The house doesn’t look as inviting as the first. Perhaps it’s not the house that makes it look uninviting as you can’t see it. There is a large wall around the whole property. In the middle of the wall, he finds a door on which a sign is nailed. The sign says, “Be aware of the dog”, and then someone has added an s to the end of the word dog. He notes, “Not all have good visual skills”, and then opens the gate. On the other side, there is a poorly maintained house and he guesses that that is the reason they wanted to hide it. When he is halfway to the door he hears something and turns around. There stand two creaturs growling at him. They look fierce but have a funny element to them. He stretches out an arm towards them. One of the creatures suddenly lounges towards the arm but halfway there it stops and sits down. He pats it and notices that it’s dirty and malnourished. He notes, “Some treat their pets badly”. Then turns to walk towards the house but stops when a high bang is heard. 

“You stop there and don’t take another step, mister. I don’t like foreigners.” 

He sees that the door is slightly ajar and two metal pipes are pointing at him.

“Sir, I just want to ask you some questions.” 

“I don’t give rats about your questions. You just back up and close the gate after you.” 

“But I just need…” another loud bang sounds and he turns around, leaves the property, and closes the gate after him. Hmm, this seems to be harder than he expected, he thinks and notes, “Some are unfriendly, don’t like foreigners, and don’t seem to like to cooperate”.

He decides that he will get some answers in the next house. That house looks well taken care of. The building is surrounded by lots of different plants in different colors. He walks up and knocks on the door, and as no one answers for several minutes he turns around to leave. Then he can hear locks clicking and he turns back with a smile. The occupant who opens the door looks old and frail. 

“Hello, I’m wondering if you would like to answer some questions?” he asks.

“Of course, I want to buy some cookies, I love cookies. Come on in and I will get my purse.” 

“No, I just want to…” but before he finishes the occupant has turned around and with a slow pace started to walk inside. He follows her.

“Please sit down and I will see if I can find some coins for you.” 

“No, I just want to ask some questions.” 

“Tea, did you say you want some tea, how nice it’s been so long since someone stopped by for tea.” 

“No, I just want some answers” he starts to but she leaves the room. Not knowing what to do he decides to follow her and finds her looking through a bag. “Please I just want to ask you some questions if that’s ok?” 

“Ohh dear, you are quite eager to sell those cookies.” She says at the same time as she pats him on the head. 

“I don’t have any cookies I just want to ask you some questions.” 

“Leaving already, I have just put on some tea.” He realizes that he won’t get any answers from this occupant either so he leaves the house. On the way out he notes, “Some seem to lack communication skills”.

He starts to wonder if this is a good idea after all. No one seems to be willing to talk to him. He contemplates, Perhaps he hasn’t prepared enough. Perhaps he should have researched more. No, there must be someone who wants to help him, he won’t give up and walks up to the next house. A couple of seconds after his knock a woman opens the door, and when she sees him she smiles. 

“Hello, I would like…” and then she interrupts him.

“Oh! aren’t you adorable? Haven’t your parents told you that it’s not that time yet?  Though I will see if I can find some candy for you.” then she turns around and walks into the house. He can hear her saying,

“Honey, do we have some candy?” then he hears a man answering, “I think there are some in the kitchen, why?” 

“There is this cute kid who thinks that it’s Halloween”. After a while, she returns, squats down, gives him something and says, 

“Here you go sweetie and remember to save it until Saturday.” then she stands up and closes the door. He looks at the thing in his hand and the writing says Snickers. What is going on? He doesn’t get this at all. This was a lot harder than he thought it would be and he wonders what he will do if he doesn’t get anyone to answer his survey. He notes, “They seem to have strange customs” and hastily walks to the next house.

This time he won’t give in and knocks with determination on the door. It’s a young female who opens the door and before she has a chance to say anything he says, 

“I really would like some answers.” 

The female beams with joy. 

“Finally, I have been waiting for this my whole life, please come in. I will do anything for you.” He feels joy filling him, and finally, he will get some answers. She takes his hand in hers and drags him inside and up to a couch and then puts him there. 

“Are you for real?” she says and then starts to touch and poke him everywhere. 

“For real, what do you mean?” 

“You feel real, ohh I will do anything for you.” then she starts to take off her clothes and when she is naked she lays down on the couch. “Please take me. I would love to carry your child.” She sits up and looks at him “That is if you do it like this?” 

“Do what?” he asks.

“Have sex, don’t you think I’m worthy?” 

“I don’t want to reproduce. I just want to ask some questions.” 

“Of course, I will do anything for you.” Then she pulls him over her so he gets on top of her. He hastily stands up. 

“Don’t you want me?” she asks.

“No, yes, I mean. Please, I came here to get some answers.” then one of the windows explodes, and there is a loud bang and the room fills with smoke. A couple of seconds later he can hear the front door crashing in. He feels something bounce off his skin and then another. When he looks at the floor he can see that what hit him was some pointy things with liquid in them. The girl drags him down on the sofa and lies on him. 

“Don’t worry I will sacrifice my life before they take you.” 

“Take me,” he says “They want to take me?” 

