HUM by Dan Hawley (chromebook ebook reader TXT) 📕

and alien to be on a floor that wasn’t his. Uncomfortable and out of place. It was his building; he lived only one floor up, but walking around on a different floor felt odd, even though it looked the same. He walked in the direction that the well-dressed man had taken. As he passed each door, Jason observed them carefully, looking for a sign that said electrical room, or mechanical room, or even janitor closet. He found nothing but apartment numbers and a stairway. At the end of the hallway, he turned around to check the other side of the floor.

Jason walked along at a brisk pace, feeling a bit like an intruder, picturing where his place was, one floor above. Jason figured his apartment was on the other side of the building, the opposite side of the well-dressed man’s place. That’s why he didn’t hear the hum, Jason reasoned, he’s all the way over on the other side. That knowledge slightly put his mind at ease as he passed the elevator and headed for the other side; the side that his apartment was on. The side where Chester had said the mechanical room was or must be if it’s not on the opposite side. Jason counted the numbers as he passed the doors. Then a stairwell. Then, Jason stopped and stared at the door at the end of the hall. The last door, the one that he expected to show mechanical room embossed on its little brass sign, was just like the others, except it read 2012.

Jason’s brain was trying to make sense of it all. Had he heard Chester wrong? Didn’t he say there was a mechanical room below their apartment? Yes, he did. He even said they had it inspected, and that everything was normal and well within the appropriate decibel level.

Well, where the hell was it then!?

Jason’s thoughts raced as he stared at apartment 2012. Maybe he had missed it. He turned on his heel and swiftly rechecked all the doors on floor twenty. He had not missed it. There was nothing but apartments and stairs. As Jason pressed the elevator button to call the lift, he stood thinking, deep in thought. Maybe Chester didn’t mean directly below their apartment? Perhaps a few floors down? Maybe the damn room was in the basement, but the hum traveled easily up the damn hollow walls.

And what was he going to do anyway when he found the door? Kick it? Flip it the bird?

No, he thought.

He wanted to press his ear up against it, to listen to the source.

Suddenly, the elevator dinged as the door opened. Jason gave his head a quick shake, attempting to clear it, and stepped in.

CHAPTER 19

Jason opened the apartment door, and the aroma hit him like a wave. Garlic and butter and cream filled his nostrils, and he inhaled deeply. He stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind him. Samantha was playing music on her Bluetooth speaker; some new Top 40 song that you could shake your ass to. She must be in a good mood, he thought. He kicked off his shoes, hung his jacket in the closet, and rounded the corner into the kitchen.

The room was bright and busy. The garlic cream sauce bubbled on the stove. The oven light was on, and Jason was now able to match the delicious smell of roast chicken to its source. A pot of water was waiting at a rolling boil, eager to soften the dried noodles.

Samantha was indeed shaking her ass. She was half bent over the sink, washing some of the dishes used for cooking, her round bottom swaying to the beat. Jason didn’t think she’d heard him come in, so he snuck up behind her.

“Ah!” She seemed to jump about a foot in the air when Jason grabbed a firm butt cheek in each hand. She spun around in a frenzy of shock and bubbles. Foam shot across Jason’s chest like he was washing cars at some high school fundraiser. His face was bright and smiling; eyes clear and mischievous.

“Jesus Christ, Jason!” Sam gasped as she held her chest with one hand. “You almost gave me a coronary!”

She leaned against the counter, her breath coming in short, sharp breaths.

Jason chuckled.

“Sorry babe, you ok?”

Smiling, he picked up a wooden spoon and began to stir the thick, white sauce.

“You bastard,” she said as she turned the music down. “Now get out of here. Did you even wash your hands?”

Jason tapped the spoon and put it down. He leaned into Sam, and they kissed long and deep. She pulled her head back to see into his eyes.

“You look good. Did you have a nap over there or something?”

Jason gave her red lips a quick peck before letting her go. He walked to the sink to wash his hands.

“It was good. Like, really good. Kinda like a therapy session or something. I just talked and talked, and the doctor just listened and took notes. Felt good to get some of that shit off my chest, Sam.”

He finished rinsing and turned off the tap. Samantha handed him the towel from the front of the oven. “Thanks,” he said as he dried his hands.

“Well?” Samantha asked expectantly, “what did he say?”

“Nothing much.”

Sam’s expression turned curious.

“He just said I have a lot to unpack, whatever that means, but that I’m to go back tomorrow night and sleep over. I guess they’re gonna strap some probes to my head and see what happens. “Polysomnography,” Sam said.

“Huh?”

“It’s the test they use to diagnose sleep disorders. I googled it today. The page is still open on the laptop if you want to look it over before your test tomorrow.”

Jason cocked an eyebrow.

“Yeah, I guess I should, huh.”

Samantha turned and poured the dried noodles into the boiling water.

“I started dinner when you texted me. I almost had the timing right, but I didn’t want to overcook the noodles. Good thing you took a little longer than I expected.”

Sam stirred the