Who Lives In Apartment 48

Chapter 4: The Crawlspace and The Cut.

It's been a few days since my last entry and for that I apologize. Every minute in this place is slower than normal. What should take an hour feels like it takes a year. I'm not even sure what day it is now.

I'm no longer under the bed but on top of it. I'm crying right now. I keep telling myself to stop, to suck it up and that it will be alright.

But, from the cut below my wrist I know that isn't true. I'm beginning to rot from the inside. It has an odor of decay and rot coming from it. My skin is painted grey like storm clouds around the opening. I wince as I squeeze thick black ooze from the opening trying to drain the rot out of me.

The ooze plops onto the floor beside my bed in thick black chunks almost as if it is blackberry jam. It is thick, gelatinous, and rotten.

I suppose I should write down how I got this opening and what it means for me. Though if you're reading this, I'm sure you already know.

The Hag dragged me out from under the bed by wrist. I screamed, clawing out her trying to make her release the grip she had on me. Nothing I did would make her release me. She dragged me all around the apartment, cackling the whole time as she pulled me about careless like I was a sack of potatoes she'd found. The hag was incredibly strong with an inhuman strength that could only be rivaled by the sheer power of a 18 wheeler.

I knew there was no other way when I seen her heading for the closet door in my bedroom. She would be dragging me into whatever portal or hallway had formed there.

I had to do something!

The closet has always made me uneasy since I moved in. I've never went near it at night. I've heard screaming, scratching and unhuman sounds coming from behind the door every night.

I was not going in there. Moment's before she attempted to drag me into the closet. Noodles my cat intervened. Noodles was a mountain cat, He was brave against every and all odds. Despite being a housecat, he wouldn't back down from anything or anyone when it came to me. He meowed, growled and hissed loudly at her from across the room. Something about that made her stop cackling and grow quiet. As she stood frozen staring at him, I bit her. She immediately wailed and released me from her grasp. Never breaking eye contact with Noodles. However, when I jerked my arm away from her, her fingernails nicked me right below my wrist slicing my skin open.

I was on my feet in seconds. I snatched up Noodles, who was still hissing and ran out of the room. I could hear the thumping of her feet against the hardwood floor as she gave chase after me.

I ran to my front door, opening it and then darted into my kitchen slipping into the pantry. I had merely a minute to do this before she'd be down the hallway after me. Slipping into the pantry I shut the door back watching from the shutters. Noodles had clawed, bit, and scratched me as I'd ran with him. But none of that mattered all that mattered was we had to be quiet. I began petting him and whispering to him so he would settle. It took a little coaxing; however soon he was quietly sitting in my arms while purring.

I stared out of the shutters, staring at the open door and the Hag who wildly screeched as she ran toward it. She was angry. I could tell by the way she threw her head back as if she was roaring. She stomped and growled cocking her head as she looked at the open door. She stepped closer to the kitchen doorframe as she sniffed the air. The hag whipped her head around the doorframe glancing everywhere in the kitchen. I held my breath from the pantry as I stared out at her. She was there for a minute continuing to look for us, and I squeezed my eyes shut tightly. I didn't want to see what was coming next.

She heard a noise come from the hallway outside of my door and immediately darted outside of my apartment. The second she stepped out, I quietly sit Noodles down inside the pantry. I slipped out of it, closing it behind me to protect him.

Then I ran to the door, slamming it and locking it shut. Noodles and I were safe again. I slipped down the door to the floor crying. I didn't even check my phone, I knew no one would believe me. I just sat there and cried as I noticed the purpling of my skin around the cut.

I've been in my bedroom since then. I've moved all of Noodles accessories, such as his food bowl and water bowl into my room. I don't want to be alone for a second.

The knocking and the dirt still come to this place. But at least for now, The Hag hasn't returned. I'm not sure of the day, the month or the year. I've began hoarding food inside of room and drinks as well.

Yesterday I mustered up the courage to look inside and open the door of my closet where the Hag had been dragging me towards. Only to discover there was another door further back inside my closet where the light never touches. Far enough back that I would have to crawl inside to touch. A crawlspace. Just looking at it gave me a sensation of fear that I can't put into words.

I knew something was in there eagerly lurking right at the crawlspace's door. Waiting for me to be dumb enough to open it and free it from its prison. The crawlspace was locked from the outside, I'd have to be the one to open it.

Shutting the closet door back, I pushed my chair against it. I've decided to take all of my clothes out of it and pile them onto my desk where I write. Right now, as I write this clothes tower around me.

If you are reading this, if you find this journal.

Please. Please. Just take care of Noodles.

He's precious to me and doesn't deserve all that is happening in this damned apartment.

I'm afraid of what is going to happen to me. The cut burns and stings. It oozes thick black dirt from its opening and I know sooner or later I will die.

Be it from the cut, from the insanity or from starvation.

Don't move into Apartment 48. If you do, use this journal and listen to Noodles. He knows when things are about to happen, he lets out a loud meow right before the dirt comes and the knocking begins.

Maybe I should let Noodles out the apartment, if I can't leave he might be able too at least then he wouldn't have to suffer in here with me. But, I can't bear the thought of being here alone.

I'm not alone as long as I have Noodles.

I'm not Alone right now, but if something happens to me.

He will be alone.

All Alone in this hellhole. Please if you find this, find Noodles.

Get him out of apartment 48.

It can have me, but don't let it take him too. He's innocent. He doesn't deserve this.