“Yes, but I won’t let them.” 

“Take me where?” 

“To examine you, of course, to dissect you in any kind of way they can, the bastards.” Then one darkly dressed grabs the girl and pulls her away while she is screaming and trying to get loose.

“Let me go, don’t let them take you. If you let them, the government will deny your existence.”

“You don’t need to worry I bet it’s some kind of mistake I have not violated any of your laws.” 

Then the guy holding her takes her away and he is alone with several figures around him pointing some sort of weapon at him. He feels confused, this interaction has become nothing of what he believed. Not only has he not any answers to his questions but he is also more confused than when he got here. His thoughts are interrupted by a man dressed in a suit entering the room slowly trying to clear the smoke with his hands. 

“Take it easy, no need to be hostile, we just want to talk to you so if you please come with us.”

“Finally, talk is the only thing I wanted since I got here.” And then he lifts his notebook and steps towards the suited guy. The guy screams

“He has a weapon and then he throws himself behind a chair.” 

Then all the other guys throw themselves in all kinds of directions and then loud noises start to sound. At the same time, he can feel hundreds of small impacts tingle his body. His notebook is broken like so many other things in the room. When the noise stops and all the dust settles he can see that the suited man is looking over the top of the chair with an astonished look.

“Now I can’t ask you any questions as you broke my notebook.” He says to the man and shows him his broken notebook. The man says something and then he can feel something hitting him and making him fall to the floor. After a while struggling he realizes that it’s a net. This was not what he had expected and he wonders what the headquarters will say when they get the report. Perhaps it would have been better to kidnap and probe the inhabitants as the headquarters wanted. He thought that it was an outdated method and wanted to try something new. He looks at the darkly dressed figures slowly closing in on him. Now, the old ways didn’t seem too bad. He has to think about this and then he beams up.

Unsolved

Subject:
Sara Danfield, 32 years, Scientist, specializing in signal analysis

Location:
Antarctica, WayNE-5, Research station.

Background:
On January 6, 2025 two of the three scientists working at the station had to leave it to repair an antenna a few days away. When they returned 10 days later the interior of the station was destroyed. Most of the wall panels had either been screwed loose or broken off and the third scientist Sara could not be found. Later when they checked the logs they found video logs made by Sara. The following is a transcription of those logs.

Day 2

Hello Jayne. You are probably surprised to see and hear from me and yes I know you won’t be able to see this until I get home. When you look at it you probably already heard it all from me in person. It’s just that I need to talk to someone as I’m all alone out here, at least for a couple of days. My colleagues had to leave to repair an antenna. You know me, I need to talk. It’s funny that I only managed one day alone without talking to someone. I never told you what I’m supposed to do out here. Well, it was a bit hush-hush but come on. They found a signal from an unknown source and that’s what me and my colleagues are here to look for, among other things. I sit and look for signs, collect data, and then analyze the data. I bet you think wow, that sounds like a blast and you probably wonder why I volunteered for this mission. Well at the moment I wonder that myself. No, seriously it’s a great opportunity and not as bad as it sounds. Ok, perhaps it’s getting boring as nothing interesting is happening. We have been here for 78 days and haven’t found any signs of a mysterious signal. The only thing we get is a lot of static. But you know what? I’m only here for 22 days more. I can’t wait until I get home. You think a lot out here on the rim of the world and you realize what’s important in one’s life. I will spend more time with you and my friends when I get home.

[Something beeps and Sara looks at something out of view for the camera.] Transcribers note

Well, I got to go as the test is ready. I will probably talk to you some more as my colleagues will be gone for a couple of days

Day 3

[Sara looks happy and excited] Transcribers note

Hey, I’m back. I didn’t manage another day without talking to someone. Today I wish you were here with me as it was so beautiful. Luckily I managed to take lots of nice photos and will show you when I get home. Sorry, I’m just babbling away, perhaps I should tell you what I saw? It was when I was out on my regular walks. I didn’t tell you that last time but I need to do some of my colleague John’s duties and was out collecting his samples. The panorama we have here is amazing. You get this enormous white canvas painted in more variations of white than you think exists. Today it was especially magic as there was this amazing light show. When I was collecting samples something on the horizon caught my eye and I stopped what I was doing. Small lights were moving around in the sky but it was too far away to discern what it was. After a while, it grew larger and seemed to be coming straight at me. At first, I was a bit scared but the closer it got the more amazed I became. It was a cloud of lights and there were green, red, blue, lilac, all possible colors. Thousands of different small light balls were dancing around in the cloud around and around. It was an amazing experience, I have never seen anything like it. I wanted to stay and see if it would come close but it got freezing, so I had to return to the station. When I closed the door I got a weird feeling, it felt like someone got in with me. I ran to the computers to check if there was something on the motion detectors. But I found nothing and I don’t know what it was or why I got the feeling, well it was probably nothing, it felt weird anyway. 

