on sunday night, i came back to my room after studying in the lobby and experienced one of the most terrifying episodes of my stay in residence.
SCENE:
you approach your door with your backpack slung over your shoulder and your laptop in hand. you hear a strange noise coming from the room you remember leaving silent. you lean closer to the door – press your ear against it.
white noise.
and you think to yourself – “well, must’ve left the radio on,” – even though you’re sure this isn’t true. you keep the radio in your bathroom. you always turn it off.
slide the key card in the lock. open the door.
the white noise is louder once the door is open. mixed with the pitch black room it creates an eerie atmosphere. you turn the radio off.
turn on the front light.
you can see the silhouette of your bed from here. the mattress has been toppled over. someone has laid every pair of shoes you own on your bed board. it creates a frightening tableau and you’re left pretty spooked.
you go to your friend’s room and sleep there for the night.
you come back in the morning.
you put your shoes back where they belong. you put the mattress back where it belongs. it’s less eerie now.
then you decide to check your closets to see if anything’s been left inside, and that’s when you notice the ironing board standing in front of one of the wardrobes.
you have never ironed a thing in your life. you’ve never taken that board out of the closet.
your friend’s sweater is draped over the board with the iron perched on top.
what. is. going. on.
and then you find your waste paper basket upside down and on top of the wardrobe.
you wonder how any of this happened. who did all this and why?
i don’t even remember leaving my door latched.