Shawn Turner was a programmer. He worked from home, which many would consider a blessing, but for him, it was more of a self-inflicted curse.
The problem wasn't the work itself; it was that Shawn was lazy.
Very lazy.
His apartment looked like a battlefield: dirty dishes piled in the sink, clothes strewn across the floor, and his desk covered in empty soda cans and fast-food wrappers.
He spent most of his time procrastinating by watching videos on his phone or getting into absurd arguments with strangers on the internet, leaving everything for the last minute.
Because of this, he was almost always working against the clock, rushing to meet the deadlines set by the company.
That was why Shawn had woken up today feeling exhausted, with puffy eyes and an aching body from staying up until four in the morning to finish a project due in two days.
'I hate my life,' Shawn thought as he dragged himself out of bed, yawning. Then he scratched his head, messing up his hair even more, and walked toward the kitchen with sluggish steps.
But when he arrived, something stopped him dead in his tracks.
On the kitchen table sat a book.
A large, heavy book that Shawn didn't remember buying.
Shawn frowned, leaning in curiously.
'What's this?' Shawn thought, bending down to read the title.
The Bible.
Shawn blinked.
Then he let out a loud laugh.
"What the heck?" he said aloud, grabbing the book with both hands. "How did this get here?"
Shawn hated religion. It had always seemed like a bunch of absurd rules invented to control people.
Without a second thought, he walked over to the trash can and tossed the book inside.
Thud!
The book landed with a dull heavy sound.
Shawn brushed off his hands, satisfied, and started making breakfast.
A few minutes later, with a plate of scrambled eggs and toast in hand, he walked toward his room.
But when he entered, he froze.
On his desk, right next to his computer, sat another book.
A book identical to the one he had thrown away minutes ago.
Shawn felt the plate slip from his hands.
Crash!
The plate shattered against the floor, and eggs splattered everywhere.
"Dammit!" Shawn yelled, looking at the mess.
Shawn took a deep breath, trying to calm down, and began cleaning the floor with a towel.
But his mind wouldn't stop racing.
'How did that get there?' he thought, glancing sideways at the book on the desk.
The idea of someone having entered his house terrified him.
'A burglar?' he thought, feeling a shiver.
But… what kind of burglar leaves Bibles lying around to throw their victim off?
'Is this a new type of robbery?' Shawn wondered, confused. 'Or am I being pranked for a hidden camera show to be uploaded online?'
Shawn finished cleaning and stood up, taking a deep breath.
"Hey!" he shouted loudly, looking around. "If someone's here, come out now! This isn't funny anymore!"
Silence.
Nothing happened.
Shawn waited a few seconds, but his apartment remained in complete silence.
'How creepy…,' Shawn thought, feeling his heart beat faster.
Annoyed, he grabbed the Bible from the desk and walked to the window.
Fwip!
He threw it outside with all his might.
Then he slammed the window shut and locked it.
"There!" he shouted, as if someone were listening. "I threw that useless book out! So whoever broke into my house, get lost and leave me alone!"
Shawn took a deep breath, trying to settle his nerves.
'I need a broom,' he thought, seeing the food still on the floor.
It was one thing to have a messy desk, but having food scattered on the floor was a direct invitation for ants or cockroaches.
Shawn walked toward a small room where he kept the brooms and cleaning supplies, and when he opened the door… he froze.
On top of a cardboard box, right next to the broom, sat another Bible.
"What the…?" Shawn muttered, feeling fear begin to take hold of him.
But at the same time, he let out a nervous laugh.
"No, no, no," he said, backing away. "This isn't happening."
Shawn slammed the door shut and started running through the apartment, looking for the culprit.
He ran into the bathroom.
There was a Bible on the sink.
He ran to his room.
There was a Bible on the bed.
He went back to the kitchen.
There was a Bible on the table, exactly where the first one had been.
"What the hell is going on?!" Shawn screamed, panic flooding over him.
He ran to the trash can and flipped it open.
Empty.
The Bible he had thrown away wasn't there.
He ran to the window and looked out toward the spot where he had tossed the book.
Nothing.
The Bible he had launched wasn't there either.
'This is impossible,' Shawn thought, his hands trembling. 'There's no way a human is doing this.'
And then, a terrifying idea crossed his mind.
'A ghost?' he thought, his skin crawling.
Or even worse…
'A very, very skilled Jehovah's Witness?!'