Day 5

[Sara looks tired.] Transcribers note

Hey, it’s me again. Do you remember I told you that I thought something was with me when I closed the door to the station after the light show? I know this will sound completely nuts

[Sara leans up to the camera and whispers.] Transcribers note

I believe that there is someone else in the station. Yes, I bet you laugh but I’m almost certain there is. Perhaps there was something in the airlock with me? I don’t know what it could be though as I saw nothing in the hallway, it was just a feeling. I don’t know perhaps I’m exaggerating but several times since then I have experienced strange things. I can leave a room and when I return the tools I have been working with have been moved or disappeared. That’s not all, several times I have heard someone talking, well not talking but it’s like a whisper. When I tried to follow it and enter the area I heard it from there was nothing there. Perhaps there was something in the cloud of lights, but I have rechecked all the signal receivers and all the other equipment but can’t find any trace or sign of contact. Everything is as quiet as when I got here. Then it could just be me who is tired and imagining things. Either way, I have started to lock my bedroom door, just in case. 

[Sara wipes her forehead with her sleeve.] Transcribers note

I don’t know what it is though. It has gotten so hot in here. I checked the air controller but couldn’t find anything wrong with it. I have to ask Carl when he gets back as he is the tech wiz around here. The strange thing is that at the same time as I’m sweating my muscles feel stiffer, like I’m freezing. They told me that there could be some physical changes during my stay. Well enough about me. If I get the days correct your wedding is any day now. I secretly wish you would postpone it for a couple of weeks so I can attend. I bet you are nervous. I hope all the plans are going well. Oh my god, my little sister will be married when I get home. Ohh that’s so

[Sara starts to cry and dries her eyes with her hands.] Transcribers note

Look at me crying, silly me. I’m so sorry that I will be missing it and I hope you are not too mad at me for choosing to go out here. I miss you and I wish that you have a great wedding. Lots of hugs my little or I should say, big sister. See you

Day 6

[Sara is moving around on the chair and looks scared.] Transcribers note

Jayne, I’m sure that there is something onboard and it’s nothing I make up. I will tell you how I can be so sure and then you can decide if I’m crazy or not. Yesterday evening I was working in one of the observatories trying to analyze some of the samples I collected when I heard a sound from the corridor. When I came out into the corridor I heard the sound from the dining room. It was like a faint whisper that I have told you about before. I slowly walked towards the room, constantly hearing the faint whispers. I stood outside the door listening to the whisper, though I couldn’t hear what they were whispering. As soon as I entered the room the whisper was gone. Gone, I was just outside the door hearing it and there is no other way out from the room than through that door. Then the lights went out and I could feel something cold like a soft breeze pass by me. I got so scared and as soon as the reserve backup lights went on I ran and locked myself in my bedroom. I haven’t been able to sleep all night. The only thing I have had is water and today I had to go out and get something to eat… 

[Sara looks around like she is checking for something] Transcribers note

Did you hear? There the whisper was again, I don’t know what to do. I just sent a message to my colleagues to come back as soon as possible. I hope it will not take too long as I want to be alone. I have to go as I don’t dare to stay here any longer. I have filled the bedroom with food and will stay there until my colleagues return. I don’t know if I’ll be able to record any more messages and I hope to see you soon.

Day 8

[Sara looks exhausted. She acts nervously, constantly moving her eyes back and forth like she is looking for something. Her hair is a mess.] Transcribers note

Jayne, There is something strange with the walls. Everywhere I go the whispers follow me, from inside the walls. 

[Sara looks around the room and then back to the camera] Transcribers note

It’s like the walls are whispering things to me. I think there is something inside the walls. My bedroom is no longer safe and I can hear the whispers everywhere. I don’t know what to do. I constantly move around the station, I’m so tired but don’t dare to sleep.

[Sara starts to cry and then suddenly whips her head around and runs away leaving the camera on.] Transcribers note

Day 9

[Sara suddenly appears in front of the camera. She has red eyes and constantly looks around.] Transcribers note

Can you hear them?

[She is biting her nails which are bloody and torn.] Transcribers note

They are hiding in the walls. Constantly whispering.

[Sara covers her ears, closes her eyes, and shakes her head. She gets up and with some kind of lever she bends loose one of the wall panels and screams]

I will never come to you

[Sara gets back and looks into the camera] Transcribers note

Help me!

 [Then she runs from the room. In the back of the room, you can see that almost all of the wall panels are torn down. 

Day 9 nine is the last recording] Transcribers note

His head is spinning when he wakes. He feels sick and suddenly empties his stomach over his chest. Slowly, reality rushes back, the ship, the countdown, the jump, his wife. Omg, his wife! he looks over and realizes he still holds her hand. She is not moving, his heart starts to beat fast. Then he hears the beeping. He looks at the displays, and the ship is spinning out of control and dropping fast toward the planet nearby. He reaches towards the controls for the ship but feels so dizzy. He can see the planet’s surface getting closer and closer at an enormous speed. He can feel his fingers feeling around on the keyboard. Out of nowhere, an enormous force pushes him back into his seat and everything goes black.

