1 00:00:02,040 --> 00:00:05,360 Speaker 1: I didn't have a lot of options after the layoff, 2 00:00:05,519 --> 00:00:08,439 I burned through most of my savings in under six months, 3 00:00:09,199 --> 00:00:12,560 My lease was up, rented, jumped again, and I didn't 4 00:00:12,599 --> 00:00:16,399 exactly have stella credit or a fallback plan. What I 5 00:00:16,440 --> 00:00:19,679 had was a car full of boxes, a suitcase, and 6 00:00:19,719 --> 00:00:22,160 a laptop that would only boot up when plugged in 7 00:00:22,280 --> 00:00:26,519 at a forty five degree angle. So when I saw 8 00:00:26,559 --> 00:00:32,000 the ad quiet, single bedroom detached utilities included six hundred 9 00:00:32,079 --> 00:00:35,280 dollars per month, I messaged the number before I even 10 00:00:35,359 --> 00:00:40,079 finished reading the rest. The landlord didn't ask any questions. 11 00:00:40,759 --> 00:00:43,759 He didn't care about credit or asked for a background check. 12 00:00:44,759 --> 00:00:47,280 All he wanted was the first month's rent in cash, 13 00:00:47,799 --> 00:00:50,840 which I withdrew across three ATMs to avoid alert in 14 00:00:50,880 --> 00:00:55,880 the bank that I was nearly empty. When I pulled up, 15 00:00:56,520 --> 00:01:02,640 the place looked decent, I guess, old but not falling apart, 16 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,519 a single level structure with chipped paint, crooked porch light, 17 00:01:07,879 --> 00:01:10,159 and a lived in smell that clung to the air 18 00:01:10,280 --> 00:01:13,519 like wet paper. He handed me the keys, with the 19 00:01:13,599 --> 00:01:18,040 lease still half filled out, said don't worry about the quirks. 20 00:01:18,439 --> 00:01:22,519 She's old, but she'll hold up. Then got in his 21 00:01:22,640 --> 00:01:28,640 truck and left. Inside was smaller than the photos. The 22 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:32,480 living room bled straight into the kitchenette. The floor groaned 23 00:01:32,560 --> 00:01:36,840 even when I wasn't moving, but it was quiet, and 24 00:01:36,959 --> 00:01:42,200 it was mine. The bedroom was plain, three white walls 25 00:01:42,239 --> 00:01:46,959 and one with wall paper floral and faded. It looked 26 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:50,079 like something out of an estate sail. It was the 27 00:01:50,120 --> 00:01:54,400 only decorative thing in the house, and even then, just barely, 28 00:01:55,840 --> 00:01:58,920 I ran my hand over it. The paper was smooth, 29 00:01:59,719 --> 00:02:03,760 no tears, but old. I figured maybe it was left 30 00:02:03,760 --> 00:02:07,120 over from a remodel that never got finished. I'd tear 31 00:02:07,159 --> 00:02:09,960 it down and paint it later, add it to the list. 32 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:14,360 That night, I set up a mattress on the floor, 33 00:02:14,719 --> 00:02:18,360 shoved my boxes into the corners, and fell asleep faster 34 00:02:18,599 --> 00:02:24,039 than I expected. But around three a m I woke 35 00:02:24,120 --> 00:02:28,560 to a sound behind me. It was a soft scritch, 36 00:02:28,840 --> 00:02:34,840 scritch scretch, faint but steady, right behind the wall papered wall. 37 00:02:36,400 --> 00:02:40,080 I listened for a while, eyes still closed. Figured who 38 00:02:40,120 --> 00:02:43,400 was mice or maybe pipes? Who was an old house 39 00:02:43,439 --> 00:02:48,080 after all? I turned over, pulled the blanket tighter, and 40 00:02:48,159 --> 00:02:53,439 made a note to buy traps in the morning. The 41 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:56,719 next day was quiet. I spent most of it trying 42 00:02:56,759 --> 00:02:59,240 to make the place feel less like a Craigslist trap 43 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:03,639 and more a place where a person actually lives. I 44 00:03:03,719 --> 00:03:07,039 unpacked a little, stacked books I probably wouldn't read on 45 00:03:07,080 --> 00:03:10,479 a bent shelf, rearranged the two pieces of furniture I 46 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:14,280 owned a folding table and chair to create the illusion 47 00:03:14,319 --> 00:03:18,599 of space. There was no internet yet, so I sat 48 00:03:18,639 --> 00:03:21,560 outside for an hour trying to poach someone's Wi Fi signal. 49 00:03:22,719 --> 00:03:27,039 No luck. I eventually tethered to my phone until the 50 00:03:27,159 --> 00:03:31,280 data cap begged for mercy. I made a sad pot 51 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:34,319 of pasta and ate it over the sink, the kind 52 00:03:34,360 --> 00:03:39,719 of meal that feels lonelier than it should. Still, it 53 00:03:39,840 --> 00:03:43,400 was a roof, it was shelter, and I hadn't had 54 00:03:43,400 --> 00:03:50,080 to beg anyone for it. That counted as something. That night, 55 00:03:50,439 --> 00:03:53,719 I slept with the window cracked. The house got muggy 56 00:03:53,800 --> 00:03:57,159 without air flow. A few bugs made it in, but 57 00:03:57,280 --> 00:04:01,719 nothing worse than a moth dive bombing my lamp. I 58 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,360 was starting to feel like I could make this work 59 00:04:06,639 --> 00:04:11,680 until I woke up around two thirty a m. At first, 60 00:04:12,000 --> 00:04:14,680 I didn't know what pulled me out of sleep. No 61 00:04:14,800 --> 00:04:18,959 loud noises or scratching, this time, just a feeling like 62 00:04:19,079 --> 00:04:22,759 my eyes had opened on their own, like something was waiting. 63 00:04:24,319 --> 00:04:28,279 The room was dim, street light through the blinds. I 64 00:04:28,360 --> 00:04:33,680 turned onto my back and caught it immediately. The top 65 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:38,360 corner of the wallpaper, maybe six inches wide, had peeled 66 00:04:38,360 --> 00:04:43,160 itself away from the wall. I sat up, staring at it. 67 00:04:44,319 --> 00:04:47,399 The paper hung there like it had been carefully unglued. 