I got to my house and tossed my purse on my couch, eager to clean the place before I continued with my normal routine. I headed straight to the kitchen first, thinking to myself if I should get rid of the glass in my inside bin or the trashcan outside?

This thoughts soon evaporated into the air when I looked right where I had last left the shards, my eyes landing on an empty table. No paper, no shards, just table.

That's definitely weird.

I looked at the floor, thinking that maybe it must have fallen again. I must be on another level of clumsy if that's what happened, or gravity must be against me. To my confusion and shock, I found my floor spotless. There was nothing. It's like someone had just cleaned it up for me but that doesn't make any sense. I don't have any maid, I don't speak to my neighbors and my family doesn't even care about me.

Even if all of those situations were different, no one but me has access to my house.

Or maybe that's what I thought.

As I did in the morning, I looked at the windows and saw them closed. How else could a person enter? Through the back door? I quickly walked to the backdoor and pulled the handle, the door refusing to open because it was locked, as I always have left it. So how did someone enter? Did they just have a key?

I've never given anyone my house or car keys.

"This is so creepy..." I said with a groan, looking around the place for anything suspicious. Cameras, to be exact.

"Cameras..." I whispered, my eyes widening in realization. "I installed cameras by my front and back doors when I first moved in!"

God, I hope they still work. It's been years since I last checked on them. I went upstairs and retrieved my laptop, remembering that it was the only device they were connected to. After a few clicks on it, I fortunately managed to get all of the footage until this very moment. I rewinded back to yesterday night and watched. It was in infrared mode so I probably wouldn't be able to see anything too clearly.

Waiting, I watched carefully. There was no suspicious activity yet. There were a few cars driving past and just a couple of people running by to get away from the rain but nobody stepped near my gate. The camera by the back door was no different. The only movement there was the trees dancing in the wind.

Realizing that nothing was showing up, I tapped on my laptop to turn off the video when I caught a glimpse of a very strange figure in the distance. The first thing that caught my attention were it's eyes. I couldn't see their true colour because of the black and white camera mode but they were bright, almost like the headlights of a car but much smaller in size.

I squinted my eyes and zoomed into it after pausing the video. I could just briefly see the outline of it's body. It was on all fours but was still massive. I could see this because it was the exact height as the street light it was standing next to, and that light was two meters long. If that's how tall it is hunched over, lord knows how tall it is standing on it's two legs only.

I couldn't see if it had fur or not, but I could see five sharp claws on each 'paw' and it had a long tail that seemed to have sharp spikes of some sort. My eyes widened as I finally processed this. I'm certain that I would've known if that was inside my house. Maybe while searching for an intruder, I found something even better.

A new mammal species? Reptile? Supernatural or paranormal entity? Ancient beast? The list went on and on with possiblities. I quickly saved last night's footage and sent it to my phone. I didn't want to lose this, it was too big of a deal to lose.

I need to call Mr Hughes urgently but I don't have his contact information. I never thought I would ever need it. The one person who does have it is the last person I want to speak to.

With a groan, I took my phone and dialled his number, placing the phone against my ear. I waited as it rung and after the third ring, he picked up.

"Well look who's come back to daddy." Damien chuckled deeply, though he seemed to be whispering.

"Don't flatter yourself. I just need something from you." I said with a grimace.

"No can do, hot stuff. Me and the fiancé are getting it on." He said with a snort, as if he hurt my feelings or something. Liar, why would you call me 'hot stuff' in front of your fiancé? I know you're by yourself.

"I need Mr Hughes phone number or work number." I asked, making his laughing stop. There was a short pause before he spoke again, all amusement disappearing from his tone.

"You like old men now?" He asked me.

"There's something I have that could change everything. If my theory is correct, then the man we have down at the lab is innocent." I told him, making him go silent again. It's a crazy theory, and it's far fetched but if such a crazy amount of people were going missing daily and that thing is lurking around, then Sei could be innocent. He's certainly acting innocent.

"I don't understand, subject MM2077 is—"

"His name is Sei and he probably got taken for nothing. He's got the mind of a five year old." I defended. I wasn't dismissing everything I've learnt about Sei. His eyes and skin were still a mystery on its own. But what I saw on my camera is bigger and could be much more of a problem.

"What exactly did you see that's making you think that subject MM—"

"SEI!"

"Sei..." He corrected himself, "is innocent?"

"I can't explain it but I do have some footage of it." I said.

"Would you like me to come over and see it?" He asked. He didn't say that with a flirty tone. He said that like he was curious about work and work only but I still don't trust him. You never know with Damien Moretti.

"No, it's too late now. Just give me his number and I'll call him and—"

"Calling Benjamin Hughes isn't going to do any good. He's not a scientist, I am. Let me come over and see for myself. If that thing is in footage caught by your camera then you probably aren't safe there. You need someone to protect you." He said sternly. We both didn't speak after that, just listened to each other's breathing.

"If you don't want me to come," he continued. "Then why don't you come to my place?"

"Heavens no," I breathed out, laughing softly. "You really don't need me there right now. Aren't your and your girl getting it on?" I asked jokingly. He clicked his tongue at me and I laughed even louder, making him click it again.

I whipped my head behind me when I heard a small tapping noise against my window, my eyes widening. I could still hear Damien talking but I wasn't listening to him, I was solely focused on my window. I couldn't see anything outside though, it was just the empty street.

I really need curtains...

"Akielia? Are you still there?" Damien got my attention again, making me put my phone back against my ear. My eyes were still glued to the window, just in case something decided to tap on it again. I wanted to see what it was.

"Y-yeah. Yeah I'm still here. You were saying?" I asked, my eyes still widened in fear. I was definitely feeling more scared than I had been a few moments before. I was uncomfortable too, especially while looking at the window. I felt like something would just jump through it and attack me.

"Actually, I'm not okay." I told him honestly.

"What happened?" He asked worriedly.

"Something just tapped on my window and..."

"I'm coming over!" He boomed out, hanging up right after.

"Wait! What about your fian—" I sighed and removed the phone from my ear, clutching it tightly against my chest. If there was an emergency before Damien got here, I need my phone to call for help.

I sat down on one of the kitchen counters and waited, my eyes still worriedly stuck on the window. Silently, I sat there and waited, relief making my tensed body relax when I saw Damien's car pull up in front of my gate.

I hate him but I love him sometimes.