Someone is calling his name, touching his hand, and he opens his eyes slowly. He is still in the chair, and when his sight clears he can see his wife trying to unlock the straps over her chest. At the same time, tears are flowing down her face. He takes her hand and when she looks at him he can see relief in her eyes and how her whole body relaxes.
“Ohh, I thought you were dead. Are you ok? you scared me,” he nods at her. “What happened?” she continues.
“Something went wrong and,” he looks around at the displays and realizes what had happened. “We exited the jump too close to the surface of the planet which triggered the emergency brake thrusters”
“You said that nothing could go wrong,” she looks at him with a made-up pout.
“It shouldn’t! I don’t know why we were unconscious, and even if we would be awake, the security should take care of any problems.”He looks around and then at her
“It seems like it did, as we have landed safely, and all the numbers indicate that the ship is intact.”
“How good,” his wife says with a smile, and then falls to her knees and empties her stomach on the ship floor.
Adam unlocks his belt and crawls over to his wife.
“Honey, are you okay? I’m sorry, I didn’t know it would be like this.”
“I’m ok! You don’t need to be sorry. We are alive, and I volunteered. Either way, I would never let you go alone. I wanted to share this with you.”
They lay side by side for some time and when he feels less dizzy he stands up. He gets two bottles of water and gives one to his wife. He also gets some energy bars and hands them to her. He takes off his smelly shirt and starts to check the readings on the display and after a while he says
“It looks like the air outside is breathable. It’s the cleanest air I have seen. It shows little pollution. Though the navigation seems to malfunction, I can’t get the readings of where we are.” He walks over to the door.
“Are you sure?” he can hear his wife saying.
He looks at her, “100%, isn’t it exciting?”
“We don’t know what’s out there.”
“And we won’t until we have a look around. Care to join me?” He extends his hand. She slowly gets up, walks over, and places her hand in his. The ship is surrounded by high grass and flowers in a vast variety. It reminds him of some of a wild meadow. Not far away, he sees a large forest with gigantic trees.
“Ohh Adam it’s amazing! I have never seen such green and vivid surroundings. “We need to take some photos and get some samples before we return home,“ his wife says.
“You do that. I will go in and configure the route back home.”
“OK, can you please put us a bit further away from the planet’s surface this time?”
He gives her the tongue and steps in. First, he needs to get the navigation to work.
“What’s wrong?” he looks up from the data and sees his wife has entered the ship.
“What do you mean?”
“You have been in here all day.”
“All day?” He looks at the computer’s clock and realizes that she is right.
“Ohh, I’m sorry, I must have lost track of time.”
“We are not going home today, are we?”
“No,” he says bitterly. Something is wrong with the navigation, and I can’t get our correct position. Don’t worry. I will fix it. It will just take a bit longer time.” She looks at him and he smiles.
“First, we will have something to eat and a good night’s sleep,” she says and starts to look in the provision cabinet. After a while, she shows him some energy bars. “I guess this is our luxury meal tonight.”

After breakfast, his wife had insisted on going out to find something to eat. Although he had tried to tell her he would get them home today, she had insisted. She didn’t want to eat energy bars all day long. After she left he returned to the computer to continue analyzing the information. Why was the coordinates wrong? He has checked all units, and he found nothing wrong with them. There are no errors in the computer, yet he can’t get the coordinates to work. How would he find his way back to earth if he didn’t know where they are and where they are going? Suddenly, he is interrupted by his wife coming into the ship.
“I found some fruits that resemble some of the ones we got back home.” She stops and looks at him and says “You look worried.”
“It’s nothing.” He tries to sound as untouched as possible.
“It’s something. You can’t fix the problem.”
“No…” he starts to say but stops. He knows his wife can tell, “Is it that obvious.”
“Adam, you have been sitting here for two days.”
She moves up to him and puts an arm around him. “We have been married for several years. I know you.”
“I don’t know, I can’t understand what the problem is…” he sighs, “I’m so sorry.”
“Don’t worry, you will solve it, you always do. I spent my day looking around. Nothing in the surroundings seems to be a threat. If the fruit is what they seem to be, we will survive until you find the solution. There is even a creek nearby with fresh water, so tasty; I don’t think I have tasted so pure and fresh water.
“But what if…” She interrupts him, lifts his head, and looks him in the eyes.
“Relax, come out and taste the fruit I have prepared. Have a good night’s sleep, and tomorrow you find the solution.” He follows her outside and sees a table filled with different kinds of fruit. On the horizon, he can see the sun setting. Wait! The sun! According to his data, this planet should have two suns. Perhaps the other one has already been set.
“Has the other sun already set?” he asks his wife.
“What other sun? I think you have been sitting in front of the computer for too long”
“There should be two suns.”
“I have been out all day. I have only seen one. Come eat something, then you feel better.”
He looks around and sees that his wife even built a fireplace. Beside it, a blanket lay and she is patting the ground beside her.
“I thought we could sleep outside. It feels warm enough and much softer than the chair in the ship.”
“I’m amazed. Have you made all this?” he asks and his wife gives him a whack on his arm.
“What do you mean? You don’t think I can’t take care of myself. It’s not like I had something else to do.” Before he can answer, she smiles at him.
“I’m just teasing. Here come taste, it’s delicious.”
Later, when they lie side by side in their outside bed, he asks her.
“What if we are stuck here?” He immediately can feel her hand grasping his.
“We have each other. That’s enough for me. I love you with all of my heart no matter where we are.” Then she snuggles up to him and kisses him on his cheek. He smiles at her, but the knot in his stomach tightens. As he lay there watching the sky filled with stars his eyelids are getting heavier and heavier. Is there something familiar with the stars? No, he is just tired and lets the sleep take him away.

