The photo that smiled

Last month, I bought an old camera from a flea market. The seller told me it still worked, so I took it home and tried it out.

When I developed the first roll of film, most of the pictures were empty rooms and streets I didn’t remember visiting. But one photo made my stomach drop.

It was of my living room.
Taken from the corner, as if someone had been standing there.

And in the picture, there was a man sitting on my couch — grinning at the camera.
I live alone.

I ran to check my couch. Empty.
But when I looked back at the photo, the man’s grin was wider.

The next morning, I woke up to find a new photo on my coffee table.
It was me, sleeping.
And behind me, the man was still smiling. 
                                       ~AISHMEEN