Morning light washed pale over the hallway zara knocked hard, frowning.
Zara
Amina? You okay?
No answer. The door creaked open on its own. Inside, the apartment looked… normal. No shattered lamp. No handprints. Just boxes stacked neatly.
Zara exhaled, relief flickering to irritation.
Zara (to herself)
She probably went out early.
But when she found amina sitting on the bare mattress, eyes rimmed red, Zara's smile faded.
Zara
You scared me. Are you okay?
Amina
(hoarse, defensive)
You don't hear it? The scratching? The walls they move when the lights go off.
zara glanced around. Silent, ordinary walls.
Zara
Amina, you've barely slept. You're scaring yourself.
Amina
It's not me. I have proof on my phone.
She handed zara the phone. The last video showed amina sleeping… nothing unusual. No waving shadow.
Zara
(flatly)
There's nothing here.
Amina stared, trembling. She remembered the shadow waving. She knew she saw it.
Amina (internal thought)
Did I dream it?
Outside in the corridor, a middle-aged neighbor, Mrs Kayode, balanced a laundry basket.
Mrs Kayode
You're the new tenant, right? Settling in okay?
Amina nodded, too quickly.
Mrs Kayode
You look pale, dear. That apartment's old. Drafty. Gets in your head if you're alone too long.
Amina
(tight)
You've… never heard anything strange?
Mrs kayode smiled politely the way people smile when they don't believe you.
Mrs kayode
Only strange thing around here is the rent. Get some rest.
As amina closed the door, whispers fluttered through the corridor neighbors murmuring about "that girl in 3B, already talking to herself."
That evening, amina sat rigid in the dim apartment. The walls seemed to thrum in time with her heartbeat. She turned on every light.
Amina(internal thought)
Stay awake. Stay sane.
A knock at the door made her jump. It was zara again, holding groceries.
Zara
I'm making you eat something. No arguments.
But as they cooked, amina froze. Her shadow on the wall two feet behind her actual movement zara noticed nothing.
Amina
(whispering)
Do you see that?
Zara
See what?
Amina
My shadow it's wrong. It's… lagging.
Zara's smile thinned.
Zara
You need sleep, not ghost stories.
The words stung more than comfort
Later that night, zara left reluctantly. The hallway light flickered as she walked away, muttering into her phone:
Zara (low voice)
I think she's having a breakdown. She's not okay.
Inside, Amina heard it through the door. Her throat tightened. Even her best friend didn't believe her.
The walls whispered faintly now words, almost. Her own name, stretched long and distorted: Ammiiiinnnaaa…
Amina(internal thought)
They think I'm crazy Perfect. That's what it wants.
A scratching noise erupted again but this time louder, deliberate. Amina grabbed her flashlight and pressed her ear to the wall.
Something pressed back. Knuckles knocking from the inside.
Amina stumbled backward. Her shadow didn't. It stayed glued to the wall, smiling, lips curled impossibly wide though her own face stayed rigid.
Amina
(terrified whisper)
What are you?
The shadow tilted its head, mirroring not her fear but her friend zara's voice:
SHADOW (distorted)
You need rest…
Amina screamed and hurled the flashlight. The bulb shattered darkness surged.
The next morning, Amina tried to leave. She twisted the lock it turned freely, but the door wouldn't open. The wood felt warm, pulsing under her palm.
Footsteps sounded outside zara again.
Zara(through door)
Amina, open up!
Amina
I'm trying! It won't
But when she blinked, zara's voice sounded inside the apartment, behind her.
Zara (inside voice)
See? I told you. Just stressed.
Amina spun. No one there. Only her shadow, standing separate, hand on its hip exactly like zara would.
Morning sun lit the hallway in gold amina looked exhausted, hair messy, dark circles under her eyes mrs kayode appeared with a tray of steaming tea and puff-puff.
Mrs Kayode
You haven't eaten, have you? Come, sit a girl your age needs strength.
Amina followed her into the cozy apartment next door. Lace curtains, photos of smiling grandchildren. The smell of fried dough and lavender polish made Amina's chest loosen for the first time in days.
Mrs Kayode
I know moving can be hard. New place, strange noises… these old walls like to talk.
Amina
(quietly)
It's more than noises. I keep seeing
Mrs Kayode
(interrupting gently)
Shhh you're tired, my dear. It's just stress. Drink your tea.
Amina
(pleading)
mrs kayode, I'm not imagining this. The shadows
Mrs Kayode
(squeezes her hand)
You're a smart girl, Amina. Don't let fear make a fool of you. Sometimes when we're lonely, our minds play tricks.
Amina swallows hard, blinking back tears. Mrs. Kayode smiles warmly and brushes her cheek like a mother.
Mrs Kayode
Get some rest. Call your mother if you need comfort everything will be alright.
But as amina left, she noticed faint hand-shaped smudges on Mrs Kayode's own hallway wall… and when she blinked, they were gone.
That afternoon zara stormed in with a tote bag full of snacks and herbal tea.
Zara
You're scaring me, Mina. Look at you you're shaking.
Amina
Because something is in these walls!
Zara
No. You're not sleeping. You're overthinking.
Amina
(snarling)
Don't talk to me like I'm crazy.
Zara
I'm not I just… I think you need to talk to someone probably a therapist you know just so you can relax, okay?
Amina stares at her best friend, betrayed.
Amina
You think I'm making this up.
Zara
I think you're drowning in your own head. And I'm not letting you do it alone.
Later, while amina dozed restlessly on the couch, zara stepped into the hallway with her phone.
Zara (whispering)
Mrs Kayode, I'm worried. She's not herself.
Mrs Kayode (softly, from her doorway)
She's sweet, just overwhelmed. I told her to call her mother.
Zara
I might do that myself. She needs family right now.
Night again amina woke to faint humming Mrs Kayode voice? No. The tune was distorted, coming from inside the wall.
She grabbed her phone, hands trembling. On the screen was a missed call from zara… and a text:
I'm calling your mom. You need help, Mina.
Amina froze, breath shallow from the wall, her own voice whispered back to her
WALL (hollow)
You need help, Mina…
She dropped the phone. The screen cracked.
Zara arrived with her phone pressed to her ear.
Zara
(into phone)
Yes, ma'am. She's not doing well. Can you come?
Amina glared.
Amina
You called my mom?
Zara
I had to. You're scaring everyone.
Amina
Everyone? What are you telling people?
Zara
That you're not okay that you're imagining things.
Amina's shadow flickered on the wall but this time it wasn't hers. It was zara's silhouette smiling though zara's real face was pinched with worry.
Amina (internal thought)
They think I'm insane. Perfect,that's exactly what it wants.