When he wakes he can’t believe his thoughts, was it a dream, or had he seen all the familiar patterns in the stars? He needs to check the data once more. He looks around but can’t find his wife and instead goes inside. It doesn’t take long until he realizes what he has missed. He runs out to find his wife and sees her further away from the ship. She is squatting and looking at something. He walks towards her when she suddenly turns and indicates that he also should squat. He squats and slowly gets up to her.
“I think I have found the problem…”
She looks at him and hushes and points towards the grass. Among the grass, he can see an animal sitting eating something. When it slowly gets up, he can see it’s some sort of ape. Or it looks more humanlike but is covered with hair. It doesn’t stand, it has more of a hunched posture.
“It has followed me all morning, mimicking all my moves,” his wife whispers.
“Interesting, but did you hear? I have found the solution.” but before he can continue, his wife leaves his side and is slowly closing in on the animal.
“No, wait,” he says and follows her. At the sound of his voice, the creature stops and looks at them. His wife extends her arm and shows something he can’t see. The animal looks at the arm and slowly moves towards it, its eyes darting and nose smelling the air. With great speed, it retrieves the object and backs up. When it smells the object, Adam can see that it’s one of the fruit that looks like an apple. No, it doesn’t look like an apple, it’s an apple. The animal takes a bite, and then another, and you can see it’s enjoying it. It doesn’t take long before it has devoured the fruit.
“Hello,” his wife says, “do you want another one?” but the animal runs in among the trees. His wife turns around and looks at him with excited eyes.
“Did you see? We almost made a connection. It almost reminded me of an ancient human.”
“It’s because it is, a Neanderthal or some of its relatives. I don’t know until I have found a way to calculate the date.”
“What do you mean?” she says with confusion written all over her face.
“As I was trying to tell you, I found the solution to the problem with the coordinates and why we can’t go home.”
“I knew it, so now we can go home?”
“Eve, my love, we are home.”

She is still a bit uneasy when she enters her house and makes sure she locks the door properly. She is cold and starts to prepare for a warm shower when questions fill her head. Why had she spooked herself when she knew that it was safe? Why couldn’t she keep herself calm, ignoring the images? She knows that there was nothing in the bushes. Yet, she couldn’t get the thought of someone hiding in them out of her head. She steps into the shower and lets the warm water heat her cold body. The water flows over her body and lets all the tension and questions follow it down the drain. It feels great, and she lets her body soak up the warmth. She promises herself that the next time the anxiety starts to rise she won’t get scared that easily. She hardly has time to finish that thought when the light goes out and the shower gets completely dark. With a strong voice, she says to herself, that there is nothing to worry about, she needs to stay calm. She turns off the shower and when she moves the shower curtain she can feel a cold breeze on her arm. Every muscle in her body freezes, someone is in the room with her, and she can feel their breath. She feels an enormous pressure over her chest and is slightly dizzy. She tries to reassure herself that there is no one there. She needs to calm down and start to take deep breaths. The dizziness increases, and she needs to grab hold of something. She grabs the first thing she can feel, it’s the curtain that can not withstand her weight and rips. She slips and falls to the floor. But the pain when she hits the floor is not on her mind, the only thing she can think of is to get out. The fall has made her disoriented and she can’t find the door. After what feels like an eternity she finds the handle on the door and tumbles out into the hallway. The hallway is also dark and she gets out into the kitchen. From the cleaning cabinet, she retrieves some candles that she lights. With every candle she lights, she can feel herself calming down and soon the kitchen feels warm and light. She sits down at the dining room table with a big sigh. Through the kitchen window, she can see that the lights are out in the whole neighborhood. It’s a blackout, she got that scared by a blackout. She doesn’t recognize herself. She has never before behaved this way. The walk in the park has made her edgy. How could she lose her awareness like that? Just a second ago, she promised herself not to lose it. It was like she couldn’t control her brain. Suddenly, a shiver runs up her spine, and she realizes that she is still naked.

After she has slipped into something comfortable she gets a glass of wine and leans back on her sofa. She picks up her phone and calls her mother.
“Hi Mom, it’s me. I’m just calling to see how you are doing. I’m feeling ok. I just got home. No, it’s not because I live on the outskirts of the city. I had to work late. Yeah, the lights went out when I was in the shower and I got frightened. I don’t know why. I just… No, I can’t, yes, yes, no, Mom, I’m not interested in Richard. I can take care of myself. Well, I have to go, bye.”
After she has hung up, she asks herself why her mom always does that to her, making it sound like everything was her fault. She just wanted some comfort. She just wanted to feel safe. Tears start to fill her eyes, and she lies down and hugs one of the couch pillows. She starts to listen to the wind outside, and it sounds like the roof is about to be blown off. The walls are creaking, but what was that? That didn’t sound like the walls it sounded like the creak the floorboards in the hallway make when someone is walking on them. No, no, no, she says out loud and sits up. She won’t be tricked into that again. It’s the wind and all she needs is to relax. She has a long day tomorrow, so she might as well get a good night’s sleep. On the way out of the room, she picks up a marble figurine on the mantlepiece, just in case. As expected, there is no one in the hallway. Before she makes her way up the stairs, she double-checks that all windows and doors are firmly locked.

