Her eyelids fluttered slightly.
Heavy.
Slow.
As if waking up from something deeper than sleep.
Her vision was hazy, unfocused, the soft light of the room blurring into shapes she couldn't quite recognize. For a moment, she didn't move—her body still caught between sleep and awareness.
And then—
She saw it.
A figure.
Right above her.
Still.
Watching.
Her breath caught in her throat.
But her mind didn't react instantly.
Still half-asleep, she blinked slowly, her eyes struggling to focus. The shape didn't move.
Didn't disappear.
It stayed.
Hovering.
Close.
Too close.
Her eyes shut again.
As if her body refused to accept it.
But then—
It hit her.
Her eyes snapped open.
A scream tore from her throat as she shot up from the bed, her body trembling violently.
"No—!"
Her voice echoed in the room.
But—
There was no one.
The space in front of her was empty.
Completely.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly, her breathing uneven, almost painful. Sweat formed instantly on her skin, trailing down from her forehead to her neck.
Her heart pounded so hard it felt like it might break free.
She looked around frantically.
Left.
Right.
Nothing.
Her fingers tightened into fists as she forced herself to move.
"No… no, I saw someone…"
The words came out in broken whispers.
She jumped off the bed, her steps quick, almost stumbling as she rushed toward the bathroom.
Empty.
She pulled the curtains aside.
Nothing.
She opened the wardrobe.
Only clothes.
Neatly arranged.
Unmoving.
Her breath came faster as she dropped to her knees, checking under the bed.
Dark.
Silent.
No one.
She stood up again, her hands shaking as she ran them through her hair, gripping it slightly.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
Trying to steady herself.
Trying to think.
"This… this isn't possible…"
Her voice was barely there.
Because everything looked normal.
Everything was untouched.
But she knew what she saw.
Even if it was just for a second.
Even if her vision was unclear.
There had been someone.
She was sure of it.
Her gaze slowly moved toward the door.
Closed.
Locked.
No sign of entry.
No sign of exit.
It didn't make sense.
Her chest tightened again.
Because if it wasn't real—
Then why did it feel so real?
And if it was real—
Then how?
She backed away slowly, her legs hitting the edge of the bed as she sat down again, her body still tense.
Her eyes remained fixed on the room.
Watching.
Waiting.
Expecting.
But nothing happened.
No movement.
No sound.
No shadow.
Only silence.
Heavy.
Unforgiving silence.
She hugged herself slightly, her fingers digging into her arms as if grounding herself.
Her thoughts refused to calm.
Every second stretched longer than it should.
Minutes felt like hours.
And hours felt endless.
She didn't lie down again.
Didn't even try.
Instead, she stayed exactly where she was.
Sitting.
Alert.
Her eyes scanning every corner of the room again and again.
Half expecting—
Half fearing—
That the figure would return.
That it would step out of the shadows again.
But it didn't.
Nothing came.
Nothing moved.
As if it had never been there at all.
As if it had disappeared into thin air.
And yet—
She couldn't shake the feeling.
Because deep down—
She knew.
Whatever she saw—
It wasn't just a dream.