68 00:04:49,319 --> 00:04:53,639 I got up, flicked on the light and touched it. 69 00:04:53,639 --> 00:04:57,759 It was dry, not soft or damp. No reason it 70 00:04:57,759 --> 00:05:01,800 should have came loose at all, I muttered to myself. 71 00:05:02,160 --> 00:05:04,959 Found some tape in my box of random crap and 72 00:05:05,079 --> 00:05:08,720 stuck the edge back down. Smoothed it flat with my palm. 73 00:05:10,240 --> 00:05:15,160 Maybe the humidity loosened it, old paste, cheap materials, whatever. 74 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:19,519 I went back to bed, rolled over, and tried to 75 00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:24,600 ignore the knot forming in my stomach. Ten minutes later 76 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:30,839 I checked again. It had peeled back, same corner, same 77 00:05:31,040 --> 00:05:36,519 exact fold. This time, the curl was cleaner, not like 78 00:05:36,600 --> 00:05:39,600 gravity had pulled it, more like it had been pinched 79 00:05:39,600 --> 00:05:44,160 than rolled. I didn't touch it. I stared at it 80 00:05:44,199 --> 00:05:47,600 for a while, took out my phone and snapped a photo, 81 00:05:47,920 --> 00:05:53,079 then taped it again. Firmer this time, pressed harder. I 82 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:59,439 took another photo, same angle, ten minutes later, pealed again. 83 00:06:01,399 --> 00:06:04,720 I flipped through the photos. In the first that the 84 00:06:04,800 --> 00:06:08,920 wallpaper was flat. In the second, the corner curled downward, 85 00:06:09,279 --> 00:06:13,000 as if it never stayed down at all. I told 86 00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:16,279 myself it was just bad tape or bad luck, or 87 00:06:16,279 --> 00:06:20,240 that I was overtired and didn't press hard enough. But 88 00:06:20,360 --> 00:06:24,199 part of me was worried, not for anything grand, but 89 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:27,639 for my deposit I would desperately need back if I 90 00:06:27,720 --> 00:06:32,839 were to leave. A few evenings later, I sat on 91 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,120 the edge of my mattress and stared at the wall 92 00:06:35,199 --> 00:06:38,519 like it owed me money. The wallpaper had peeled back 93 00:06:38,560 --> 00:06:42,800 again more. This time the top third of one sheet 94 00:06:42,879 --> 00:06:48,879 hung free, drooping like a tired eyelid. Same corner, same precision, 95 00:06:49,959 --> 00:06:54,759 Still no damage, just peeled clean. It was starting to 96 00:06:54,759 --> 00:06:57,639 feel less like wear and tear and more like intention. 97 00:06:59,079 --> 00:07:01,560 I told myself, if I was going to keep living here, 98 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:05,079 I couldn't let every weird creak or draft spin me out. 99 00:07:05,959 --> 00:07:09,160 So I got up, walked over and peeled it further. 100 00:07:10,079 --> 00:07:14,199 Might as well see what I was dealing with behind it. 101 00:07:14,800 --> 00:07:19,000 The dry wall wasn't what I expected, It should have 102 00:07:19,000 --> 00:07:27,160 been flat, maybe a little dusty. Instead, it was scarred. Long, 103 00:07:27,560 --> 00:07:32,519 deep vertical grooves ran down the surface. The scratches were spaced, 104 00:07:32,720 --> 00:07:36,399 deliberate and repetitive, like someone had dragged nails through it 105 00:07:36,480 --> 00:07:42,439 in slow, meditative strokes. Over and over. I ran my 106 00:07:42,480 --> 00:07:47,959 hand over them. The surface was warm, definitely not dry 107 00:07:48,000 --> 00:07:52,319 wall temperature. It was probably bad insulation or an old 108 00:07:52,319 --> 00:07:58,279 heat line behind the panel. I'd seen worse and cheaper places. Still, 109 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:01,680 I let the wallpaper fall back into place and didn't 110 00:08:01,720 --> 00:08:06,120 tape at this time. That night, I had one of 111 00:08:06,160 --> 00:08:09,680 those half sleep, sweat stained dreams, the kind of your 112 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:13,360 brain just loops the day's stresses into something heavy and wart. 113 00:08:14,759 --> 00:08:17,519 In the dream, I was in bed, just like I 114 00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:22,199 actually was, and I could hear faint, rhythmic breathing, as 115 00:08:22,199 --> 00:08:28,000 if someone standing inches away. I woke up, drenched, blanket 116 00:08:28,160 --> 00:08:33,879 kicked off, jaw tight, and heart racing. Reflexively, I looked 117 00:08:33,919 --> 00:08:37,720 to the wall. The wallpaper was peeled back down to 118 00:08:37,799 --> 00:08:41,799 shoulder height, now a smooth, clean fold, with no tears 119 00:08:41,879 --> 00:08:45,120 or flakes on the floor, like it had waited for 120 00:08:45,159 --> 00:08:50,080 me to fall asleep. Frustrated, I grabbed a stapler from 121 00:08:50,120 --> 00:08:53,679 a box and slammed in a fresh strip. I staple 122 00:08:53,759 --> 00:08:57,240 the paper flat again and again, all the way around 123 00:08:57,240 --> 00:09:00,720 the edge. Then I shoved the bookshelf over, pressed it 124 00:09:00,840 --> 00:09:04,960 flush to the wall. Boxes and all. I didn't even 125 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:10,080 care what was inside them, just needed weight, pressure distance. 126 00:09:11,679 --> 00:09:16,200 When I stepped back, I realized I was shaking. I 127 00:09:16,240 --> 00:09:19,039 felt like I wasn't fixing it to preserve the apartment. 