Short Story: 'Listening In'

Wednesday July 7th

Ruth spends the morning writing at her desk. For twelve minutes she looks at the windows of the apartments opposite. It is, she says aloud, too hot to write. She makes a green smoothie and scrolls through her phone.

At eleven, she changes into leggings and a baggy t-shirt and leaves the apartment.

Sidney comes home at two and is surprised Ruth isn’t there. He rings her and explains that he got off work early and asks if she wants to go to the cinema. He doesn’t know if anything good is on but just wants to do something productive with his free afternoon.

Sidney watches ’30 Rock’ on his laptop until Ruth comes home at four. Ruth explains that she’d met her old work-friend Mia and had coffee. Sidney thought Ruth had to get a column finished by Thursday. Ruth says that Sidney doesn’t have to worry about her work and suggests he focus on his own job - like picking up more shifts at the cafe. Sidney said he’d like to focus on his own life but it becomes his problem when Ruth is stressed out.

They don’t speak for forty-two minutes.

At six thirty-seven they make love for thirteen minutes.

At eight-fifteen they eat pasta with creamy mushroom sauce and begin to watch a new drama starring Nicole Kidman. Sidney is distracted by his phone and Ruth becomes frustrated that he isn’t focusing properly.

At ten thirteen they hear a baby crying through the wall from next door’s apartment. Sidney doesn’t know how parents put up with babies as their cries are designed to pierce the human mind. Ruth says if it was their baby he would cope. Sidney doesn’t reply to this. They hear a man’s voice singing a lullaby to the baby and laugh as Sidney imitates him.

They go to sleep just after eleven. Sidney kicks the sheets off as he’s too hot.

Saturday July 10th

Ruth gets up at nine-thirty and follows a yoga routine on YouTube. She speaks back to the instructor, saying ‘Good morning’ and ‘thank you’.

Sidney gets up at eleven after his alarm rings three times. He says Ruth gets up too early on a weekend.

Over a smoothie they discuss what to do with their day. There is an exhibition Ruth wants to see but Sidney says it’s too hot to go into the city. He adds that the exhibition would be quieter during the week. Ruth says that Sidney can’t go with her during the week. He suggests that she should go without him. Ruth doesn’t say anything for a few minutes but when probed says the point was that she wanted to go to the exhibition with him.

They decide to go to Astoria Park.

At seven fifteen they return home. Ruth puts on some after-sun as she thinks she got burned on her neck. Sidney says she didn’t but on further examination admits she is a bit pink.

Sidney decides to make something light using leftover salmon. He asks if Ruth wants rice or pasta with it but Ruth says it’s too hot an evening for that. They make wraps instead.

At eight forty-two they hear the baby crying. Sidney throws a cushion at the wall. Ruth nudges him and says the neighbours will hear. Sidney doesn’t believe they will hear a cushion hit a wall - and says “besides, they are the bad neighbours - letting a baby wail for so long”.

They hear a low rhythmic murmur through the wall. Sidney remarks that it’s a weird lullaby. He gets up to listen more closely at the wall but Ruth tells him not to be so nosy. He listens more. He shushes Ruth and calls her over. She listens too. They agree it sounds like a chant. Ruth says that it’s creepy. Sidney agrees. The chanting stops.

They quietly discuss who lives next door and realise that neither of them has ever seen the family.

At nine forty-five Ruth takes a call from her mother and Sidney becomes frustrated as he’s had to pause the show they were watching. The call lasts for thirty-four minutes. Sidney wonders what the hell they talk about. Ruth says it was just a catch-up. Sidney thinks Ruth’s family are too close. Ruth doesn’t appreciate this. Sidney backtracks and says it’s just that his family aren’t close and he’s not used to it - but thinks it’s sweet.

At eleven nineteen, Ruth goes to bed. Sidney stays up until twelve fourteen watching a review of 80s Saturday morning cartoons on YouTube.

Tuesday July 13th

Sidney gets up at six forty-five. He brushes his tongue as well as his teeth. (Note: Last week Ruth insisted that everyone brushes their tongue but Sidney felt it was excessive and added that dentists now admit flossing doesn’t actually make a difference.)

At seven-ten Sidney leaves for work.

Ruth wakes at eight forty and scrolls on her phone while using the toilet for seven minutes. She picks a playlist to listen to while in the shower.

At nine thirty she takes a zoom call with the Features Editor Jan and team. She proposes an idea about profiling nail artists in Brooklyn. Jan isn’t keen. While others talk, Ruth becomes distracted by an insect bite on the back of her calf.

