"Pane Dweller" by Sebastian Westbrook

Pane Dweller

by Sebastian Westbrook

The sight through the glass unsettled Neil.

There, standing in his garden in broad daylight, was a young woman staring at him through the dining room sliding door. Her eyes were wild and unblinking and her lips were curled into a sombre frown. She didn’t move. She just stood there. 

Neil opened the door. His intention was to ask her what the problem was. However, as he opened it, she vanished. He didn’t see her run away. She simply wasn’t there anymore. 

Confused, Neil closed the door again. Somehow, she was back in the same spot, staring at him. Still unblinking, still frowning. Neil was stunned. How could he only see her when the door was closed? He glanced behind him to check it wasn’t a reflection. There was no one in the house. He then laid a hand on the glass – it all seemed regular.

He decided to leave the door closed and try to get to her by going around the house. He moved through the house into the hallway, and approached his front door. 

And there she was. 

Through the glass in the door, he could see her standing there, imploring him with her gaze. Neil felt a sudden chill and the hairs on his neck stood up straight.

The woman didn’t attempt to open the door. She just stood behind it, motionless. Whatever she was, she didn’t seem interested in getting to him, rather she just wanted his attention. Neil opened the front door and just like before, she wasn’t there until Neil closed the door again. 

Despite his confusion about this transitory visitor, work demanded that Neil went about his day. However, she kept stalking him through every window, observing him. Even in the upstairs rooms: she would be there, visible through the glass, as if on an invisible plinth.

Sick of this unnatural, stalker-like behaviour, Neil opened all his windows, breaking the apparent seal that brought her to him. She vanished with each action. As long as he stayed away from the doors he wouldn’t have to see her. He simply avoided those spaces for the day and went about his business, which was mainly at his computer anyway. 

The woman seemed to catch on.

Neil, leaving his keyboard inactive for a few moments, allowed the monitor to switch off. And there she was, reflected in the blackened glass. He swore and glanced behind him. He was alone in his study. He brought it out of its sleep and she disappeared. 

But she’s in the house now, he thought, distressingly. He took a few moments to search around the house, not expecting to find her, but thought it was better to be safe than sorry. 

But it didn’t end there. It got worse. Taking a bathroom break, he checked his reflection, only to find her staring back at him in the mirror. He swiped at it and she disappeared. But for how long? 

That evening, as it got dark, Neil closed his windows, the temperature dropping. However, as he looked through them into the night, the woman did not materialise. He closed every single window, expecting her to pop up each time, but she never did. 

Curious, Neil risked looking into the reflective surfaces in his home. She didn’t appear in his mirrors. She was not present on inactive screens. Most notably, she wasn’t waiting outside his front door or in his back garden.

Neil sighed with relief. It seemed as though she had finally decided to leave him alone. He settled into his sofa and relaxed. His hypervigilance in trying to avoid her gaze seemed to have worked. 

But then he heard a thump from upstairs. Had he missed a window? Filled with a mixture of fear and frustration, he entered the kitchen, retrieved a sharp knife and went upstairs. 

If she was somehow inside, he would send the crazy woman packing, hopefully of her volition. 

As he turned towards his bedroom, he saw her standing in the doorframe. She was still staring at him with that haunting expression, but now she wasn’t still. She was stretching out her limbs, as if fighting against cramp. Neil, despite being unnerved, approached, the knife in hand to ward her off. 

She simply watched Neil approach, continuing her limb twists as he got closer. Once Neil was as close as he dared to get, he finally decided to speak.

“What do you want from me?”

She stopped her movements. She opened her mouth; her voice came out creaky and hoarse, as if there was something stuck in her throat.

“Freedom…” 

Suddenly, Neil found that he was the one standing in his bedroom doorframe, arms locked by his sides and feet rooted to the ground. The young woman stood before him, only her expression was more natural. A mix of sympathy, relief and perhaps even remorse. She spoke in a clearer voice.

“I am sorry, but I couldn’t stand being locked that form anymore… it has been so long. I had to choose someone. I chose you.” 

“What the hell are you talking about?” He didn’t sound as commanding as he wanted to. If anything, his voice came out raspy and weak. 

“At first you saw me, in the day, but it was searching for me, in the night, that sealed the switch.”

“Switch? What?” He made to raise the knife hand but his arm stiffened and the fingers lost their hold. The blade fell to the floor. 

“But it does not have to be forever. Find someone else. Perhaps someone you don’t like? Think. Project. Once they see you, remain until night. And if they search in the dark… Well, you can figure it out. Good luck.”

With this, the young woman descended the stairs. Neil heard her opening his front door and leave the house. 

With no other option, Neil, the Pane Dweller, thought about who might be next.