Through 6B

“I think that’s everything you need to know,” the superintendent said, setting down the bags he’d carried to her new apartment. “6D. Here’s your key. Lose it and it’s a hundred bucks to replace.”

“Thanks,” Mara said, surveying the hallway as the man turned to walk away.

“Hey, wait!” she called after him. “What’s with that unit?” She asked, pointing to apartment 6B at the end of the hall; the door had a board nailed diagonally across it and a large padlock hanging from the handle.

The superintendent glared. “Just some maintenance. Don’t worry about it, it won't affect your unit.”

Mara nodded and shrugged, too tired to do anything but crash on the bare mattress surrounded by unopened boxes.

Mara spent the next few days unpacking slowly, figuring out where everything fit in this old but sturdy one-bedroom. Monday afternoon rolled around; she sighed and set down the picture she’d held to five spots on the wall, unsure what looked best.

Feeling cooped up, she thought it might be best to go for a walk. On her way out, she couldn’t help but glance over at apartment 6B, the forbidden unit under “permanent maintenance" as her new neighbour, Amira, put it when they spoke briefly the other day.

She might’ve forgotten about it if not for the light—a thin, amber seam leaked from beneath the door, pulsing faintly. No one was supposed to live there. But the light persisted. Mara swore she could see shadows if she looked closely.

Finally, curiosity got the better of her. She approached the door and crouched without thinking, one eye to the keyhole. The metal felt cold against her skin. Beyond it was not a dilapidated apartment but depth. She saw a dim hallway that was a perfect copy of the one she stood in, but older, with wallpaper peeling in vertical strips. At the far end stood another door, with a board nailed across it; the number B6 was painted backward.

Dust moved like fog in the flickering light. A figure passed across the far end, soft and slow, followed by another. For a moment, she thought she recognized the way one of them tilted their head, like Amira did when she asked a question. Behind them, a small figure stood perfectly still, facing her.

Mara gasped and jumped back. She shook her head and leaned in again, closed one eye and cautiously looked back through the keyhole. The light had gone out; the room was pitch-black. She could barely make out the silhouette of some furniture covered in sheets. She sighed and stood up, relief flooding into her chest.

“We were all curious at first.” The voice behind her made Mara jump. She spun around to find her elderly neighbour, Mr. Caloway, standing a little too close for comfort. She took a step back and squeezed around him.

“Weird that they haven’t fixed it up yet,” Mara said with a tired chuckle.

“And they won’t.” Mr. Caloway said, turning away without another word.

Mara waited until the old man returned to his unit before she made a beeline for the elevator. “I may just have to get a guard dog if I’m gonna stay here,” she mumbled to herself as she gingerly pressed the ground floor button.

Pulling her new camera out of her bag, Mara smiled as she snapped photos of her new city: buildings, flower boxes, street lights, and happy people. She occupied herself for hours, getting lost in the art and momentarily forgetting about everything else.

Back home, Mara smiled as she flipped through the photos. A few of them featured the same young boy and his mother. The joy in the boy’s face reminded her of her late brother, Colton. He loved being outside, exploring his surroundings.

Sighing, Mara pulled out her wallet and retrieved the worn photo, its various cracks and frayed edges visible. She must have looked at this 1000 times in the last six months; it was the last picture they took together, three days before the accident. They’d had a long, tiring, but incredibly thrilling day at the local theme park. They’d bought matching branded baseball caps to commemorate the day. Everything was normal and perfect. And then it wasn’t.

Several days later, Mara ventured out of the apartment after dinner, taking a break from her online search for a local part-time job. As she left, the stream of light under the door to 6B caught her eye again. She couldn’t help but lean down to take another look through the keyhole.

Heart pounding, she watched as several figures moved back and forth, their features sharper. The hall was a little brighter, the cloud of dust a little thinner. The woman resembling Amira wandered closer to the door this time, her silhouette and stature unmistakable. It was Amira, but she walked with much more confidence. Held her head higher.

Mara felt her hands clam up, her heart thundered in her ears now, but she couldn’t look away. The image of Amira retreated, replaced by a dark, still figure wearing a baseball cap. This silhouette was shorter and slimmer, resembling that of a teenager. It took a single step forward before it evaporated into dust.

This startled Mara enough to jolt her out of her trance. She straightened up and turned back toward the hall, only to see Amira standing right behind her, looking straight into her eyes.

“Amira!” Mara squeaked. “I—I-I thought you were in there…” Mara stuttered and jutted her thumb back toward 6B.