At twelve minutes past ten Ruth takes a call from her colleague Dan who remarks how bad some pitches were in the meeting. He does an impression of Jan. Ruth laughs. Dan asks if she wants to meet for a coffee as he’s bored. Ruth says she can’t go all the way down to Brooklyn today as she has so much to do - but then agrees to.

Ruth changes into a summer dress. She looks at herself in the mirror for three minutes. She puts on perfume.

At eleven she leaves the apartment.

At five fifteen Sidney returns from work. He leaves a voice-note for Ruth asking where she is and if she could pick up oat milk on the way home. Sidney plays the song ‘Black Hole Sun’ and sings along until his voice becomes hoarse. He makes a coffee and reads through ‘reddit’ on his laptop.

At six o - two Ruth returns home. She says she went to the exhibition. Sidney asks how she forgot the milk. Ruth offers to go back down to the shop but Sidney insists it doesn’t matter. He goes to kiss her but she moves away and says she wants a shower as she’s too hot and sticky.

At seven eighteen they eat tuna stir-fry and rice from a microwave packet.

At eight Sidney pauses the Nicole Kidman drama. He hears more chanting from next door. Ruth says it’s freaking her out now. They both listen at the wall. It is more than the parents, it’s a group - maybe ten people or more. The baby is crying. As the cries get louder Ruth backs away from the wall. She wonders if they should knock on the door or phone someone… The chanting gets louder. The baby’s cry stops. They hear a cheer. Sidney tries to make out the words. Sidney repeats back the words to himself.

They don’t move. They listen. The murmurs dies down. Ruth says she doesn’t like this at all. Sidney goes to his laptop and types in the words he heard - ‘Ave Satanas’. He says it means ‘Hail Satan’. Sidney says it must be a sick joke.

They listen. Silence.

Ruth says Sidney should do something. He asks what does she want him to do - to knock on their door? He says ‘they’re clearly nuts'. Ruth says she doesn’t know what to do. Ruth asks what does he think happened to the baby. Sidney says he doesn’t know.

They sit and think. Sidney suggests that they probably misheard. It could be some kind of ceremony from another country. Ruth agrees he’s probably right. They continue watching the drama but both seem distracted.

They go to bed at eleven forty-five but both lie awake. Sidney falls asleep at one-fifteen. Ruth falls asleep at three o nine.

[Log interrupted. Continues from Location B]

Wednesday July 14th

Sidney gets up at six forty-five. Ruth also gets up. She says she can’t sleep. After making a green tea she goes to listen at the wall and tells Sidney there’s no sound. Sidney suggests that Ruth leaves it - “it was definitely some traditional thing, like a Greek orthodox baptism or something”. Ruth isn’t sure and raises the words Sidney heard - ‘Ave Satanas’. Sidney says he can’t be sure what he’s heard.

At seven-ten Sidney leaves for work.

Ruth sits and watches the wall for twenty minutes. She then tries to write for two hours but keeps getting up and pacing the room.

At ten forty she listens at the wall again.

At eleven o six she calls down to the building Superintendent and asks if she can talk to him about something.

At eleven twelve Clyde the Super arrives. Ruth offers him coffee but he declines. He asks if the problem is with the air conditioning as there has been some complaints about smell. Ruth says it isn’t and asks about the family next door. She explains that they hear the baby crying a lot and are worried for its safety. Clyde outlines that babies crying is beyond his pay-grade - but adds that the noise can’t be coming from that side as 417 has been empty for six months.

Ruth says they have heard a family in there ever since they’ve moved in two months ago - a mother, a father and a baby. Last night there were more voices, a whole group of people. Clyde insists that she’s got it wrong. 417 is empty. Ruth asks if she can go and look. Clyde explains that only he has access to the apartments. She can’t go in. Ruth, now quite upset, insists she’s coming with him and will prove that it isn’t empty.

At eleven forty Ruth and Clyde return to the apartment with a laptop. Ruth is in shock and wildly paces the room. Clyde says it was the damn-dest thing he’s ever seen and says he should change the locks. Ruth leaves a voice-note for Sidney and insists that he come home now. Clyde asks if Ruth will be okay on her own. She says she will - Clyde wants to take the laptop as it is officially property of the building. Ruth says she’s keeping it. Clyde backs off.

Ruth watches Clyde until he leaves. She then bolts the door.

