The Linden · Calder City · romance thriller
KILLER
Cheap rent. Cute neighbors. Every one of them is a killer, and they think you are too.
You just moved into apartment 4B of a dumpy downtown walk-up. The neighbors are gorgeous, goofy and weirdly close. Then they start asking what your "thing" is. Lie well, fall in love, and never, ever talk.
APT 4B · NOW OPENMechanic 01 · your cover story
So... what's your thing?
Everyone at the Linden got in on a referral from another killer. Yours came from Marcus's account, the night he "moved out." So the building assumes you're one of them, and they will ask: your alias, your weapon, why you do it, how famous you are.
Whatever you claim becomes canon. The neighbors remember it, compare notes and ask follow-ups. Try one on.
Alias
Weapon
Why
Fame
Mechanic 02 · the stat that kills you
Suspicion
How close the building is to realizing you're a fake. It climbs with slips, contradictions, squeamishness and Kiki's digging. It falls with confident lies, loyalty and time. Drag it and see how the Linden reacts.
Mechanic 03 · the stat you never see
Affection is invisible
Every neighbor quietly tracks how they feel about you. No meters, no numbers. You read it in who saves you a seat, who texts first, who covers for your slip, and who goes quiet when you walk in. It decides what happens when someone finds out the truth.
They don't like you
They come for you, or they tell Odette and Kai handles it. The threat is real. Fight, run, bargain or outplay them.
They're on the fence
They keep it to themselves, for now, and use it. Favors, leverage, a very close eye on you.
They're falling for you
Every one reacts differently, and every one is romantic. Some protect you. Some get possessive. Open a profile to see.
Posted by the mailboxes
House rules
A tired six-story brick walk-up. Flickering halls, banging radiators, an elevator that works on weekdays, a roof with lawn chairs and a kiddie pool. No management company, no background checks, rent in cash.
Nobody talks.
Ever. To anyone. Marcus talked.
No work at home.
Nobody who lives here is ever a target.
Sunday dinner on the roof.
Mandatory. Elias has never come.
10 residents · hover to say hi · tap for their profile
Your new neighbors
A college-age friend group with inside jokes, borrowed sugar and a group chat full of memes. They are lovable. That's the scary part.
They have lives without you
Who's with who
Mechanic 04 · Quiet Hours
The group chat
The residents' group chat. Pull out your phone in the story any time to read it or type something, and every neighbor answers in their own texting voice. It never interrupts you. Most of it is memes and missing packages. Some of it stops your heart.
Go ahead. Say something.