Ananya stood frozen.
Her hand still on the door.
The air felt… wrong.
Cold. Heavy.
The door was not there before.
She was sure of it.
Slowly… it creaked open.
Darkness.
Not normal darkness.
It felt alive.
"Aarav…" she whispered.
No answer.
Only a sound.
A faint… whisper.
Calling her name.
"Ananya…"
Her heart raced.
That voice… it wasn't Aarav.
But it knew her.
She stepped back.
But her feet stopped.
Like something was pulling her.
Inside.
The walls around her flickered.
The hallway started to change.
Photos appeared.
Old ones.
She moved closer.
Her breath stopped.
Every photo…
was of her.
Different ages.
Different places.
Even moments she never remembered.
"How is this possible…" she murmured.
Then—
A shadow moved inside the door.
Tall.
Still.
Watching.
"Come in…" the voice whispered again.
This time… louder.
Her head started to hurt.
Memories flashed.
A locked room.
A scream.
Blood on the floor.
She gasped.
"I… I've seen this before…"
Suddenly—
A hand grabbed her wrist.
She screamed.
It was Aarav.
"Don't go in!" he said sharply.
His face pale.
Eyes full of fear.
"That door… it's not real."
"But it knows me…" Ananya said.
Aarav shook his head.
"No. It wants you."
The whisper turned into a laugh.
Cold. Echoing.
The shadow stepped closer.
Now… it had a face.
And Ananya's blood ran cold.
Because…
It looked exactly like her.