Strangers From Hell Au - Tumblr Posts

Strangers (Chapter Four)

Strangers from Hell AU

Series Masterlist

pairing: ot7 x reader

genre: yandere, horror/thriller

warnings: murder, mature themes, obsessive/possessive behavior, emotional manipulation, stalking, violence, allusion to torture, blood and injuries (will update as needed)

word count: 4.3k words

The sun beat down on you as you walked along the beach, the sand between your toes as a tidal wave came in and washed them. You gasped as you spotted a ghost crab hole appearing.

“Dad, look! Another one!” You exclaimed, pointing at it and turning around to look at your father. He came up beside you, kneeling closer to your height.

“Good catch, kiddo.” His voice echoed in your ears. You had lost count of how many of these burrows you had found, but your dad seemed to never get tired of you pointing them out. If he regretted teaching you about them while you were still so young and excitable, he never showed it.

You knelt down and started scooping some of the wet sand to build something - you weren’t sure what yet. Your father stood up, patting your head affectionately as you worked. “I’m gonna go for a dip. I’ll be right back.”

You huffed angrily as a wave destroyed your sandcastle a third time in a row. Abandoning the impossible project, you turned around to look back at the water. You spotted your dad pretty far out, much further than you would ever dare to go. He was bobbing along the big waves and when he caught you looking at him, he smiled widely and waved.

You watched him for a while before you noticed a giant wave approaching him. It was bigger than any wave you’ve ever seen before. Even from where you sat safe on the sand, it scared you. You begin waving your arms and screaming for your dad’s attention and when you finally got it, he just gave you another clueless grin.

It all happened so quickly. The huge wave washed over and took your father with it, completely catching him by surprise. You watched helplessly from the shore, waiting for him to resurface but he never did. You were numb to the tears falling down your cheeks as wave after wave washed over your feet, burying them deeper into the sand as if trying to drag you in as well.

Keep reading

Shadowed Halls

(Chapter 1)

Summary: For a girl who grew up in a small town in west Texas she'd never known an unfriendly face. People would greet each other with sweet smiles and small talk in the morning, always ready to lend a hand to their neighbor. Any would think this an ideal environment for one to grow and mature in, but as she ventures into unknown territory she'll see just how wrong she was and how much more cautious she should've been.

Word Count: 2.5k

I just finished rewatching Strangers From Hell and it left me wanting to write about it, therefore this was born. If you like it please feel free to leave a like and comment your thoughts <3

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As the taxi rolled to a stop in front of the run-down cobblestone complex, you felt the excitement that had been sitting in your stomach fade slightly the longer you took it in. Your thoughts were cut short by the rough, hacking cough let out by the taxi driver before his eyes cut sharply to you in the rearview mirror. Without saying anything, it wasn't hard to get his message with the impatient raising of his brow. Glancing at the meter, you grabbed your wallet and pulled out some cash before handing it to the man with a timid smile. After he finished counting and deposited the money into the cash box, it was clear that any business he thought he had with you was over as he popped the trunk and unlocked the taxi's door locks. Not wanting to cause any more annoyance to the man, you flashed what you hoped came across as a grateful smile and chirped a goodbye before getting out to retrieve your suitcase from the back. Hauling the suitcase out of the trunk pulled a grumble from within your throat, the cab driver didn't seem to want to offer the same help he'd previously given when you'd loaded it in initially. With one final huff, you were able to get it out and place it on the sidewalk before grabbing your duffle bag. Slamming the trunk closed and walking back onto the concrete sidewalk was all the confirmation the cabbie needed as the tires let out a slight screech as he pulled off. The taxi's departure marked a definitive point; there was no turning back now.

Turning to face the building, a feeling of surreal disbelief flowed through you and left a tingly sensation from the tips of your fingers to your toes. The feeling of success was undeniable; making this move was something that you could only dream of doing while working on the farm with your father. Your parents hadn't exactly been thrilled with the idea when you proposed what you thought would be the next step in your young adult life. Hearing that you wanted to move from Texas to New York nearly sent your mother into cardiac arrest. It took weeks of explaining before they realized how serious you were about following through with your plan. While your mom tried to take the calmer approach, your father had no problem telling you how outlandish and ridiculous your idea was. The determination you had to follow through with your proposition eventually wore them down and got them to support their oldest daughter's dream to spread her wings in the "big city." A vibration from your jeans pocket caused you to jolt before reaching to grab your phone and look at the screen as a smile slowly spread across your face. Hitting the accept call button, you leaned onto one leg and raised the phone to your ear while holding the handle of your suitcase securely in the other hand.