It feels like a warm hug when she slowly lowers herself into the fluffy and cozy bed. She leans towards the nightstand but stops as she is about to blow out the candle. Maybe, she should keep the candle burning. After thinking some more, she decides it’s too dangerous to keep it burning and blows it out. The room gets dark and she instantly regrets blowing it out. She can feel her stomach tighten and sits up to light the candle again. But she realizes that the room isn’t that dark as she can see the familiar shapes in the room. Just lie down and relax, she tells herself. When she closes her eyes, she starts to count sheep to get her mind thinking about something else. She feels the sleep coming closer and closer. What if there is someone in the house? Perhaps they are hiding under her bed. She needs to stop making things up. Relax, relax, there is nothing there, lalala, once again, she starts to count sheep, one sheep, two sheep. But something deep inside of her won’t let go. In her mind, she can see a hand slowly rising behind her back. NOOO, she screams, jumps off her bed, and lights the candle. The light shows her what she couldn’t tell herself, there is nothing behind or under the bed. She will never be able to fall asleep when she is wound up like this. Perhaps if she reads a bit and picks up the book on her nightstand. To be able to sit and read she arranges her pillows. After a while, she starts to relax and slowly drift further and further into the book. Slowly her eyelids start to feel heavy and she has difficulties keeping up with the reading. Finally, she can sleep and is about to close the book. Did she close the closet door before she went to bed? The thought comes from nowhere. She tries to ignore it and continues to read. But she can’t help looking over the top edge of the book at the closet door. She lifts the book higher so she can’t see the closet though it’s too late. She is certain she closed the closet door, so why is it now open? Why? Why on earth did she insist on getting a walk-in closet, a closet that’s big enough for someone to hide in? She needs to close the door, and then she will fall asleep. No, she tells herself, she needs to conquer these thoughts and convince her brain that there is nothing in the closet. She turns around and lies down with her back against the closet. She blows out the candle, puts the headphones in her ears, and listens to some relaxing sounds. It doesn’t take long until she sleeps soundly and is oblivious to the two small reflections observing her from the dark closet.

Jonathan doesn’t know what to say and turns around and looks out his window. It’s then he realizes how blurred the window is, it’s like the surface is floating. When he touches the surface he feels that it’s not the glass that changed it’s that the windows are covered with ice, on the inside.
“It’s the condensation of our breath that freezes on the windows. It must be really cold outside.” He can hear Mark saying from the back. “How cold is it?”
“It’s…” he can’t believe it when he sees the panel “It’s minus 35 degrees.”
Linda who sits and looks out the window says something with a low voice.
“What did you say?” Jonathan asks her.
“The light from the cars is going out. Lots of people are going to freeze. Why aren’t help coming?”
“I don’t know,” Jonathan answers her and he can feel a cold lump starting to form in his stomach.
Linda turns around and looks at him with scared eyes. “That one you must have heard.”
“Heard what?” Mark asks from the back.
“She thinks she hears screams,” Jonathan answers him.
“Nah, it’s the wind girl.”
“No, I heard it I’m sure. You have to have heard it. I’m not imagining.”
“You are just spooking yourself, the storm will soon be over and then you will see that it’s just your imagination,” says Jonathan trying to ensure her as well as himself.
“I want to go home,” Linda says and then she starts to sob. Jonathan doesn’t know what to do but hands her a tissue and tries to turn the knob for the temperature control some more but it’s maxed out.
“Don’t worry we just wait in here until the storm is over,” he says to her.
“I’m sorry, perhaps I’m imagining it’s just that I have this bad feeling in my stomach.”
“Hey, guys look over there, someone is flashing their headlights,” says Mark and points backward along the road. “Perhaps they need help?”
Jonathan tries to look through the back window and even though it’s dark and blurry he can see a light coming on and off. Mark turns around and looks at them, “Should we help them?”
“Noo” Linda says with an unsure tone.
“We must, perhaps they are in great need,” Jonathan says and looks at Linda “Wouldn’t you want someone to come to you if it were you in the car?”
She looks at him “Of course, I’m just scared.”
“Ok, then you stay here and lock the doors. Me and,” He looks at Mark in the back who nods. “Me and Mark will go and check, ok?”
“Ok, just be careful,” Linda says when Jonathan reaches for the door handle.
“We will,” and then he opens the door and steps out.

