RA'

inst my eyelids long bef

t this time-too

anding right behind

see him, bu

res

a

freezing me like a statue. A hot breath skimmed the b

turn. Tried

ing

the shadows, soft bu

n

ara

e run from... but my heart reacted before my mind could. It drew t

ouchi

nough to ste

ss swallowed ev

ising and falling too fast. My room

s if, I had sprinted through a forest. The room was silen

dn't fee

that breath still clung to me. I press

ou're here?" I whispe

me from the

ng an

ed the covers up to my ch

elf now, and I feel

shadows whispering my name. I didn't w

eep d

t scare

anyone sho

y that made no sense. My body reacted to it before my

ed my ey

moment I dri

f, the kind that makes your bod

ht of those unseen eyes, the way my name had roll

hed my teeth, tied my hair back, and h

, grabbed my bag, and

roze on t

id under the door, perfectly centred as if

rtbeat switching fr

a knock, yet.

ing at me to leave it alone. But my fing

like someone had been h

e crawled

ped it

n

add

sta

th

e that felt wro

thrown it aw

it open with s

lid out and float

otog

stilled in

was

orning. Backpack slung over my shoulder. E

from b

clo

cl

rembled as I

eone zooming in

ne standing ri

chi

olded note sat inside. I pulled it o

sent

n thick,

re not

g filling my ears. I clutched the photo

been near me a

have n

elt that somet

lid back into my mind like a

ar

of fear. But underneath that fear, somethin

gnit

ver slid this envelope to my door... w

feel t

hysic

cl

shed my shoulder again, so

mo

eyes, brea

you?" I w

ce an

ll from the dream tighteni

m the door, and pressed my hand again

er thi

started th

sn't endi