128 00:09:20,000 --> 00:09:25,720 I was fixing it to keep something out. By the 129 00:09:25,759 --> 00:09:29,519 next night, the wallpaper had peeled so far down it 130 00:09:29,559 --> 00:09:33,120 looked like a curtain. The entire sheet sagged off the 131 00:09:33,159 --> 00:09:37,440 wall in one long, lazy flap. I woke up to 132 00:09:37,480 --> 00:09:40,840 the sound of the edge brushing the bugshelf, a faint 133 00:09:40,879 --> 00:09:43,879 papery sound like it was reaching down to tap me. 134 00:09:45,919 --> 00:09:51,240 That was the final straw. Around noon, after pacing the 135 00:09:51,279 --> 00:09:53,840 house and staring at the wall like it might blink, 136 00:09:54,639 --> 00:09:58,600 I gave in and called the landlord. He answered on 137 00:09:58,639 --> 00:10:04,240 the third ring with a distress did yeah. I explained 138 00:10:04,240 --> 00:10:07,759 the issue as calmly as I could. The wallpaper's peeling 139 00:10:07,879 --> 00:10:11,080 is worse every day. He won't stay down. I've tried 140 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:18,600 tape staples, it's just not holding. Long pause. Then still 141 00:10:18,639 --> 00:10:23,120 good paper, he said, just needs repasting, been up since 142 00:10:23,159 --> 00:10:28,879 the eighties, original install Italian import, actually real quality stuff, 143 00:10:31,120 --> 00:10:33,919 like it was proud of it, like the history made 144 00:10:33,919 --> 00:10:39,360 it my problem. Right, But it won't stick. I said, 145 00:10:40,080 --> 00:10:44,320 It's not damaged, it's just coming off the wall completely. 146 00:10:45,759 --> 00:10:51,320 So repastde it, he said, tone already slipping toward irritated. 147 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:53,799 You think I'm going to replace it just because you 148 00:10:53,840 --> 00:10:58,840 can't work a glue brush. I blinked, Can I just 149 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:02,600 take it down? Painted over? I don't really care about 150 00:11:02,600 --> 00:11:07,919 the wallpaper, I just want absolutely not. His voice sharpened, 151 00:11:08,080 --> 00:11:12,879 like I suggested knocking down a wall. That wallpaper costs money, 152 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:17,120 he said, real money. You tear it, you pay for it, 153 00:11:17,480 --> 00:11:20,679 You remove it, you pay for it, you paint over it, 154 00:11:21,159 --> 00:11:26,080 you're definitely paying for it. I sat there, gripping my phone, 155 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:30,720 staring at the opposite wall while he kept talking. Last 156 00:11:30,720 --> 00:11:33,919 guy in there tried the same thing. He muttered, said 157 00:11:33,960 --> 00:11:37,559 it kept coming up, got fed up, left without notice. 158 00:11:38,200 --> 00:11:40,720 Some people just don't know how to maintain a property. 159 00:11:41,519 --> 00:11:45,559 I'm not your mother, and this ain't a hotel. I 160 00:11:45,639 --> 00:11:49,240 clinched my jaw. I'm not asking you to redo the place. 161 00:11:49,639 --> 00:11:52,519 I'm just saying something's not right with the wall, that 162 00:11:52,639 --> 00:11:55,519 there are marks on it. Then stop looking under it, 163 00:11:56,000 --> 00:11:59,240 he snapped. You keep picking at things, they're gonna come apart. 164 00:11:59,840 --> 00:12:06,039 Just pasted back. It's not complicated. He hung up before 165 00:12:06,080 --> 00:12:10,039 I could respond. I sat on the edge of the bed, 166 00:12:10,399 --> 00:12:13,279 phoned still in my hand and stared at the wall. 167 00:12:14,879 --> 00:12:18,399 The wallpaper had started to curl again. I watched it 168 00:12:18,440 --> 00:12:22,600 happen in real time, the edge slowly peeling back with 169 00:12:22,720 --> 00:12:25,480 a sluggish rhythm of something that knew. It had me, 170 00:12:26,799 --> 00:12:33,720 like it had heard me, like it had won. By 171 00:12:33,759 --> 00:12:36,639 the day after, the entire top sheet had drooped down 172 00:12:36,679 --> 00:12:39,960 like a curtain. Swe forgot to tie back and folded 173 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:43,960 over itself, soft and slack, like skin trying to slough. 174 00:12:45,559 --> 00:12:47,879 I stood there staring at it for a long time, 175 00:12:48,360 --> 00:12:51,080 holding the new tupper paste in one hand and a 176 00:12:51,120 --> 00:12:54,679 brush in the other. I'd picked it up that afternoon, 177 00:12:55,080 --> 00:12:59,720 muttering to myself the whole drive cheaper than losing a deposit. 178 00:13:00,600 --> 00:13:05,600 Just paste it back, not complicated. I repeated that to 179 00:13:05,679 --> 00:13:11,120 myself like a mantra. Now, just paste it back. But 180 00:13:11,159 --> 00:13:13,919 before I did, and figured I should wipe down the 181 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:17,679 surface underneath in case it was damp. Or moldy or 182 00:13:17,679 --> 00:13:21,000 whatever was making the paper come loose. I didn't want 183 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:25,080 to trap anything wet between layers. That'd just make it worse. 184 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:29,440 I peeled the sheep further to expose the wall, slow 185 00:13:29,600 --> 00:13:32,559 and careful, the way you open a closet you weren't 186 00:13:32,600 --> 00:13:36,600 sure was empty. The dry wall underneath looked the same 187 00:13:36,639 --> 00:13:41,720 as before, pale, slightly uneven, still marked with as long 188 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:45,399 faint grooves, the ones I told myself were left over 189 00:13:45,720 --> 00:13:50,240 from some lazy renovation job. But then I saw a 190 00:13:50,279 --> 00:13:53,879 spot about the size of a nickel, maybe quarter sized. 