The snow and storm hits him in the face like a sledgehammer and he puts his hand up to protect it. He walks behind the car and there he finds Mark who points toward the car with flashing lights. Jonathan takes the lead and starts to walk against the lights. It’s tough as the storm is raging and it feels like walking against a wall. The cold starts to dig into his bones and he increases his pace. Then suddenly the lights disappear and he loses direction. He turns around and looks at Mark who raises his shoulders. He tries to find the car but he feels lost and disoriented as everything is just a grey and white mass. Once more he turns to Mark who shakes his head and waves his hand back towards the lights on Jonathan’s car. Jonathan nods and waves his hand in the same direction as a response. Which makes Jonathan almost feel glad as it’s so cold. He has never experienced anything like it before and the wind feels like thousands of small needles are colliding into him. He tries to focus on his car in front of him but the noise from the storm is insane, like having a big fan in your head. It’s when he listens to the strong wind he hears it. Somewhere in the roaring storm, he can hear something like a whisper. He listens carefully and it’s not just one whisper it’s like a chorus of hundreds of whispers. No not whispers, screams, faint screams very far away. He tries to ignore the sounds but he can’t and when they reach the car he is anxious to get in. He lifts the door handle but the car is locked and he remembers that he told Linda to lock it. He starts to knock on the window but nothing happens. He looks at Mark who knocks the rear window but he gets no response there either. Mark shows Jonathan with his hands that he will walk around the car and try the other side. Jonathan nods and continues to knock on the window. He is freezing like he never has been before, his entire body is shaking and it feels like someone is injecting ice into his blood. When nothing happens he walks around the car and finds that Mark is not there. He knocks on the window but nothing happens and he doesn’t understand why they don’t open. His hands are starting to get stiff and he can’t stand the cold anymore. With his elbow, he smashes the small window in the back. After a while, he gets the door open and when he gets in he exclaims angrily.
“What the hell, why don’t you open the door I’m freezing my butt off?”
To his amazement the car is empty and in an instant, all the fear that he has suppressed makes the knot in his stomach explode. The snow is rushing in through the broken window and he takes off his jacket and stuffs it in the hole. Then he jumps up into the front seat and puts his hands over the vent and slowly he can feel his body gaining heat. He looks around in the car and thoughts start to fill his head. Where did they go? Mark was just here. Perhaps a rescue team had come? Why hadn’t they taken him then? His thought is interrupted by the engine of the car coughing and hacking. To his despair, the gasoline gauge shines red. No, not now, and then the car dies. He tries to turn the key and the car tries to ignite but that’s it. It’s dead and with it, the heat. He tries to swallow the lump in his throat and suppress the thoughts creeping up in the back of his mind. It doesn’t take long until he starts to shake and he starts to rub his arms with his hands. He looks around the car trying to find something to keep his warmth up. The only thing he finds is the coat, which is stuck in the window. He starts to shake and can hear his teeth clack uncontrollably. He is afraid that he will freeze to death. Then suddenly the constant roaring sound disappears, the car steadies and the gloom lifts from the car. He looks out through the front window and can’t believe what he is seeing. No the ice on the window must be playing tricks on him. He opens the door and steps out and if he was scared before it’s nothing to what he is feeling now. In both the front and back of his car there is nothing on the road except for piles of snow, him and his car.

När jag vaknar så är min hon inte där, hon måste varit riktigt arg för hon har lämnat all röra efter sig vilket inte alls är likt henne. Jag äter lite frukost och lämnar huset för att bege mig till jobbet men när jag kommer ut så är bilen borta. Jag är tvungen att ta bussen till jobbet idag vilket jag inte gjort på länge. På bussen så ockuperas mina tankar av vad jag ska säga till chefen. Hur ska jag få honom att förstå att jag måste sluta, att jag inte kan fortsätta. Jag vet att han kommer försöka övertala mig om hur viktig jag är för projektet att de inte klarar sig utan mig. Vilket det ligger en hel del i men det är dags att dra en gräns. När jag kommer in på kontoret så hälsar jag som vanligt på Linda i receptionen men hon hälsar inte tillbaka. Hon brukar alltid hälsa god morgon med ett stort leende men nu sitter hon med huvudet i händerna. Hon kanske har sovit dåligt. tänker jag och går in hissen. När jag går förbi chefens kontor så är han inte är där. Jag hade tänkt ta tjuren vid hornen så fort som möjligt men jag får väll vänta till senare. Mitt kontor ser annorlunda ut eller så är det jag som ser det med andra ögon. Jag sätter mig på min plats och lutar mig bakåt i stolen. Tänkt vad mycket man glömmer bort i livet, hur kan jobbet vara så viktigt? Jag tänker på mamma och hur viktig hon är i mitt liv och vad hon har betytt för mig sedan pappa dog. Har jag någonsin berättat det för henne? Vilken otroligt obekväm stol jag har, bara en sådan sak. Har jag accepterat denna stol bara för att jag varit så upptagen i arbetet. Kan man verkligen vara så stressad att man försakar sådant som är hälsosamt för en. Jag kollar klockan och ser att jag filosoferat bort en hel timme. Kommer inte ihåg när jag var på jobbet utan att inte göra något och då inser jag att inte en enda har kommit förbi för att fråga eller be mig om något, jag har faktiskt inte sett eller hört någon av mina kollegor.