"Hey mom, miss me already?" you greeted with a hint of teasing in your voice. Saying goodbye to your mother had taken the longest, so it wasn't a big surprise to you that she'd be the first to call.

"Hi Sugar, I just wanted to check on you. You said you'd call when you landed, but it's been 2 hours since your flight got in. You know I worry," the soft voice with a southern twang that could only belong to her mother rang through your ears.

"I'm sorry mama, you wouldn't believe how plumb crazy the airport over here is. I swear it took me nearly an hour to get my luggage and then another half hour to flag down a cab. I just reached the apartment complex; I still need to go get the keys," you explained to your fretting mom while people rushed by you on the sidewalk, smiling at the few that seemed to cast you inquisitive or annoyed looks.

"I warned you, city folk move like someone's lit a fire in their pants. You'll get the hang of it soon. Remember that papa's already paid the first three months' rent for you. Once you save money from your new job, you'll have to take it over yourself, but everything should be sorted with that---" Your mother's chirping faded out when your attention shifted to a man who walked out of the doors of the complex. He was dressed in a grey suit and held a black briefcase; you couldn't help but feel like he looked like he walked off the pages of those fancy fashion magazines they have at the doctor's office. In your daze, you couldn't help but find it odd that a man that looked as sophisticated as him would be walking out of the worn-down building you'd be calling home for the time being. As if he felt your steady gaze being directed his way, his narrowed gaze cut up to yours from where it'd previously been focused on scrolling through his phone. You held the contact for a second before it sunk in that he'd caught you more or less gawking and you looked to the ground in embarrassment. Manners had always been something that your mother and grandmother had stressed over drilling into your head; leering at someone was sure to get your knuckles rasped with the wooden spatula. When a respectable amount of time seemed to pass, you glanced back up to find the man gone and breathed out a sigh of relief before refocusing back onto your mother.

"I've just finished sending out your stuff; Bobbie down at the shipping office said it should reach you by the end of the week, and then you can get the movers to bring it over to your apartment. Don't forget you have to call them, bunny." She finished before you heard a garbled voice call out for her in the background.

"I'll call you back later tonight, sweetie; your brother needs me. You just get your keys and get settled in, okay? Love you!"

"Love you too, ma," you chirped back with a smile before hearing the telltale click which signaled that she'd hung up the phone.

Sliding your phone back into the safety of your back pocket, you readjusted the slipping strap of your duffle and made your way to the stairs that led to the front door of the apartment complex.

Opening the door and making your way in didn't leave a better impression than simply looking from outside did. The harsh fluorescent lights on the ceiling seemed to buzz from overuse and served mostly to highlight the light dusting of dirt that coated the floors. Straight across from the entrance was an elevator with a handwritten 'out of order' sign taped in the middle. To the right was a set of stairs that presumably would lead to the upper floors, and to the left was the front that you'd been looking for—a faded green door with the word 'office' labeled on it in equally faded gold script.

Breathing a slight sigh of relief at finding the office so easily, you hiked your duffle further up your shoulder and made your way over to the door. Raising your hand up, you rapped your knuckles against the hard wood next to the frosted glass windowpane and waited until you heard a croaked-out voice call to come in before releasing a rough cough.

Turning the handle and stepping inside with a smile, you were greeted with an older man sitting in front of a desk shuffling through a stack of papers with a cigarette hanging from his mouth, seemingly looking for something. He looked to be around your pa's age, his hair more of a receding line with splotches of grey mixed into what once was black. The clicking that signaled the opening of the door caught his attention and caused him to halt his search as his dull grey eyes scanned you from head to toe while a smirk hitched one side of his lips up. The smoke that filled the room burned your lungs the longer you stood in the room, and the slightly cracked window to the left of his desk did little to help.

Flashing the man another smile, you glanced at the nameplate on his desk before beginning. "Hello, Mr. Miller, I'm your new tenant and was told to come here to pick up the keys for my apartment. I just got in today; I'm Y/N L/N."

"Hello, darling, yes, I remember; welcome to Pinecrest Manor. Had I known we'd have a little doll moving in today, I'd have dressed up a bit more for the occasion," he responded playfully while standing to leer at you before walking over to the glass case on the right side of the wall that held numerous pairs of keys. As Mr. Miller sauntered over to the glass case filled with keys, you couldn't help but feel a mixture of discomfort and impatience. The smoke-laden air made your throat itch, and you subtly coughed again, hoping to avoid inhaling more of it.