191 00:13:54,919 --> 00:14:00,000 It was dark, circular and slightly raised. It's that long 192 00:14:00,000 --> 00:14:03,519 on the wall, just beneath, with the folded rested as 193 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:11,840 if waiting for light. I leaned in, squinted, frowned. Mold. 194 00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:16,279 It had to be. The house always smelt vaguely damp, 195 00:14:16,759 --> 00:14:19,840 especially in the mornings, and I'd been keeping the windows 196 00:14:19,840 --> 00:14:24,519 shut tight most nights. Maybe the airflow was bad. Old wood, 197 00:14:24,759 --> 00:14:29,480 old paint, things sweat when they rot. I muttered under 198 00:14:29,519 --> 00:14:32,159 my breath and went to the kitchen. Grabbed a sponge 199 00:14:32,200 --> 00:14:36,559 and some all purpose cleaner, nothing fancy, just whatever was 200 00:14:36,639 --> 00:14:39,960 under the sink. When I moved in, I sprayed the 201 00:14:39,960 --> 00:14:42,639 spot and pressed the sponge to it. Gave it a 202 00:14:42,720 --> 00:14:49,480 few hard circles. The black didn't lift. I scrubbed harder, 203 00:14:49,799 --> 00:14:53,399 switching to the rough side. The edges started to smear. 204 00:14:54,679 --> 00:14:57,720 At first I thought it was working, but then I 205 00:14:57,799 --> 00:15:04,000 realized the smear wasn't faded, it was spreading. The edges 206 00:15:04,120 --> 00:15:08,919 stretched thin like veins. Little black strands spieder it outward, 207 00:15:09,559 --> 00:15:13,639 low contrast against the off white drywall, branching like cracks 208 00:15:13,639 --> 00:15:18,360 and eyes. They didn't flake or bubble like mold. They 209 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:22,240 just grew, pulled out from the center like roots searching 210 00:15:22,279 --> 00:15:26,519 for water. I dropped the sponge in the bucket and stared. 211 00:15:27,879 --> 00:15:34,960 The shape widened, crept upward, slow controlled. The veins bent inward. 212 00:15:35,720 --> 00:15:41,039 Five streaks curling back towards the center arched evenly, spaced, 213 00:15:41,559 --> 00:15:46,440 almost like I didn't want to finish the thought, but 214 00:15:46,480 --> 00:15:52,600 my brain did it for me fingers. I leaned in, 215 00:15:53,240 --> 00:15:57,919 unwilling and unable to stop. The black lines formed a 216 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:02,679 handprint just slightly large than my own splayed flat, as 217 00:16:02,679 --> 00:16:05,000 if someone had pressed their palm against the wall from 218 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:09,399 the other side, and it wasn't paint. The wall felt 219 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:13,440 warm beneath it, the noticeable warmth that was stronger on 220 00:16:13,519 --> 00:16:18,200 the bare wall, like skin under a fever. I stepped 221 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:20,960 back too fast, heart thudding like it was trying to 222 00:16:21,039 --> 00:16:25,600 outrun my ribs. I stood there for a second, frozen 223 00:16:25,639 --> 00:16:30,240 between fight and flight. Then something switched in my brain, 224 00:16:31,360 --> 00:16:36,039 not a scream, but instinct. I grabbed the brush, scooped 225 00:16:36,080 --> 00:16:39,000 out the paste, slapped it over the shape without looking, 226 00:16:39,600 --> 00:16:44,639 hands moving fast, clumsy, without waiting for it to dry. 227 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:48,240 I grabbed the sheet of wallpaper, lined it up, and 228 00:16:48,320 --> 00:16:52,200 pressed it down with both palms, smoothing from the center out. 229 00:16:53,759 --> 00:16:57,960 My breath was shallow, my chest tight. I pressed harder, 230 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:02,600 stabled the edges for good measure. Then I stepped back. 231 00:17:03,960 --> 00:17:08,720 The floral pattern covered everything, the hand, the black, the 232 00:17:08,759 --> 00:17:15,200 warm It looked normal again, just old, tacky wallpaper in 233 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:20,480 a quiet, forgettable house. I stood there staring at it, 234 00:17:20,839 --> 00:17:24,319 and to my knees started to shake, and even then 235 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:30,480 I stayed longer. It wasn't me admiring my work, but 236 00:17:30,599 --> 00:17:34,279 because I thought I saw the wallpaper shift, just slightly, 237 00:17:35,359 --> 00:17:42,960 like something behind it had moved. I didn't sleep much 238 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:46,799 after that. Every time I closed my eyes I saw 239 00:17:46,839 --> 00:17:51,279 the pattern of the wallpaper pulsing behind my eyelids, floral 240 00:17:51,359 --> 00:17:56,079 shapes shifting in the dark, curling open and shot like lungs. 241 00:17:56,720 --> 00:18:00,920 By morning, I convinced myself it was exhaustion that the spot, 242 00:18:01,279 --> 00:18:05,480 the warmth, all of it had an explanation. I just 243 00:18:05,559 --> 00:18:09,119 needed some one else to look at it, someone responsible, 244 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:15,160 because despite everything I had done, it started peeling again. 245 00:18:16,640 --> 00:18:20,279 So I called the landlord. He picked up and the 246 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:24,279 third ring voice rough without put on annoyance people use 247 00:18:24,559 --> 00:18:30,079 when they want to make you feel like an inconvenience. Yea, hey, 248 00:18:30,319 --> 00:18:34,480 it's me from the rental and Ashbury. I said, the 249 00:18:34,519 --> 00:18:39,200 wallpaper's still coming off worse than before. The's a. I 250 00:18:39,240 --> 00:18:43,839 stopped myself. I almost said hand print. There's a dark 251 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:47,119 spot underneath. I thought it was mould, but it won't 252 00:18:47,119 --> 00:18:52,440 come up. The wall feels warm too, He sighed, loud, 253 00:18:52,920 --> 00:18:58,799 drawn out. Geez, you sound like the last guy that 254 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:04,519 made me pause. The last tenant. Yeah him, same thing. 