Ute i korridoren är det knäpp tyst och jag börjar gå längs korridoren men vart enda kontor jag passerar är tomt. Är det lördag? Snabbt kollar jag min mobil som visar att det är fredag. Har jag missat något, ett möte kanske och beger mig ner till receptionen för att höra med Linda men när jag kommer ner till receptionen så är den tom.  Jag går in bakom receptionsbordet för att kolla Lindas kalender. Då ser jag min bästa polare Mårten komma ut från hissen. Han pratar i mobilen och jag kan höra honom säga ”jag har skickat iväg alla och jag är sist från kontoret, självklart Jessica, jag kommer snart. Hej då” Jessica, vad ska han göra med Jessica klockan 12? ”Yo Mårten vad är det som pågår, vad ska du och Jessica hitta på?” frågar jag. men han bara passerar förbi receptionen utan att ens titta på mig. ”Hej Mårten, vet du var alla är? Har jag missat ett möte eller..? men innan jag hinner avsluta så har han gått ut genom entrédörrarna. Vad är det som pågår? Kanske är det någon överraskningsfest? Nej, varför skulle Jessica ordna det efter gårdagen. Jag får en sugande känsla i magen och skyndar mig tillbaka tillbaka till kontoret efter min jacka.

Jag stannar till på chefens kontor som fortfarande är borta, så jag sätter mig ner och skriver “Jag har beslutat att säga upp mig. Jag måste fokusera på mitt och Jessicas förhållande. Jag har insett att det här jobbet har tärt på mig både mentalt och fysiskt. Slå mig en signal när du är tillbaka. Mvh Hannes” Jag går till mitt kontor och hämtar min jacka och innan jag lämnar rummet så vänder jag mig om och inser att det nog är sista gången jag ser det och kroppen fylls av en otrolig lättnad. Efter så många år fast i detta kontor så ska jag njuta av livet med personen jag älskar mest. Otroligt nog så kommer inte bussen och med tanke på hur lite trafik det är så börjar jag oroa mig för att det skett någon form av giftutsläpp eller liknande. Kanske därför som Mårten skulle hem till oss. Jag börjar snabbt gå hemåt och på vägen så upptäcker jag hur fantastisk natur det är mellan jobbet och huset. Det visste jag egentligen men har på något sätt glömt bort det. En bit bort på kullen så ser jag  parken som jag och Jessica regelbundet brukade promenera i början av vårt förhållande. Varför slutade vi med det? Jag såg fram emot det varje vecka. Det är något vi kommer göra betydligt oftare från och med nu. lovar jag mig själv. Jag hoppas verkligen att Jessica blir glad när jag berättar för henne att det är slut med jobbet och att jag i fortsättningen kommer fokusera på oss. Att vi ska skaffa det barn vi så länge pratat om men som jag har skjutit upp på grund av arbetet. När jag går in på vår gata så ser jag att det så står flera bilar framför vårt hus. Kanske är det en överraskningsfest ändå? Nej, varför skulle de då lämna bilarna framme. 

Jag ropar hej när jag kommer innanför dörren men det är ingen som svarar. Hallgolvet är fullt med skor och jag hör hur det pratas i vardagsrummet. När jag kommer in där så är det ingen som lägger märke till mig och till min förvåning så är rummet fullt av våra vänner. I soffan sitter mamma och Jessica och håller om varandra. Innan jag hinner säger något så ställer sig Mårten upp och säger ”Jag har blivit ombedd av Jessica att berätta vad polisen har kommit fram till. Det ser ut som att Hannes somnade i bilen och körde av vägen när han var på väg hem. Jag vet inte om det är någon tröst men läkarna tror att han omkom omedelbart. Jag vill å Jessicas vägnar tacka alla för att ni kommit så att vi alla kan dela denna sorg.” Va, vad säger han? Vadå omkom, jag har inte omkommit. ”Jag är inte död, jag är här”, säger jag skrattandes. Men ingen tittar på mig och det är då jag inser att alla gråter och på soffbordet står ett fotografi på mig. Allt börjar snurra, Inte nu, snälla. Jag tar tag i Mårten och tittar honom i hans röda ögon, men han ser rakt igenom mig. I bakgrunden så hör jag klockan slå första slaget för tolv. När fjärde slaget slår så löses Mårten upp framför mig och försvinner. Jag tittar mig omkring och inser att de flesta av mina vänner är borta. Jag springer fram och lägger händerna i Jessicas knä och som om hon kände det så tittar hon upp. Jag tittar på henne och formar orden ”Förlåt, jag älskar dig, du e mitt allt.” och sedan slår klockan sista slaget.

Källa – http://www.breakit.se/artikel/7775/jag-la-4-ar-av-mitt-liv-pa-en-kass-ide-det-har-ar-vad-jag-larde-mig

http://winaero.com/blog/find-your-current-wallpaper-image-path-in-windows-10/

See the answer here

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/6731894/click-event-is-calling-twice-in-jquery