I watched myself hug a ghost. Watched the camera pan left—a camera I didn't install—and saw the second front door. The one painted red. The one the military manual said to look for.
I never did find out who recorded it. But every night since, the MKV syncs itself to my desktop. Same title. Same resolution. Welcome.Home.2020.1080p.HD.DesireMovies.MY.mkv
And every night, the front door in the video opens one inch wider. I watched myself hug a ghost
End of piece.
The file played on.
On screen, the file sat ready: Welcome.Home.2020.1080p.HD.DesireMovies.MY.mkv Welcome.Home.2020.1080p.HD.DesireMovies.MY.mkv
The door code hadn’t changed. Neither had the scuff mark on the baseboard—the one I’d made dragging my duffel bag out six months ago. Six months. A lifetime.