255 00:19:05,119 --> 00:19:08,400 Wall's this noises that kept calling like I was his 256 00:19:08,519 --> 00:19:11,880 damned building manager. I told him to stop fussing, but 257 00:19:12,200 --> 00:19:17,119 he wouldn't. Eventually broke lease and split. I filed for damages, 258 00:19:17,559 --> 00:19:23,319 ruined his credit. He said it like he was proud, right, 259 00:19:24,039 --> 00:19:28,200 I said, trying to calm down. Well, this isn't about credit. 260 00:19:28,599 --> 00:19:33,720 The wall's doing something. It's look, he interrupted, Just scrub 261 00:19:33,759 --> 00:19:36,640 it with mold remover and fix it yourself. That's what 262 00:19:36,759 --> 00:19:40,200 normal people do when something's dirty. You can handle that, 263 00:19:40,559 --> 00:19:47,119 can't you. The tone wasn't even subtle, any more condescending, mean, 264 00:19:47,759 --> 00:19:49,680 like he wanted me to lose my temper so he 265 00:19:49,720 --> 00:19:55,000 could hang up smugly. I swallowed hard. I've already tried 266 00:19:55,039 --> 00:20:00,440 cleaning it. Then scrub harder. He actually laughed, a low, 267 00:20:00,519 --> 00:20:04,079 wheezing sound that hit me right in the chest. If 268 00:20:04,079 --> 00:20:07,240 you're not capable of basic upkeep, I can find someone 269 00:20:07,240 --> 00:20:14,160 who is. Don't make this difficult. And that was it. Click. 270 00:20:15,799 --> 00:20:17,960 I sat there with the phone still to my ear, 271 00:20:18,319 --> 00:20:21,960 listening to the dead air for a long time. I 272 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:27,119 didn't move. The house was quiet, but it didn't feel quiet. 273 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:32,039 The silence had a texture to it, thick, waiting, like 274 00:20:32,079 --> 00:20:34,599 the walls were listening to see what I'd do next. 275 00:20:35,759 --> 00:20:42,359 I looked toward the bedroom. The wallpaper was already curling again, slow, deliberate, 276 00:20:42,839 --> 00:20:48,720 a flower unfolding. That was when it hit me there 277 00:20:48,759 --> 00:20:52,680 wasn't going to be any help. No maintenance man, no inspection, 278 00:20:53,359 --> 00:20:57,720 no landlord riding in with keys and concern. It was 279 00:20:57,799 --> 00:21:03,160 just me, me, the house and the thing behind the wall. 280 00:21:05,039 --> 00:21:09,440 I had to fix this by any means. So I 281 00:21:09,559 --> 00:21:13,079 drove to the hardware store just before closing and walked 282 00:21:13,079 --> 00:21:16,359 straight to the adhesive asle. I didn't even bother with 283 00:21:16,400 --> 00:21:19,720 the wallpaper pay section. I knew that wasn't going to 284 00:21:19,799 --> 00:21:22,799 cut it. I found what I was looking for on 285 00:21:22,839 --> 00:21:28,160 the bottom shelf, Industrial construction adhesive, the kind used the 286 00:21:28,200 --> 00:21:32,240 bond dry walter cinder block, the kind meant to last decade. 287 00:21:33,599 --> 00:21:36,160 I carried it up to the counter, set it down 288 00:21:36,240 --> 00:21:39,640 like I was buying AMMO. The guy the register gave 289 00:21:39,680 --> 00:21:43,480 it a glance, then looked up at me. You know 290 00:21:43,519 --> 00:21:48,359 this stuff's permanent, right, he said, Once it's on, it's on. 291 00:21:50,160 --> 00:21:56,400 I nodded good. He didn't say anything after that, just 292 00:21:56,440 --> 00:22:00,480 scanned it and bagged it up. Back home, I changed 293 00:22:00,480 --> 00:22:03,200 into clothes I didn't care about and opened the top 294 00:22:03,279 --> 00:22:07,440 on the bedroom floor. The chemical reek hit me immediately, 295 00:22:08,279 --> 00:22:12,440 sharp and metallic, with that sour undertone, like burning plastic. 296 00:22:13,519 --> 00:22:18,440 My eyes watered, my throat stung. The wallpaper was hanging 297 00:22:18,480 --> 00:22:23,920 lower than before. Not just curling, now sagging, drooping, like 298 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:26,839 it had weight behind it, like it was being pushed 299 00:22:26,839 --> 00:22:31,720 from the other side. I ignored it, laid out my tools, 300 00:22:32,160 --> 00:22:39,359 took a breath. Then I went to war. I slathered 301 00:22:39,400 --> 00:22:42,400 on the adhesive with the stiffest brush. I had no 302 00:22:42,519 --> 00:22:46,960 caution this time, no furss, just heavy handed strokes from 303 00:22:47,039 --> 00:22:51,279 top to bottom, smearing it into every crease, corner, and 304 00:22:51,359 --> 00:22:55,480 bare spot. I worked fast, like if I slowed down 305 00:22:55,519 --> 00:22:59,440 the wall might notice. The past bubbled as it spread 306 00:23:00,200 --> 00:23:04,000 as coalk and twice as sticky. It sizzled slightly where 307 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:07,359 it met the dry wall. I told myself it was 308 00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:11,720 just a chemical reaction. When I finished, I lifted the 309 00:23:11,759 --> 00:23:15,680 sheet of wallpaper and pressed it down, firm and steady 310 00:23:16,119 --> 00:23:19,920 both palms. I held it like I was sealing a wound. 