At twelve-seventeen Sidney tries to come in. Ruth opens the bolted door cries in his arms. He asks what’s wrong. She is shaking. Ruth explains that Clyde told her that nobody lives in the apartment next door - and when they went to look they found it was empty - except for a laptop linked up to speakers that were all facing their wall. She says she can’t get into the laptop because it’s password protected but insists they find out what’s on it.

At three thirty nine, Sidney’s friend Marlon arrives. He says there’s always a way to get passed a password. Marlon works on the laptop while Ruth paces the room and Sidney fidgets with his hair, his leg jumping with nerves.

At three forty seven, Marlon says “we’re in". They crowd around the laptop. Marlon says “that explains the baby-noise” - and plays an audio recording of a baby crying. He then plays audio of a couple making conversation, a couple arguing, a baby laughing, a father singing a lullaby, and Satanic chanting. “What the hell is this?” says Sidney to himself.

My God says Marlon. He pulls up document. Ruth starts to read aloud from the log [as above, Wednesday July 7th entry]. She says “someone is writing down everything we do”. She asks how the hell they could know all this stuff. Marlon pulls up another tab, recoils - live-feed from the apartment. He looks directly at camera in Vent 1. Marlon says there’s are cameras in their apartment “watching us right now”. Sidney opens Vent 1 and looks inside.

Sidney phones the police.

At eight fifty eight two police officers arrive. They take statements from Ruth, Sidney, and Marlon. They show them the documents on the laptop. The police say they will have to take the laptop as evidence and proposes they sweep the apartment for cameras and “monitoring equipment". Ruth tells them to talk to Clyde and outlines her suspicions.

The police leave to speak with Clyde. Ruth says she is going to stay at her mother’s tonight. Sidney says that’s all the way up-state and he has work in the morning. Marlon offers they can stay at his.

The police return and explain the next steps in the investigation. The female officer asks if they have somewhere to stay. Ruth says they’re going to her mother’s. Sidney says he’ll stay with Marlon. Ruth says it’s “fine” and she’ll go without him.

At nine fifty three Ruth phones her mother and cries as she explains what’s happened.

At ten-fourteen Sidney, Ruth and Marlon leave.

Saturday, July 17th

[Log continues from back-up microphones]

Sidney wakes at ten fifteen and showers.

At ten twenty-three he phones Ruth and checks what time she’s coming back from her mother’s.

At three-thirty-nine, Ruth returns to the apartment. Ruth says “it feels weird just being here again”. Sidney outlines that the police have removed all the cameras. Ruth can’t believe there was one in the bathroom. She says they have to move out.

Sidney says he knows what she means but the police promise everything is gone and they have Clyde in for questioning again today [editor’s note: ha!]. Sidney fears they won’t find another apartment this good again. Ruth says she doesn’t care.

At four, Ruth begins packing her bags and loudly questioning what all the ‘satanic bullshit’ was about. Sidney insists she’ll go mad if she thinks about it too much. He says Clyde is clearly a lunatic who was just trying to "mess with our minds”.

At four fifteen Ruth gets a call from Dan and takes it in the bedroom. She says she can’t meet up for a while as there’s a lot going on right now. She says she doesn’t want to get into it.

At four twenty two Ruth joins Sidney on the sofa. Sidney asks where should they move to. Ruth supposes somewhere nearby as she likes this neighbourhood - “or rather, liked the neighbourhood”. Ruth laments that this was her perfect apartment, Sidney says it was his too. Sidney gentle suggests that they sleep on it before making any decisions. Ruth thinks about this and cautiously agrees.

At six fifteen they order pizza.

Ruth reads a draft of her article aloud and Sidney says it sounds good. Ruth isn’t convinced that he’s enthusiastic and wishes he’d be honest with her. Sidney suggests that maybe she should write about this ‘whole creepy incident’. Ruth says that’s horrible. Then thinks about it and says maybe she will once “that sicko Clyde” is locked up. She supposes she could even get a book out of it.

At seven the pizza delivery arrives.

At eight twenty they watch the final episode of the Nicole Kidman drama. Sidney says it was okay but Ruth thinks he would like it more if he concentrated on it.

At nine fifteen it sounds like Sidney kisses the back of Ruth’s neck while she’s cleaning bowls in the sink. Ruth playfully tells him to go away.

At ten twenty they go to bed.

It is silent.

At eleven fifteen Ruth says she can’t sleep. She says she’ll always feel like someone is watching her. Sidney tells her not to worry so much and kisses her goodnight.

***

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