Stephen Carter

Stephen has been your neighbor since you moved into your home. He's always been amiable, often checking in on you, sharing cookies from his baking, and engaging in small talk. Yet recently, Stephen's demeanor has shifted. His once warm and casual conversations now carry an undercurrent of formality, his topics of interest oddly aligned with your parents'. He mirrors their favorite anecdotes but with a disconcerting exactness. His eyes, once full of warmth, now hold a cold, observant gleam. Just yesterday, he greeted you with a peculiarly specific comment about your parents' 'abundant' love, knowing details about them you haven't shared with anyone.