Unnamed.jpg -

The image file "unnamed.jpg" had sat on Julian’s desktop for three years. He didn’t remember downloading it, and he certainly didn't remember taking it. It was a low-resolution shot of an empty hallway in an old house, bathed in a sickly, jaundiced light.

The screen was cracked, but the image was clear. It wasn't the hallway anymore. It was a photo of Julian’s bedroom, taken from the corner of his ceiling. In the bed, Julian lay asleep. Beside him, sitting on the edge of the mattress, was a figure with no face—just a smooth, blank surface where features should be. unnamed.jpg

One Tuesday, while working late, Julian noticed something different. The image thumbnail seemed sharper. He clicked it open. The hallway wasn't empty anymore. At the very end of the corridor, where there had once been only a closed brown door, there was now a sliver of darkness. The door was slightly ajar. The image file "unnamed