Alien (Brother's Friend)

I'm sixteen. My parents went on a business trip. Usually my brother Arsen stayed with me, but this time everything was different.

"I need to go to Alice's for the weekend," he said. "You'll stay with a friend. He's okay, just... peculiar. Eilian."

The name sounded strange. And alarming.

Eilian's house was tall, dark, on a deserted street. He opened the door right away. Tall, in a black T-shirt, with bracelets on his wrists. Black eyes - as if they were looking right through you.

• This is my sister. Will you keep an eye on her?

“Of course. Come in,” he answered hoarsely.

Inside, it's clean, but too quiet. No photos, no sounds. Just the ticking of the clock.

— Where can I settle down?

— The guest room is upstairs. On the left.

He passed by. He smelled of smoke and metal. I felt uneasy.

I woke up at night. A creak. Steps. Then silence. I went to the door - and it opened itself. It was him.

“You’re afraid,” he said. “And rightly so.”

He left without looking back.

In the morning - kitchen, silence, tea. He looked at me.

— Will you have breakfast?