He continued to talk as he riffled through the keys, his voice raspy and slightly amused. "Ah, you said Y/N L/N, right? Yes, your paperwork is all here. Pinecrest Manor isn't much to look at, but we do our best to keep things in order around here." He chuckled to himself, finding his own comment amusing.

You nodded politely, though you were eager to receive your keys and get settled into your new apartment. Glancing around the office, you noticed the outdated décor and the layer of dust on some of the surfaces. It wasn't exactly the welcoming environment you had hoped for, but it would have to do for now.

After what felt like an eternity of Mr. Miller fumbling through keys, he finally selected a set and turned back to you with a grin. "Here we are, darling," he said, extending the keys towards you. "Apartment 305, up on the third floor. Elevator's out of order, so you'll have to take the stairs. But I'm sure a young thing like yourself won't mind the exercise." He paused before raking his eyes up and down the length of you as you stood to receive the keys. "You need some help finding it; I wouldn't want a sweet girl like you getting lost on your first day here."

You took the keys from where he dangled them teasingly out to you with a polite thank you, managing a small smile despite the persistent discomfort of the smoky room. "I'm sure I'll be able to manage. Thank you, Mr. Miller. I appreciate your help."

Though he looked mildly disappointed by the rebuff, he nodded, his smirk widening a fraction. "Anytime, Y/N. And if you need anything else, you know where to find me."

With that, you turned to leave, eager to escape the stifling office and finally settle into your new home. As you closed the door behind you, you took a deep breath of fresher air in the hallway, relieved to be out of Mr. Miller's smoke-filled domain.

As you made your way down the hallway, the dimly lit corridor of Pinecrest Manor seemed to stretch endlessly. The faint buzz of the fluorescent lights overhead added to the eerie atmosphere, contrasting sharply with the relative brightness of the office you had just left. You glanced down at the keys in your hand, feeling a mix of anticipation and apprehension about what lay ahead.

The worn carpet under your feet creaked softly with each step as you approached the stairwell. With a slight hesitation, you gripped the handrail and began ascending to the third floor. The staircase, much like the rest of the building, showed signs of age and neglect. Faded paint, scuff marks, and occasional cobwebs greeted you as you climbed higher.

Finally reaching the third-floor landing, you navigated your way to apartment 305. The hallway here was eerily quiet, the only sound being your own footsteps and the distant hum of the building's ventilation system. As you approached the faded green door labeled 305, you inserted the key and turned the lock.

The door swung open with a slight creak, revealing your new home. Stepping inside, you found yourself in a modestly sized living room. Sunlight filtered through dusty blinds, casting faint patterns on the worn carpet. The furnishings were basic but functional—a worn couch, a small coffee table, and a TV on a stand in the corner.

Setting your duffle bag down with a thud, you took a moment to survey the space. It wasn't luxurious by any means, but it would serve its purpose as your sanctuary for the foreseeable future. You walked through to the kitchenette, noting the outdated appliances and the flickering fluorescent light above the sink.

The bedroom was similarly modest, with a double bed pushed against one wall and a small dresser nearby. A narrow window offered a view of the neighboring buildings, their own faded facades staring back at you.

As you unpacked your belongings and began to settle in, you couldn't shake the feeling of unease that had settled over you since entering Pinecrest Manor. The interaction with the building manager left a sour taste in your mouth, and the first impressions of the building weren't fitting into what you'd pictured the whole flight over. Closing the drawer of the dresser after placing the last of your belongings inside, you glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand and saw the time flash back at you—2:00 PM.

Suddenly, a new feeling rushed through you as you realized where you were and what you'd done. Walking over to the double bed, you sat down and scanned around the room one more time, a new light making everything seem so much better. In contrast to when you'd first walked in, you felt like there was so much possibility and hope to be found in your new apartment. Letting out a squeal of excitement, you fell back onto the mattress and let all the excitement rush through your body in the form of more squealing and tapping of your feet from where they still rested on the floor.

In your excitement, you failed to realize how loud you'd been until you heard three rough bangs coming from the connecting wall with your neighbor which jolted you back to reality. Snapping back up to sit straight on the bed, you went quiet and waited a minute to see if they continued; when they stayed silent, you released a breath of relief before falling back down. As you went back to quietly getting lost in your thoughts about how you'd decorate your new space and fantasizing about the adventures you'd have in this new environment, a ping from your phone sounded before it began to ring with a familiar ringtone that caused a smile to spread across your lips. Sliding the device out from your back pocket, you held it up in front of you to confirm what you already knew you'd see and sat up while swiping to accept the call and holding it up to your ear.

"Hello?"