Amira laughed, a single, sharp laugh that sounded more like a scoff. “Why would I be in there? How would I even get in?”

“I-I don’t know, I just thought I saw something in there.”

“It’s just an old, broken room, don’t worry about it. The couches are probably rotting by now.” Amira said softly, tugging on a strand of her hair and looking at the ground.

Mara nodded. “Have you ever looked into the room? Do you ever see the light under the door?”

Amira laughed again, this time softer and more genuine. “No, not anymore. I was curious about it when I moved in, too, but trying to see anything in the darkness got… boring.”

“Right. That makes sense.” Mara said, studying Amira’s face to see if she’d ever make eye contact. Instead of looking up, Amira flashed a quick, small smile and took off back to her room.

“Well then,” Mara said to herself as she shook her head. She adjusted her bag and headed for the elevator. The light under 6B’s door faded the moment she looked away.

Mara wound up giving her resume to almost 20 places, striking up friendly conversations with many staffers along the way. It was nearly 10 pm by the time she got home. She exited the elevator and walked quickly and quietly down the dark hall, the overhead light flickering slightly, casting shadows on the walls. She stopped to pull her key out of her bag when a slight movement caught her eye. She whipped her head around and saw a man crouching down, face pressed to the door of 6B.

She put her hand over her mouth and squinted, trying to see through the darkness. She took two tentative steps forward, leaning in and trying to focus. The person wore an oversized blue sweatshirt and white running shoes.

“No, not yet. I don’t think it’s a good idea if you come in,” he mumbled. Mara shifted her weight, and her shoe squeaked against the floor.

The person at the door jumped back and stood. He shook his head and turned around, gasping in surprise to find Mara standing over them.

Before Mara could say anything, his expression morphed into pure confusion, eyebrows scrunched and lips pursed. “You... You were in there,” he said. “I thought I saw you—with my mom.” He trailed off, looking back and forth between Mara and 6B.

“Nope…” Mara said slowly, “I’m here.”

“Right…” he said, trailing off, still glaring at Mara. They stared at each other awkwardly for a good ten seconds before his expression softened and he smiled brightly. “Are you the new resident who moved into 6D?”

Mara raised her eyebrows. “Uh, yep. That’s me. I’m Mara.” She held out her hand, unsure what else to do.

The man took it, still smiling. “I’m Theo. Have a good night!” He said. Mara watched as he passed several doors before disappearing into what Mara thought was 6F based on her count. Alone now, Mara looked suspiciously at the door of 6B. The light under the door brightened slowly as she continued to stare.

Crouching down, she closed her left eye and peered into the keyhole. The hallway beyond the door was surprisingly bright tonight, with multiple figures meandering around the hallway, entering and exiting apartment doors.

Mara leaned in closer, trying to focus on each figure. There was no mistaking the one resembling Amira, and she quickly noticed another in the same outfit Theo had on just now. She tried to see their faces, though most stayed cloaked in shadow. She felt her body stiffen as the door closest to her view creaked open slowly. An old man walked out, back slightly hunched and brandishing a cane. Mr. Caloway from across the hall.

Mara was so focused on studying the visage of Mr. Caloway that she didn’t notice another door open. This one produced the young, slim figure that seemed to stare her down the last time she checked the keyhole. Unmoving before, it approached, slowly coming into the dim, flickering light. Mara held her breath, unsure if she wanted to see the face beneath the cap.

Before she had a chance to see the face, however, the man with the cane abruptly turned around, black eyes boring right into hers. The corner of his mouth lifted. A low, guttural growl rumbled from his throat.

Mara squealed and jumped back, tripping as she ran into her apartment. She slammed the door behind her and fumbled for her keys to lock it. Breathing hard, Mara tried to put the images out of her head. “I’m just nervous about being in a new town. I’m just seeing things, it’s just a dream, it’s not real.”

She repeated this to herself until her heart slowed. Hands no longer shaking, she pushed herself off the door and busied herself with boiling water for some chamomile tea.

Despite her efforts to relax, the dream came again that night.

Mara screamed, slamming the brake pedal to the floor, horn blaring. Her efforts were futile, however, as the front tires hit the black ice on the road, the truck’s headlights blinding them. She swung her arm over to the passenger seat, trying in vain to protect her brother Colton. Her arm was no match for the force of the impact. The car hit a 300-year-old tree, and Colton’s head slammed into the dashboard. The impact drew blood immediately.

