of their belongings, setting up their new life, Veronica felt an unexpected chill creep through the apartment. At first, she ignored it, chalking it up to the exhaustion of moving. But soon, the cold became undeniable—sharp and biting, enough to make her shiver.
"Reggie," Veronica said, wrapping her arms around herself. "Do you feel that? It's freezing in here."
Reggie raised an eyebrow, looking around. "Freezing? It feels fine to me."
Veronica frowned, walking over to the thermostat on the wall near the kitchen. She squinted at the digital display. "It says it's set to 72 degrees... but it feels more like 50. Something's not right."
Reggie got up and joined her, rubbing his arms as the cold air seemed to wrap around them both. "Okay, now I feel it. But the thermostat looks fine. Maybe the HVAC system is just acting up?"
Veronica bit her lip, a knot of unease settling in her stomach. "Maybe," she said, though she didn't sound convinced.
They tried to ignore the cold as they finished up unpacking their belongings, but the strange chill lingered in the apartment like a shadow. No matter what they did, the temperature wouldn't rise, and after an hour, Veronica couldn't take it anymore.
"That's it. I'm calling the apartment manager," she said, grabbing her phone.
As she dialed the number, Reggie leaned against the kitchen counter, watching her with mild concern. "You don't think... this place is haunted or anything, do you?" he asked, half-joking.
Veronica shot him a look. "Haunted? Seriously, Reg? I've had enough of haunted places back in Riverdale. This is Indiana. There's no way."
Still, the thought nagged at her as the apartment manager answered the phone.
"Hi, this is Veronica Lodge from apartment 3B," she said, pacing the living room. "We just moved in, and there seems to be a problem with the thermostat. It's freezing in here, but the temperature is set to normal."
The apartment manager, a man named Don, sounded apologetic. "I'm sorry to hear that, Miss Lodge. I'll send someone over to check on it first thing in the morning. We've never had issues with that unit before, but I'll make sure it gets looked at."
Veronica thanked him and hung up the phone, turning to Reggie with a sigh. "He's sending someone tomorrow. Guess we'll just have to bundle up tonight."
Reggie grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Guess it's a good excuse to snuggle, right?"
Veronica smirked but didn't feel the usual comfort in his humor. The unease in her chest remained as they tried to make the best of their first night in the apartment. They ordered pizza, turned on the TV, and settled onto the couch with blankets wrapped around them.
But as the night wore on, the cold seemed to intensify. It wasn't just a drop in temperature—it was unnatural. Veronica could feel it crawling over her skin, making the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. Every so often, she'd glance around the apartment, half expecting to see something lurking in the shadows.
At one point, as they sat watching TV, Reggie suddenly stiffened. "Did you hear that?"
Veronica's heart skipped a beat. "Hear what?"
Reggie muted the TV, and for a moment, they sat in tense silence. Then, faintly, there it was—a soft knocking sound, like something tapping against the walls or pipes. It wasn't loud, but it was persistent, coming from somewhere down the hallway near the bedrooms.
Veronica stood up slowly, her pulse quickening. "Where's that coming from?"
Reggie stood beside her, his muscles tensed. "It sounds like it's coming from the closet... the one in the guest room."
They exchanged a look, and without a word, Veronica led the way down the hall toward the guest bedroom. The door was slightly ajar, and as they approached, the knocking grew louder, more distinct.
Veronica reached for the doorknob, her hand trembling slightly. "Maybe it's just... the building settling."
But when she pushed the door open, the air in the room was thick with cold. It was as though the temperature had dropped another ten degrees. The walls were bare, and the room was empty, save for a few unpacked boxes. But the sound was unmistakable—it was coming from the closet.
"Reggie..." Veronica whispered.
Reggie, who had been standing a step behind her, stepped forward and put his hand on the closet door. "Let's see what's in here."
With a firm tug, Reggie pulled the door open. For a moment, there was nothing—just an empty closet space with a wooden shelf. But as the cold air rushed out, the knocking sound stopped abruptly, and in its place, they both heard something else—a faint whisper.
It was so soft, it was almost imperceptible, but it sent chills down Veronica's spine.
"Did you hear that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Reggie's face had gone pale. "Yeah. I heard it."
They both stood frozen for a moment, staring at the closet as if expecting something to crawl out of the darkness. But nothing moved, and the whisper faded into silence. Reggie closed the closet door, his heart pounding in his chest.
"This place is creepy, V," Reggie said, trying to mask his nervousness with a forced laugh. "Maybe Riverdale wasn't the only haunted town we've been in."
Veronica wasn't laughing. She felt the weight of the apartment pressing in on her, the cold wrapping around her like invisible fingers. "We're calling Don first thing tomorrow," she said, her voice firm.
That night, as they lay in bed wrapped in extra blankets, the cold never left them. Veronica couldn't shake the feeling that they weren't alone in the apartment—that something was watching them, waiting.
And as she drifted off to sleep, her mind plagued by restless thoughts, she heard it again—the faint knocking from the guest room closet.