311 00:23:20,799 --> 00:23:25,960 Flattened it hard, smoothed out every ripple, every fold. I 312 00:23:25,960 --> 00:23:28,880 could feel the heat of the wall behind it. Not 313 00:23:29,039 --> 00:23:34,759 warm like before, but reactive, twitchy. I prayed I hadn't 314 00:23:34,759 --> 00:23:39,759 accidentally set off a chemical reaction. I held into my arms, 315 00:23:39,799 --> 00:23:42,880 ached until it felt like the glue had gripped for good. 316 00:23:44,359 --> 00:23:50,480 Then I stepped back. The wall looked normal again, just old, 317 00:23:50,880 --> 00:23:55,200 ugly wallpaper patterned with those delicate little roses that now 318 00:23:55,279 --> 00:23:59,319 felt like tiny eyes, and for the first time in days, 319 00:24:00,079 --> 00:24:04,400 I let myself breathe. It stayed that way for a 320 00:24:04,440 --> 00:24:09,599 few hours, no pealing, no smells, no movement. I ate 321 00:24:09,640 --> 00:24:12,559 dinner standing up in the kitchen, keeping the bedroom in 322 00:24:12,640 --> 00:24:15,240 my peripheral vision, like it might sneak up on me, 323 00:24:16,759 --> 00:24:22,880 but nothing happened. Around nine p m. I walked past 324 00:24:22,920 --> 00:24:29,400 the doorway and froze. There was a shape on the wall, 325 00:24:30,200 --> 00:24:36,759 faint but wrong. I flicked on the light, A bulge 326 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:40,839 right in the center of the wall, papered wall. It 327 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:44,839 was subtle, barely curved at first, the kind of distortion 328 00:24:44,960 --> 00:24:48,680 you mistake for bad lighting or a paint bubble. But 329 00:24:48,799 --> 00:24:53,279 I hadn't painted anything, and it wasn't there an hour ago. 330 00:24:54,599 --> 00:24:59,319 I stepped closer, didn't touch it. The paper wasn't loose, 331 00:25:00,079 --> 00:25:03,920 it had come and stuck. The wall itself was starting 332 00:25:03,960 --> 00:25:08,640 to push outward. It was swelling from the inside, like 333 00:25:08,720 --> 00:25:15,519 something didn't like being sealed in. By morning, it wasn't 334 00:25:15,519 --> 00:25:19,359 subtle anymore. The bulge in the wall had grown no 335 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:22,599 longer a ripple or a bump, but a full swelling 336 00:25:22,640 --> 00:25:26,160 at the center of the wallpapered section. It bowed out 337 00:25:26,319 --> 00:25:30,519 like something pressing against the balloon from the inside. Still 338 00:25:30,880 --> 00:25:36,039 no tears or pealing. The pattern remained pristine, perfectly intact, 339 00:25:36,799 --> 00:25:39,680 but the whole thing looked like it was holding its breath. 340 00:25:41,160 --> 00:25:44,400 I stood a few feet back, just staring, trying to 341 00:25:44,440 --> 00:25:48,079 decide whether to leave it alone or touch it. Part 342 00:25:48,079 --> 00:25:50,359 of me wanted to pack a bag and never look back. 343 00:25:51,000 --> 00:25:54,559 Another part wanted to finish the job whenever. That meant now. 344 00:25:56,079 --> 00:26:01,279 I stepped forward slowly. The air felt the closer I got. 345 00:26:02,200 --> 00:26:04,680 I reached out and pressed a hand against the center 346 00:26:04,720 --> 00:26:09,920 of the bulge. It gave under my palm, soft elastic. 347 00:26:11,160 --> 00:26:14,759 It felt wrong, not like anything a wall should feel like. 348 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:20,200 It was like pushing against muscle. I pressed harder, and 349 00:26:20,279 --> 00:26:26,720 then it pushed back, just slightly enough to let me 350 00:26:26,880 --> 00:26:31,599 know it knew I was there. I stumbled backward, breath 351 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:38,039 caught in my throat. Geez, I didn't think. I grabbed 352 00:26:38,079 --> 00:26:44,240 my phone and called the landlord. He picked up, groggy, irritated. 353 00:26:45,200 --> 00:26:50,400 What now there's damage? The wall swollen, the section I fixed, 354 00:26:50,839 --> 00:26:55,359 it's ballooning out like something's behind it. That got his 355 00:26:55,480 --> 00:27:02,440 attention damage, he repeated. I could hear his posture shift 356 00:27:02,480 --> 00:27:06,759 through the phone. How bad did you mess with the wall? 357 00:27:07,039 --> 00:27:10,799 What did you use? I used the adhesive, I said, 358 00:27:11,200 --> 00:27:15,920 construction grade. The wallpaper wouldn't stay down, so I oh, 359 00:27:16,559 --> 00:27:21,160 he cut in. Suddenly, Chipper, you used the wrong stuff. 360 00:27:23,000 --> 00:27:26,920 I could hear the smile behind his voice. Yeah, see 361 00:27:27,519 --> 00:27:31,240 that's on you. If the drywall's compromised, I'd have to 362 00:27:31,279 --> 00:27:34,680 replace the whole section, and that ain't cheap. Not to 363 00:27:34,759 --> 00:27:38,400 mention my nice wallpaper. You told me to fix it, 364 00:27:39,240 --> 00:27:43,839 I said to paste it. You used industrial glue. Big difference. 365 00:27:44,319 --> 00:27:48,839 That's a liability issue now. I started to argue, but 366 00:27:48,920 --> 00:27:53,319 he rolled over me. I'll come by tomorrow, bring a contractor. 367 00:27:53,799 --> 00:27:58,640 We'll take a look and get you an estimate for repairs. Click, 368 00:28:00,079 --> 00:28:03,759 no goodbye, no concern, just the sound of a trap 369 00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:08,079 snapping shot. I lowered the phone and stared at the 370 00:28:08,079 --> 00:28:12,440 bloated curve in the wall. The Flora wallpaper stretched like 371 00:28:12,559 --> 00:28:17,079 skin over a bruise, and for the first time I 372 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:21,680 realized this wasn't just going to cost me money. I 373 00:28:21,799 --> 00:28:26,039 was in something I didn't understand, and I wasn't sure 374 00:28:26,200 --> 00:28:31,000 it would let me out. The landlord's truck rumbled into 375 00:28:31,039 --> 00:28:34,319 the driveway the next morning, followed by a dented van 376 00:28:34,599 --> 00:28:38,160 that looked like it hadn't passed inspection in years. He 377 00:28:38,200 --> 00:28:41,920 climbed out first, crisp polo shirt, tucked into slacks that 378 00:28:41,960 --> 00:28:45,279 didn't fit right, Sunglasses perched on top of his head 379 00:28:45,599 --> 00:28:48,680 like he thought they made him look important. The man 380 00:28:48,720 --> 00:28:53,039 who followed was built like a refrigerator in overalls. He 381 00:28:53,079 --> 00:28:56,759 didn't say anything, just gave a short nod before following 382 00:28:56,799 --> 00:28:59,920 the landlord up the steps. From the way they go 383 00:29:00,079 --> 00:29:03,440 reeted each other, the casual laugh, the slap on the shoulder. 