I couldn't breathe.
It was right behind me.
So close… I could feel it.
Not heat.
Not cold.
Something worse.
Like the air itself was wrong around it.
"Don't move."
Her voice was barely a whisper.
I froze instantly.
Every instinct in my body was screaming at me to run… but I couldn't.
My legs felt locked.
My chest tight.
My thoughts—loud and broken.
It was there.
I could feel it leaning closer.
Studying me.
Like I was something new.
Something… interesting.
"Don't look," she whispered again.
Too late.
I had already seen it before.
And now it had seen me.
A low sound filled the air.
Not a voice.
Not exactly.
More like… something trying to remember how to make a sound.
My hands started shaking.
It was getting closer.
Closer.
Closer—
"MOVE!"
Her voice snapped through me like lightning.
I stumbled forward instantly, almost falling.
The moment I moved—
The pressure disappeared.
I turned around.
Nothing.
Empty hallway.
Students walking.
Talking.
Normal.
Too normal.
My heart was beating so fast it hurt.
"It was right there…" I whispered.
She grabbed my arm.
Hard.
"Don't say it!"
Her grip tightened.
"They react when you focus on them."
I pulled my arm back slightly.
"What the hell are they?!"
Her eyes darted around again.
Always checking.
Always careful.
"They're not supposed to exist like this," she said quickly.
"They're mistakes."
"Mistakes?"
"In reality."
That word again.
Reality.
It felt less real every second.
I ran a hand through my hair.
"This doesn't make sense."
"I know."
"No—you don't get it. I saw its face."
She froze.
Completely.
"What… did you say?"
"I saw it," I repeated. "It doesn't have a real face. It's like—broken."
Her expression changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
"You shouldn't be able to see that."
"Why not?"
She stepped back slowly.
"Because that means it's getting clearer."
A cold wave passed through me.
"Clearer?"
"They're not fully here," she said.
"Not at first."
Her voice dropped.
"But the more you notice them…"
She didn't finish.
She didn't have to.
"They become real," I whispered.
Silence.
That was the answer.
My stomach twisted.
"No… no, that's not possible."
"It is."
I shook my head.
"This is insane."
"Yes."
"And you're just… okay with it?"
"I'm not okay with it," she snapped suddenly.
Her voice shook.
"For you, this just started."
She looked at me directly.
"For me… it didn't."
Something in her tone made my chest tighten.
"How long?" I asked.
She hesitated.
"Long enough."
That wasn't an answer.
But it was enough to scare me.
A sudden thought hit me.
"The notebook."
Her eyes flickered.
"What about it?"
"It writes to me."
Silence.
Then—
"That's not good."
My heart dropped.
"What do you mean 'not good'?!"
She stepped closer again.
Lowering her voice.
"They don't usually communicate."
"Then what is it?"
"I don't know."
That made it worse.
Way worse.
"It knows things," I said. "Things I didn't tell anyone."
Her face grew serious.
"Then you need to stop using it."
"No."
The answer came out instantly.
Too fast.
Too strong.
She blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"It's the only thing giving me answers."
"It's also the thing making you a target."
"I'm already a target!"
My voice echoed slightly.
Too loud.
Too exposed.
She looked around quickly.
"Lower your voice!"
I stepped back, breathing heavily.
"I'm not stopping."
She stared at me for a long second.
Then she said quietly:
"Then you're going to get worse."
Worse.
That word hit deep.
"What does that mean?"
She didn't answer.
Instead, she looked behind me again.
Her face changed instantly.
Pale.
"Don't turn around," she whispered.
My body tensed.
Too late.
I already knew.
It was back.
I could feel it.
Closer than before.
Much closer.
My heart started racing again.
"Walk," she said softly.
"Slowly."
I didn't argue this time.
One step.
Then another.
Each movement felt heavy.
Like something was pulling me back.
Watching.
Waiting.
"Keep walking," she said.
"I'm trying…"
My voice was barely there.
The air felt thick again.
Heavy.
Wrong.
Then—
Something touched my shoulder.
Light.
Barely there.
But real.
Too real.
My entire body froze.
My breath stopped.
My mind went blank.
"No…" she whispered.
Too late.
Way too late.
The moment it touched me—
Everything disappeared.
I was standing somewhere else.
Dark.
Silent.
Empty.
No school.
No people.
No sound.
Just… nothing.
My breathing echoed around me.
Too loud.
Too alone.
"What… is this?" I whispered.
No answer.
Then—
A voice.
Behind me.
Not hers.
Not human.
"You stayed too long."
My blood froze.
Slowly…
I turned.
And for the first time—
I saw it clearly.