Time slowed as Mara’s world became one of screeching tires, shattering glass, and men shouting. When the motion finally stopped, she opened her eyes, her vision flooded with Colton’s bloodied, lifeless form.

Mara woke with a jolt, throat raw from screaming in her sleep. She rubbed her eyes and steadied herself, tears now streaming down her face. “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry, Colt,” She cried into the darkness of her quiet room. “I’m so sorry,” she whispered this time, dropping her head into her hands.

Mara glanced at the clock; 5:30 am. Might as well get up, then. She thought as she threw the blankets off her and flicked on the bedside lamp.

Three cups of coffee later, she still couldn’t shake the dream. Mara decided to get some fresh air. She paused just outside her door, fighting the urge to look at apartment 6B. She turned her head but closed her eyes. When she opened them, the light under the door pulsed faster than before. She groaned and ran toward 6B, unable to quench the curiosity.

The hall beyond the door sat empty today, save for the flicking light and layer of dust. She heard a door creak open behind her. She turned and saw Theo leave his room and walk away from her.

Back in the keyhole, Theo also left his apartment, but approached Mara instead. She felt the thump thump of his footsteps as he ran toward her. Mara jumped back before he reached her. She stifled a scream and ran for the elevator. Once in the lobby, she sprinted through the front doors and down the street.

She took a corner seat in one of the coffee shops she’d applied to and ordered a coffee and a bagel. She ate even though she didn’t feel hungry.

Her mind went back to the figure she saw last night; the man with the cane, the more confident version of Amira. It had to be a dream, right? These people were all new to her. Distance made it easier to rationalize what she’d seen. She was all alone in a new city, still reeling from the accident that killed her brother just six months ago; none of this was surprising.

Having calmed down significantly, she made her way back and got some proper lunch on the way. She ate while reading a book she found at the library. Taking the last sip of her latte, she smiled, finally feeling refreshed.

By the time she got back to Greystone, she’d been gone a few hours. Upon her return, the building was surrounded by flashing lights, police cars, and an ambulance. Despite the commotion, no one rushed. Several officers and a paramedic stood clustered by the front doors. Several strands of Caution tape were haphazardly strung along the railings.

With her heart beating faster, Mara scanned the scene for the superintendent. She finally spotted him chatting with a paramedic, hands flying through the air in a panic.

“Mr. Wallace, what’s going on?” Mara asked, running to the front as an officer tried to stop her.

Mr. Wallace looked over and waved a hand at the officer. “It’s okay, she’s a resident.” He bent his head down as Mara approached and spoke in hushed tones, “Amira Wilton was found deceased in her apartment. The police suspect foul play.” His eyes darted between everyone at the scene. “Do you know anything?”

“What? Me? I barely knew her!” Mara paused for a moment. “I did speak to her briefly yesterday. She seemed totally fine!”

Mr. Wallace nodded. “Okay, that’s okay, Mara. Let me worry about it.” He looked up at the head officer. “She’s a resident, can she go to her room? It’s on the same floor.”

The officer looked to his colleague, who nodded. “Yes, sir, we’ve processed the scene.”

Mara was still shaking when she reached her floor. She practically sprinted down the hall, keeping her head down. She didn’t want to look, but she felt herself fighting a pull so strong, she couldn’t help but turn her head to look at room 6B.

Adrenaline shot through her body, and she froze in place. Amira was at the keyhole. At least, someone who looked like her. She wore the same clothes Amira had worn the night before. Her short, curly hair was the same. The woman rose slowly when she sensed Mara’s presence. Mara’s eyes widened as the woman turned gracefully, a wide smile on her face, and a blank look in her large black eyes.

Mara opened her mouth to scream, but nothing came out.

“Hi there,” she said brightly. “I’ve just moved onto this floor—care to have a look?” The woman sashayed to the side, arms sweeping in the direction of the door.

Mara’s mind stayed blank, but she felt her feet moving. Unable to fight the urge, unable to deny the curiosity, she knelt to peek into the keyhole.

Instead of the dim, dusty, peeling hall she was used to seeing, she was greeted with a bright, pulsing light and a figure so close to the keyhole it blocked most of the view. She recognized the clothing on the figure; it was the young boy with the baseball cap. Slowly, the figure rose and the cap came into view; its logo sharp and clear: “Daytime Delight Theme Park.”

Her mind screamed run, but she couldn’t look away from what she knew was coming. A face finally came into view; Colton’s face, as young and curious as it was that day. She tried to meet his gaze but only found large, bulging black eyes.

“Mara, can I come in?”