384 00:29:04,240 --> 00:29:06,680 I could tell this wasn't the first time they'd done 385 00:29:06,680 --> 00:29:11,559 this routine. The landlord barely said aloe before brushing past 386 00:29:11,640 --> 00:29:16,200 me into the bedroom. And there it was. The wall 387 00:29:16,839 --> 00:29:22,079 bowed and taught, the floral patterns stretched thin. He gave 388 00:29:22,119 --> 00:29:29,240 a long, exaggerated whistle. Ah, he said, rubbing his chin. Yeah, 389 00:29:29,839 --> 00:29:34,680 there'll be a problem. The contractor nodded, already wrung his 390 00:29:34,759 --> 00:29:38,880 hand along the bulge. Why be a moisture pocket, he said, 391 00:29:39,319 --> 00:29:42,839 could be pressure building under it. He turned to me 392 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:48,000 with that fake professional smile. If it bursts, that's an emergency. 393 00:29:48,039 --> 00:29:53,319 Repair could run new thousands. The landlord glanced back at me. 394 00:29:54,480 --> 00:29:59,119 Lucky for you, I'm being reasonable, he said. Let's just 395 00:29:59,200 --> 00:30:03,559 take a look. I clenched my fists at my sides. 396 00:30:04,440 --> 00:30:07,960 Watching them together, the two of them, smirking, talking in 397 00:30:08,079 --> 00:30:11,960 coded contractor language I barely understood, made me want to 398 00:30:12,000 --> 00:30:15,960 tear the whole wall down myself. They didn't care about 399 00:30:15,960 --> 00:30:21,680 fixing it. They cared about owning me. The landlord stepped closer, 400 00:30:22,039 --> 00:30:26,599 pressing a hand flat against the bulge. Ooh, it's soft, 401 00:30:27,279 --> 00:30:31,480 he said, grinning. You feel that that's the adhesive reacting 402 00:30:31,519 --> 00:30:36,359 to humidity. The contractor joined him, pressed a finger into 403 00:30:36,359 --> 00:30:41,880 the curve. He chuckled. Low, yeah, he said, could be 404 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:45,039 pressure building under it. Best not to poke it too. 405 00:30:46,240 --> 00:30:54,359 He pushed harder much. The wall moved, not the wallpaper, 406 00:30:55,119 --> 00:30:59,279 the whole wall. It shifted under their hands, like something 407 00:30:59,359 --> 00:31:05,279 flexing be the surface. The landlord frowned, What the hell? 408 00:31:07,000 --> 00:31:11,279 Then it rippled. The bulge pulls outward once the flower 409 00:31:11,319 --> 00:31:16,279 patterns stretched so tight it almost vanished. A sound followed, 410 00:31:16,920 --> 00:31:23,039 a wet, sticky pop, like a blister bursting, and then 411 00:31:23,480 --> 00:31:30,440 the wall exploded. It happened fast, too fast for my 412 00:31:30,480 --> 00:31:34,799 brain to catch up. The wall burst, not the plaster cracking, 413 00:31:34,799 --> 00:31:39,119 a wallpaper tearing. It ruptured like something inside wanted out. 414 00:31:40,039 --> 00:31:43,920 A spray of thick, black liquid splattered across the Landlord's chest, 415 00:31:44,200 --> 00:31:49,079 soaking through his shirt and spotting his face. He staggered back, coughing, 416 00:31:49,559 --> 00:31:56,240 eyes wide in confusion. What the hell? Then a hand 417 00:31:56,319 --> 00:32:02,160 shot out, Not human, not even cold. It was slick, 418 00:32:02,640 --> 00:32:05,680 the color of wet tar, and shaped almost like a 419 00:32:05,720 --> 00:32:10,759 person's but too long. The fingers tapered into jagged, uneven tips, 420 00:32:11,559 --> 00:32:16,640 not nails hooks. It slammed into his chest with a 421 00:32:16,680 --> 00:32:20,880 wet thud. He screamed high and sharp as the thing 422 00:32:21,000 --> 00:32:25,559 wrapped around his torso, digging in deep. His shirt tore, 423 00:32:25,799 --> 00:32:29,480 then his skin. The claws sank in like meat ucks, 424 00:32:30,000 --> 00:32:36,680 and then, without hesitation, it pulled. The contractor lurched forward, 425 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:41,720 grabbing the landlord's arm. Wait, but it was too late. 426 00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:46,000 The pole was so fast I heard the snapping of 427 00:32:46,079 --> 00:32:49,279 bones and the ripping of flesh before even hit the wall. 428 00:32:50,319 --> 00:32:53,319 The wall didn't open wider yet the hand managed to 429 00:32:53,319 --> 00:32:57,119 pull The landlord threw in one yank, violent and messy 430 00:32:58,119 --> 00:33:02,720 visceraus squirted where excess skin limbs caught before entry. The 431 00:33:02,759 --> 00:33:08,720 Landlord's body folded, compressing unnaturally, bones snapping, his limbs twisting 432 00:33:08,759 --> 00:33:13,319 inward like wet cardboard. One's shoulder slipped in, then his chest, 433 00:33:13,559 --> 00:33:17,079 his face, his mouth still open, and a soundless scream, 434 00:33:17,799 --> 00:33:26,039 all in one motion. And then he was gone, all 435 00:33:26,079 --> 00:33:29,960 of him, gone through a space barely large enough for 436 00:33:30,000 --> 00:33:33,880 a child to crawl through. His keys hid the floor 437 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:38,880 and clattered, spinning in a red puddle. The contractor stumbled backward, 438 00:33:39,279 --> 00:33:45,559 face white lips, moving without sound. I didn't think I ran. 439 00:33:46,599 --> 00:33:50,440 We both did down the hall, hoping the daylight would 440 00:33:50,519 --> 00:33:58,160 save us somehow. Then stupidly I looked back. The bedroom 441 00:33:58,200 --> 00:34:01,920 door still hung open. The sunlight reached just far enough 442 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:05,759 inside to light the wall where the bulge had been, 443 00:34:06,240 --> 00:34:10,840 where the thing had come out. The wallpaper was flat again, 444 00:34:11,840 --> 00:34:16,639 perfectly smooth, just one messy red ring in the pattern, 445 00:34:17,280 --> 00:34:22,559 right at chest height. I escaped behind the contractor. I 446 00:34:22,599 --> 00:34:26,400 didn't stop until I was halfway to the road, handshaking, 447 00:34:26,719 --> 00:34:37,400 vision swimming, chest heaving. The cops didn't believe us, not really. 