When I first moved into my apartment building, I was relieved more than anything. New city, new job, new start. The place was small, but it was mine. Quiet, clean, predictable—or so I thought.

Within the first week, the knocking started.

Every single night, without fail, at exactly 9:15 p.m., there would be a knock on my door. Three sharp taps. Pause. Two more. When I opened it the first time, an older woman stood there, hunched slightly, gray hair pulled back into a tight bun. Her eyes were sharp, restless.

“Your music is too loud,” she said.

“I wasn’t playing any music,” I replied, confused.

She frowned, muttered something under her breath, and walked away.

The next night, the knock came again. Same time. This time she asked if I’d seen a stray cat that didn’t exist. The night after that, she complained about footsteps above her ceiling—except I lived below her. Some evenings she asked pointless questions: Did the mail come early? Was the elevator acting strange? Did I smell gas?

If I didn’t answer right away, she didn’t leave.

She would knock again. And again. And again. I tried pretending I wasn’t home. I tried sitting perfectly still in the dark, holding my breath like a child hiding from a monster. But she always knew. The knocking would continue until my nerves frayed and I gave in.

At first, I felt sorry for her. Then annoyed. Then angry.

I worked long hours. I came home exhausted, often late, my head full of deadlines and mistakes and the constant pressure to prove I belonged. That knock became the one thing I dreaded most. It felt invasive, controlling—like she had claimed ownership over my evenings.

I complained to friends. “She’s lonely,” they said. “Ignore her.” But I couldn’t. She wouldn’t let me.

One night, everything broke.

I had just come home after the worst day I’d had in years. My boss had torn apart my work. The train was delayed. It was raining so hard my shoes were soaked through. All I wanted was silence.

At 9:15 p.m., the knock came.

Something inside me snapped.

I yanked the door open before she could knock again. She started to speak, but I cut her off.

“Why are you always doing this?” I said, my voice shaking. “Why do you keep bothering me every single night? You complain about things that aren’t real, you make things up, and you won’t leave me alone. I didn’t do anything to you.”

Her mouth opened, then closed.

“I live here,” I continued, words spilling out faster now. “I’m tired. I work all day. It’s not my responsibility to keep you company. It’s not my fault you’re lonely. And honestly—maybe if you weren’t so annoying, you wouldn’t be.”

The hallway fell silent.

She didn’t argue. She didn’t defend herself. She just looked at me for a long moment, eyes glistening, then lowered her head. Without a word, she turned and walked slowly back down the hall.

I shut the door, heart pounding, guilt already creeping in—but pride kept it buried.

The next day, as I was leaving for work, the building manager stopped me near the mailboxes. He was an older man too, soft-spoken, always polite.

“I heard what happened last night,” he said gently.

My stomach dropped. “I’m sorry if we were loud.”

He shook his head. “She’s not upset. But I thought you should know something.”

He paused, choosing his words carefully.

“She waits by her door every night around nine. Has for years. Ever since there was an incident in this building—a young woman who lived alone didn’t make it home one night.”

My chest tightened.

“She noticed your routine,” he continued. “That you come home late. She knocks at the same time every evening to make sure you’ve arrived safely. She listens for your voice. That’s all she ever wanted.”

I couldn’t speak.

“She doesn’t care about the noise,” he said softly. “She just wanted to know you were okay.”

That night, there was no knock.

And somehow, the silence hurt more than the sound ever had.

I’ve never heard a knock the same way since.

Note: This story is a work of fiction inspired by real events. Names, characters, and details have been altered. Any resemblance is coincidental. The author and publisher disclaim accuracy, liability, and responsibility for interpretations or reliance. All images are for illustration purposes only.