the chapters

Cover image of novel, showing an illustration of a two-story Los Angeles apartment building at night with only one lit window, all in shades of blue and purple except the pale yellow of the lit window. The book title looms in block letters over the building: "I Hear You Watching."

Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published

I am not what I think I am;
I am not what you think I am;
I am what I think you think I am.

- Charles Horton Cooley
as summarized by Robert Bierstedt

The chapters of I Hear You Watching…

How It Begins

Zachary Dillon

December 15, 2024

Alex's first encounter with "The Stranger."

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All By Myself

Zachary Dillon

December 22, 2024

Alex's graveyard shift job captioning for TV.

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Sulphur Springs

Zachary Dillon

December 29, 2024

Alex goes camping with friends, and mentions "The Stranger."

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100% Clean

Zachary Dillon

Jan 12

Alex tries to break out of his lonely shell by joining a hookup site.

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Naked Online

Zachary Dillon

Jan 28

Alex has a troubling encounter on the hookup site.

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Maybe

Zachary Dillon

Feb 4

Alex receives a proposition on the hookup site.

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You Seem Nice

Zachary Dillon

Feb 11

Alex has a promising encounter with someone on the hookup site.

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White Thoughts

Zachary Dillon

Feb 18

What's the ugliest part of Alex's body? I think it's his mind…

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Predator or Prey

Zachary Dillon

Feb 25

Alex has a bad case of fight or flight.

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The Limits of Hospitable Space

Zachary Dillon

Mar 4

Alex finds security in imaginary restrooms, and searches for his pursuers at the grocery store.

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New Whiteboy

Zachary Dillon

Mar 11

Alex goes to Lili's apartment for their second date.

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Connecting the Dots

Zachary Dillon

Mar 18

Alex takes his first steps down the rabbit hole.

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The Last Pay Phone in Los Angeles

Zachary Dillon

Mar 25

Alex scrambles for a lifeline that isn't bugged.

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Near Ground Zero

Zachary Dillon

Apr 1

Alex obtains surveillance equipment of his own.

*recognized by Top in Fiction*

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Talk to Me

Zachary Dillon

Apr 8

Alex strikes up a conversation with his stalkers.

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Face-to-Face

Zachary Dillon

Apr 15

Alex confronts his supposed stalkers.

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The Star of the Show

Zachary Dillon

Apr 22

Alex stocks up on supplies for his dark night of the soul.

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Bug Hunt

Zachary Dillon

Apr 29

Alex scours his apartment for surveillance equipment.

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The Point of No Return

Zachary Dillon

May 6

Alex has his stalkers in the palm of his hand!

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In the Soup

Zachary Dillon

May 13

Alex calls the police.

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You're Safe

Zachary Dillon

May 20

LAPD officers show up "to protect and to serve."

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Disgusting

Zachary Dillon

May 27

Alex engages in an age-old sleep remedy for some much-needed shut-eye.

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Meat Puppet

Zachary Dillon

Jun 3

Alex tries not to move a muscle.

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A Great Purpose

Zachary Dillon

Jun 10

The observers declare their experiment over.

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How Do You Feel

Zachary Dillon

Jun 17

Alex prepares to debrief with the observers.

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Of Course

Zachary Dillon

Jun 24

Alex fantasizes about death.

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Crickets

Zachary Dillon

Jul 1

Alex visits the neighbors again.

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The Color Trap

Zachary Dillon

Jul 8

Alex devises a security system for his apartment.

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Through the Wormhole

Zachary Dillon

Jul 15

Alex on the road.

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Magnet

Zachary Dillon

Jul 22

Alex scours his body for surveillance equipment.

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Creep

Zachary Dillon

Jul 29

Alex reaches for a lifeline.

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Flatland

Zachary Dillon

Aug 5

Alex has a breakdown in McDonald's.

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Soap

Zachary Dillon

Aug 12

Alex seeks refuge with an old friend.

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Countdown

Zachary Dillon

Aug 19

Alex opens up.

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Back to Work

Zachary Dillon

Aug 26

Alex returns to the office.

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Hostage

Zachary Dillon

Sep 2

The observers experience an unexpected hitch in their plan.

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El Camino

Zachary Dillon

Sep 9

Alex leaves for a camping trip.

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Leave a Trace

Zachary Dillon

Sep 16

Alex tells himself ghost stories by the campfire.

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Drones

Zachary Dillon

Sep 23

Alex fights fire with fire.

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Haunted

Zachary Dillon

Sep 30

Alex the murderer.

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Dr. Devnet

Zachary Dillon

Oct 7

Alex talks to a professional.

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Small World

Zachary Dillon

Oct 14

Alex leaves his "haunted" apartment.

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The End

Zachary Dillon

Oct 21

Life as Alex now knows it.

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Afterword

Zachary Dillon

Oct 28

Notes on my lived experience and subsequent recovery.

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