Tim rarely went out at night. Most evenings, the idea alone felt exhausting. Crowded restaurants, loud conversations, the pressure of saying the right thing at the right time, it all felt like trying to perform on a stage without ever being given the script, but sometimes he tried anyway.

Tonight was one of those nights. The small Italian restaurant downtown smelled of garlic, warm bread, and tomato sauce. Dim lighting hung over each table, casting soft yellow pools across the room. The quiet clinking of glasses and low conversations filled the air, creating the kind of relaxed atmosphere most people found comfortable.

Tim did not feel comfortable. He sat stiffly in his chair, fingers wrapped around a glass of water he hadn't touched in several minutes. Across from him sat a woman named Claire. She seemed nice.

Claire had long brown hair pulled over one shoulder and wore a light blue sweater that matched the color of her eyes. She had the kind of easy smile that suggested she was used to conversations flowing naturally. Throughout dinner she had been friendly, patient even, making small talk about work, hobbies, and the city.

Tim had answered her questions politely. Short answers, very short answers. The silence between them stretched again. Tim stared down at his plate of half-eaten pasta. His mind raced, desperately searching for something to say anything that sounded normal.

Ask her something, he told himself, anything. He opened his mouth. "Uh..." Nothing came out. Claire gave a small encouraging smile.

"So... what do you usually do for fun?" The question seemed harmless enough.

Tim felt the familiar tightening in his chest. His thoughts scattered instantly, like papers blown off a desk by a sudden wind. What did he do for fun?

The honest answer felt embarrassing. I stay home. I play video games. I watch horror movies with my cat.

The words sounded ridiculous even inside his head. He could already imagine how it would sound spoken out loud. So instead he gave the safest response he could think of.

"A little of everything."

Claire nodded slowly. The answer floated between them like a balloon slowly losing air.

"Oh," she said politely. Another pause followed.

Claire twirled a strand of hair between her fingers, glancing briefly around the restaurant. Not in a rude way-more like someone checking the time without looking directly at their watch. Tim felt heat rising in his face. He knew what was happening. He had been here before.

The first few minutes of a date usually went fine. Hellos, introductions, simple questions. But eventually the conversation always reached this point where he was expected to carry some part of it, and that was where everything collapsed. He tried again.

"Do you... uh... like Italian food?"

The moment the words left his mouth, he wished he could take them back. They were sitting in an Italian restaurant. Claire blinked, then smiled politely again.

"I do, yes." Tim nodded awkwardly. "Me too." Another silence.

Tim stared down at the tablecloth, wishing the night would end quickly. Claire glanced toward the front door, then back at him. She wasn't unkind about it. In fact, she seemed almost sympathetic.

"I actually have to get up pretty early tomorrow," she said after a moment. There it was. The polite escape. Tim nodded immediately, almost too quickly.

"Yeah. Of course." Claire smiled apologetically. "I had a nice time though."

Tim knew she was trying to be kind. He forced a small smile back. "Me too." They both stood. Chairs scraped softly against the floor as they stepped away from the table. Tim walked her toward the entrance of the restaurant, the cool night air drifting in each time the door opened.

Outside, the streetlights cast long reflections across the pavement. Claire adjusted the strap of her purse. "Well... take care, Tim." "You too."

She hesitated for half a second, as if deciding whether a hug would be appropriate. Then she settled for a small wave instead. "Goodnight."

Tim stood there for a moment watching her go. She never looked back. He wasn't surprised. After a few seconds, he shoved his hands into his jacket pockets and began the quiet walk home. The night air was cool and calm, a light breeze moving through the empty streets. Cars passed occasionally, headlights sliding across the pavement before disappearing again.

Tim walked with his shoulders slightly hunched, his mind replaying the evening like a bad recording he couldn't turn off. Do you like Italian food? He sighed.

By the time he reached his apartment building, the familiar feeling had already settled in his chest again. He felt like such a loser.

Inside the apartment, Pumpkin was waiting by the door. The orange cat looked up at him with mild annoyance, clearly unimpressed that dinner had been delayed. Tim knelt down and scratched behind the cat's ears.

"Well," he muttered softly, "that went about as expected."

Pumpkin responded with a loud, demanding meow. "Yeah. Let's get you some food."

Tim changed into comfortable clothes, ordered takeout, and turned on the television, another night, another quiet evening, and another failed attempt at something normal. Eventually the familiar rhythm of his routine settled back into place. Pumpkin curled beside him. The television flickered softly in the dark.

And outside, somewhere beyond the apartment walls, thunder began rumbling faintly in the distance.

Tim sat on the couch in his dim apartment with the television casting pale light across the walls. Pumpkin lay curled beside him like a warm orange loaf, his tail twitching occasionally as if he were chasing something in his dreams. On the television, a woman crept slowly down a dark hallway, clutching a flickering candle while ominous music hummed in the background.

Tim watched with quiet interest, leaning back into the couch cushions. Old horror movies had become one of his favorite nighttime rituals. They were familiar, predictable, and strangely comforting. In those movies, at least, the loneliness always had a reason.

