1 Woke

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.

Byran rolled over in his sleep. His eyebrows furrowed.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.

He grumbled, turning over again.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.

He cringed. He was awake now.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.

He pulled his pillow around his ears.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

He clenched his teeth.

KNOCK

The young man bolted upright in bed, slamming his fist into the wall.

"Would you shut up? Every damn night! Shut UP!"

Silence.

Finally.

He looked over at the clock, it was 2 in the morning.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"Seriously?!"

He paused. That one sounded a bit different.

Knock. Kno-ck.

Byran threw his covers to the side, storming out of the bedroom toward the door of his small apartment.

"What do you want?! I'm telling you to keep it down!"

He ripped open the door.

Silence. No one there.

He stepped into the darkened hallway.

Pranks at this hour? He really ought to move.

As his eyes adjusted to the dim light he caught sight of movement to his left.

"Whoa!"

He jumped back.

"Oh my god, wh-?"

He stared in horror at the dimly lit silhouette of a large man leaning against the wall.

Blood dripped from his battered body. Slow, heavy breathing permeated the silence.

The man looked a stone's throw from death.

One bloodshot eye focused shakily on Byran, the other caked shut with blood.

The man looked... confused.

Byran was confused. Or scared. Maybe both.

Unable to look away, he watched the man's chest heave with laboured, rattling breaths.

A large hand shot toward Byran with surprising speed.

Byran jerked away, his arm caught in the strong grip.

"You." the deep voice rasped.

"Me?" His voice wasn't usually that high.

"You need.. to.. help us.. wi-"

The man's eye widened, its pupil trembling in fear.

The grip on Byran's arm tightened painfully, before falling entirely away.

The man crumpled to the floor in a motionless heap.

Byran stood frozen with shock.

Is he dead?