448 00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:41,119 They showed up thirty minutes after the nine one one call, 449 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:46,039 two cruisers and unmarked sedan and eventually a detective in 450 00:34:46,119 --> 00:34:48,519 a gray button up who looked like it'd rather be 451 00:34:48,599 --> 00:34:52,519 anywhere else. They called an off the bedroom, walked in 452 00:34:52,519 --> 00:34:56,400 and out, took photos, asked the same questions a dozen 453 00:34:56,440 --> 00:35:01,400 different ways, and every time to them the same story. 454 00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:07,519 So did the contractor, which surprised me. Honestly. He was 455 00:35:07,599 --> 00:35:11,559 pale and rattled, still stuttering when he spoke, but he 456 00:35:11,639 --> 00:35:18,519 didn't change a word. The wall just opened, something grabbed him. 457 00:35:18,880 --> 00:35:25,039 He screamed, the wall had just took him. We stood 458 00:35:25,079 --> 00:35:30,199 together in the hallway while they searched, listening, watching, waiting 459 00:35:30,239 --> 00:35:34,280 for one of them to scream or come running, but 460 00:35:34,320 --> 00:35:38,920 no one did. Eventually the detective called us back in 461 00:35:40,119 --> 00:35:45,039 the bedroom looked normal, no blood, no hole, no black fluid, 462 00:35:46,000 --> 00:35:53,440 just that stupid floor wallpaper, flat clean, undisturbed. The only 463 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:56,719 sign that anything had ever happened was a landlord's key ring, 464 00:35:57,039 --> 00:36:00,480 still lying on the floor where it had fallen. One 465 00:36:00,519 --> 00:36:02,599 of the officers picked it up with a gloved hand 466 00:36:02,599 --> 00:36:06,679 and bagged it like that meant something, like it proved something. 467 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:11,199 The detective looked at me for a long time. Then 468 00:36:11,239 --> 00:36:15,599 the contractor. He had this expression on his face like 469 00:36:15,679 --> 00:36:17,920 he was trying to figure out whether to laugh or 470 00:36:17,960 --> 00:36:23,719 have us arrested. You're sticking to that, he asked. Finally, 471 00:36:24,679 --> 00:36:28,960 we're telling you what we saw, I said. He nodded, 472 00:36:29,000 --> 00:36:33,519 slowly wrote something in his note book. We'll be in touch, 473 00:36:34,159 --> 00:36:40,480 he said, voice flat. The investigation would be long. I 474 00:36:40,559 --> 00:36:45,239 knew that, but that left me displaced. My life was 475 00:36:45,280 --> 00:36:48,880 in that house. God knows it wasn't smart to stay there, 476 00:36:49,639 --> 00:36:54,280 but I had no other choice. I spent time looking 477 00:36:54,320 --> 00:36:58,039 for somewhere else to stay, but had no luck. In 478 00:36:58,119 --> 00:37:01,559 the meantime, I only did what was necessary in the house, 479 00:37:02,280 --> 00:37:07,239 changing clothes, washing myself, storing food. But everything else I 480 00:37:07,280 --> 00:37:11,199 did in my car. I slept there, ate there, and 481 00:37:11,320 --> 00:37:16,119 job searched. The police called a few times, came by 482 00:37:16,239 --> 00:37:23,760 once more, but eventually it just stopped. No rest, no charges, 483 00:37:24,199 --> 00:37:30,840 no real investigation, just the note in the file unresolved disappearance. 484 00:37:32,679 --> 00:37:37,440 That was it. The landlord was gone and the wall 485 00:37:38,880 --> 00:37:46,400 still standing. I moved out the next week. Didn't pack much, 486 00:37:46,880 --> 00:37:51,360 left behind the furniture, some clothes, even the mattress. The 487 00:37:51,480 --> 00:37:54,000 landlord's van was still in the driveway when I left. 488 00:37:54,719 --> 00:37:57,840 No one had come to claim it. I dropped the 489 00:37:57,920 --> 00:38:02,079 keys to the mail slot and didn't look back. They 490 00:38:02,280 --> 00:38:07,360 kept the deposit, of course, some nonsense about property damage. 491 00:38:07,719 --> 00:38:13,159 I didn't argue. I just wanted out. I ended up 492 00:38:13,199 --> 00:38:15,400 in a house share on the other side of town. 493 00:38:15,920 --> 00:38:20,440 Two roommates, one bathroom, kitchen, sink that never quite drains right, 494 00:38:22,360 --> 00:38:26,440 but it's safe. It's loud and cramped, and no one 495 00:38:26,480 --> 00:38:29,440 knows how to take the trash out on time. But 496 00:38:29,559 --> 00:38:33,559 the walls don't breathe, and nothing peels itself open in 497 00:38:33,599 --> 00:38:42,719 the dark. I sleep not great, but I sleep some nights. 498 00:38:42,880 --> 00:38:46,400 I still dream of it. Not the landlord screaming or 499 00:38:46,440 --> 00:38:51,000 the blood, just the feel of it, that soft give 500 00:38:51,159 --> 00:38:56,159 under my hand, warm like breath, the wallpaper stretching against 501 00:38:56,159 --> 00:39:02,039 my palm, my skin waiting to tear. But then I 502 00:39:02,159 --> 00:39:08,320 wake up and it's gone, and I tell myself I'm 503 00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:12,000 lucky I got out.