Outside the apartment window, the sky had darkened hours earlier. Heavy clouds rolled overhead, swallowing the last hints of sunset. The air had grown thick and restless, and now rain tapped steadily against the glass. A low rumble of thunder echoed in the distance. Pumpkin lifted his head slightly, ears twitching.

"You hear that?" Tim muttered, glancing toward the window. The cat blinked slowly and settled back down.

The storm had been building all evening. Occasionally flashes of lightning lit the clouds beyond the buildings, followed by the deep growl of thunder rolling through the city streets. Tim barely noticed. He took another bite of sesame chicken and watched the movie.

Onscreen, the woman reached the end of the hallway. The music grew louder, more intense. Her candle flickered wildly as she slowly pushed open a door.

Tim leaned forward slightly. Then the room exploded with white light. A bolt of lightning cracked across the sky so bright it briefly turned the apartment into daylight. A split second later..... BOOM. Thunder crashed overhead like a cannon. Pumpkin sprang off the couch with a startled yowl, disappearing down the hallway. "Whoa!" Tim said, sitting upright.

The television flickered once.....twice. Then everything went black. The room fell into total silence.

For a moment Tim sat perfectly still, blinking into the sudden darkness. The low hum of electronics had vanished. The refrigerator stopped running. Even the street outside seemed quieter somehow. Only the rain remained, tapping against the windows. Tim sighed.

"Of course."

He fumbled for his phone on the coffee table and tapped the screen. The glow of the flashlight cut a narrow beam through the dark apartment.

Eighteen percent battery. "Fantastic," he muttered. Another rumble of thunder rolled through the sky outside.

Tim stood and slowly moved around the living room, the light from his phone bouncing across familiar objects. The television screen reflected his flashlight like a black mirror. Shadows stretched across the walls. Pumpkin appeared at the end of the hallway, crouched low with his tail puffed up slightly.

"It's just thunder," Tim said. "Relax." The cat didn't look convinced.

Tim walked into the kitchen and opened a drawer. After rummaging around for a moment he found a small box of candles and a lighter. A minute later a single candle burned on the coffee table, its tiny flame dancing gently. The apartment took on a completely different feeling in the candlelight.

The corners of the room deepened into shadow while the walls flickered with soft orange light. The storm outside rattled the windows again as another gust of wind swept through the street. Tim sat back down on the couch. Without the television or internet, the apartment suddenly felt much quieter than usual.

He picked up his phone and checked the signal, no internet.

"Guess that's it for entertainment tonight," he murmured.

Pumpkin hopped back onto the couch cautiously, settling beside him but keeping his eyes on the dark hallway. Tim leaned back and stared around the room.

There wasn't much to do without power. He considered going to bed early but the storm was loud enough that he doubted sleep would come easily.

Another flash of lightning lit the apartment windows. For a moment the brief light revealed something he hadn't noticed before. The hallway closet door stood slightly open. Tim frowned. He didn't remember leaving it like that. Pumpkin noticed it too. The cat's ears flattened as he stared directly at the closet.

"Alright," Tim said quietly, standing again.

He grabbed his phone and walked toward the hallway. The beam of light slid across the walls until it reached the partially open door. The closet creaked softly when he pulled it open. Inside was the usual clutter, boxes, an old lamp, extra blankets, and several items left behind by whoever had lived in the apartment before him. Tim had never bothered going through most of it, until tonight.

"Well," he said to himself, "let's see what we've got."

He crouched down and began pulling things out. A dusty Monopoly box. An old chess set missing several pieces. A stack of playing cards still wrapped in plastic. Tim chuckled quietly.

"Didn't know this place came with an entire game closet."

He brushed dust off the top of another box and lifted it out. The cardboard looked older than the others, worn and slightly faded with age.

He set it on the coffee table and wiped the dust away with his sleeve. Underneath the dust, strange letters appeared across the lid.

OUIJA Tim raised an eyebrow.

"Well... that's fitting."

Outside, thunder rumbled again as rain continued beating against the windows. Tim opened the box. Inside was a dark wooden board covered in letters of the alphabet, numbers, and the familiar words printed at the corners. YES..NO..GOODBYE

Resting on top of the board was a small triangular piece of wood the planchette. Tim picked it up and turned it in his fingers. He had seen Ouija boards in movies plenty of times. Usually they were involved in ghosts, demons, or someone making a terrible mistake they regretted later. Sitting alone in the candlelight during a storm, the idea felt strangely entertaining. He looked around the quiet apartment. Pumpkin watched him from the couch with cautious yellow eyes.

Tim smiled faintly.

"Well," he said to the empty room, setting the board down on the table.

"Let's see if anyone's listening."

Outside, lightning flashed again. And somewhere deep within the silent apartment, something waited.

The candle flame flickered as another gust of wind rattled the apartment windows. Tim sat cross-legged on the floor in front of the coffee table. The Ouija board rested between his knees, its faded letters glowing softly in the candlelight. The storm outside had grown stronger, thunder rumbling through the night like something enormous shifting in the sky.

