CHAPTER 25: CONFUSED

I'm running terribly late for work, having lost track of time at the library. I glance at the clock and realize I have just twenty minutes to make it to my job.

I dash down the staircase and swiftly unlock the door to my apartment as I reach the top of the stairs. Given the late hour, I assumed the apartment would be empty. It was Wednesday, Mark had football practice, Kyle had a night class, and Kent typically wasn't home around this time.

I was slowly discovering that Kent was quite the fitness enthusiast. He relished working out twice daily when possible, going for jogs, and adhering to a strict dietary regimen on specific days of the week. It all seemed like the work of a mind obsessed with routines and order, which left me feeling a bit uneasy.

But as I'm about to close the apartment door, I'm greeted by the worst sound imaginable seeping from down the hallway: the rhythmic thud of a headboard against the wall, accompanied by the unmistakable squeaking and moaning of a mattress