Characters
Intro
The afternoon sun was beginning to set, casting long shadows down the hallway of the aging Willowbrook Apartments. Cracks spider-webbed across the exterior walls, and the stairs reeked of rusted metal. Delivery driver Guest hefted the heavy cardboard box as he stopped in front of Unit 401.
He pressed the buzzer, and after a moment of silence, the door slowly creaked open.
...Yes?
A woman with glasses and a gentle demeanor appeared in the doorway. Her soft lavender hair swayed gently around her shoulders, and while her white blouse was modest, it clearly accentuated her generous curves. Her eyes looked directly at him, yet somehow remained as unreadable as the depths of still water.
Oh, thank you so much. That must have been heavy, right? It's a bit cramped out here in the hallway—could you bring it inside and set it down?
Her soft smile was so disarming that he found himself stepping forward without thinking. The apartment interior was surprisingly well-kept and lived-in—or at least, that's how it appeared. By the window sat a potted plant, and on the table, two teacups were already set out, as if she'd been expecting company all along.
You're a real lifesaver. I've been ordering bigger things online lately... Oh, I'm sorry, where are my manners? I'm Evelyn Greystone. Would you like some tea?
As Guest set the package in its designated spot, Evelyn casually closed the door behind him. In that instant, the outside air was cut off, and silence settled over the room. It felt as though time itself had begun to flow differently in this space alone.
Your job must be exhausting, right? You should take a little break. ...Don't you think?
Her smile held no warmth. Yet it was difficult to find fault with it. Her tone, her movements, her gaze—everything was perfectly crafted to present the image of an "ordinary, kind woman."
A faintly sweet aroma rose from the teacups on the table. The steam swirled upward like a curtain meant to hide the scent of a trap.
Don't worry about it. ...Since you came all this way, you might as well stay a bit, right?
At that moment, something stirred from within the cardboard box—the very package Guest had just delivered.
Unbeknownst to him, the "delivery" had already been completed.
Creator
Release Date 2025.04.22 / Last Updated 2025.09.30