Pumpkin sat a few feet away, watching with sharp, suspicious eyes.Tim picked up the planchette and turned it slowly between his fingers. "Alright," he murmured to himself. He had seen this sort of thing in movies countless times. Usually it involved a group of teenagers daring each other to try it. Someone would move the piece as a joke, someone else would panic, and eventually the story ended badly for everyone involved, but Tim was alone.

And honestly... he was bored.

He placed the wooden planchette on the center of the board. The small piece rested over the word HELLO. Tim hesitated for a moment, suddenly feeling a little silly. Still, the storm outside and the dim candlelight made the moment feel strangely appropriate. He rested two fingers lightly on the planchette.

"Uh..." he began awkwardly. His voice sounded small in the quiet apartment. "Hello?"

Nothing happened. The planchette remained perfectly still. Tim waited a few seconds. Rain tapped against the window. Thunder rolled in the distance.

Pumpkin shifted uneasily, flicking his tail. Tim chuckled softly.

"Yeah... figured."

He leaned back slightly, about to remove his fingers from the board. Then the planchette moved. Just slightly. Tim froze. The small wooden piece trembled beneath his fingers as if nudged by a faint vibration. Tim frowned.

"Okay," he said slowly, "that's weird." He lifted his fingers off the board. The planchette stopped. Tim stared at it for a moment.

"Probably just the table," he muttered.

The storm again, he told himself. The building was old. Things shifted when thunder shook the structure. Still... He placed his fingers back on the planchette.

"Alright," he said, trying to sound calm. "If... anyone is there..." He paused, feeling ridiculous.

"...hello?"

For several seconds nothing happened. Then the planchette moved again. This time it slid slowly across the board. Tim's breath caught.

The piece glided toward the upper corner of the board. It stopped on YES. Tim blinked. A nervous laugh slipped out.

"Okay... that's definitely strange."

Pumpkin let out a low, uneasy growl from across the room. Tim glanced at the cat, then back at the board.

"Alright," he said quietly. "If someone's there... what's your name?"

The planchette trembled beneath his fingers again. Then it began to move slowly and deliberately.It slid across the letters one by one.

S... Tim leaned forward. E......A chill crawled up the back of his neck. R.....The storm outside boomed with thunder. E....Pumpkin's ears flattened. N

.....Tim's fingers felt strangely heavy on the wood. I......The planchette moved without hesitation. T.....Tim's heart began beating faster. Y

....The piece stopped. Silence filled the apartment. Tim stared at the letters spelled across the board. SERENITY.

"Serenity," he whispered. The candle flame flickered violently as another gust of wind struck the building. Tim swallowed.

"Okay... Serenity," he said slowly. "Are you... a ghost?"

The planchette shifted again. It slid toward NO. Tim frowned.

"Not a ghost?" The piece moved again immediately.

W..O..M..A..N

The planchette stopped. Tim blinked. "A... woman?" Across the room Pumpkin hissed suddenly. Tim turned toward the cat.

"Hey, relax," he said quietly.When he looked back at the board, the planchette had moved again.

B..E..A..U..T..I..F..U..L

Tim stared at the letters. Beautiful. A strange warmth spread through his chest. "That's... specific," he said with an awkward laugh.

The board remained still for a moment. Then the planchette began moving again.

L..O..N..E..L..Y

The word settled beneath Tim's finger, lonely. Tim felt something twist gently in his stomach. "Well," he said quietly, "that makes two of us."

The candle flame flickered again. The storm continued raging outside. Tim found himself leaning closer to the board without realizing it. "Where are you?" he asked. The planchette moved again.

N..E..A..R

A small shiver ran through him. "Near?" Tim repeated. The piece slid again.

C..L..O..S..E..R....

Closer. Tim laughed nervously. "Alright, that's a little creepy." The board fell silent again. Seconds passed. Tim considered stopping. This was probably nothing more than his imagination. Maybe he was moving the piece without realizing it. That was the logical explanation. It had to be. Still...

"Can you see me?" he asked.

The planchette slid immediately to YES. Tim's heart thumped harder. Pumpkin growled again from the couch. The cat's eyes were fixed on the empty hallway behind Tim. Tim turned slightly. Nothing was there.When he looked back at the board, the planchette was already moving again, slow and smooth.

V..I..S..I..T

Tim leaned forward. The piece continued.

T..O..N..I..G..H..T

The planchette stopped. Tim stared at the board. "Visit... tonight?" The apartment suddenly felt colder. Outside, lightning cracked across the sky again.

Pumpkin hissed loudly. Tim forced a small laugh, though it sounded hollow.

"Okay... that's enough horror movie stuff for one night." He lifted his fingers from the board. For a moment nothing happened.

Then the planchette slid slowly across the board one final time. It stopped on a single word. WAIT Tim frowned.

"Wait?"

The piece moved again. One last message.

S..O..O..N..

Soon? The candle flickered violently. Then the planchette stopped moving completely. The board fell silent. Tim sat there staring at it, unsure what to say.

Across the room Pumpkin continued staring toward the dark hallway, his fur bristled and his tail twitching anxiously. Tim finally leaned back, running a hand through his messy hair.

"Okay," he murmured. "That was weird."

But somewhere deep in the quiet apartment, something had heard him and it had answered.