Nyra didn't sleep much that night.
Even after Mike left, the silence in her room felt different. Heavy. Listening.
She lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling, her phone resting beside her. The blocked chat still lingered in her mind. The note. The messages. The certainty in his words.
"I'm still close."
Her eyes slowly moved toward the window.
The curtains were half open. The streetlight outside cast a faint glow across the floor. Everything looked normal.
But something inside her refused to relax.
She turned on her side.
Closed her eyes.
Minutes passed.
Then—
A soft sound.
Nyra's eyes opened immediately.
She didn't move.
The sound came again.
A faint metallic click.
Her heartbeat started rising.
It came from the window.
Nyra slowly pushed herself up on her elbows. Her gaze fixed on the curtain.
It moved.
Just slightly.
Her breath caught.
The window.
It wasn't fully closed.
She was sure she had locked it.
Her pulse thudded loudly in her ears. For a moment, she couldn't tell if she was imagining it.
Then the curtain shifted again.
Nyra sat up completely now.
"Hello?" she whispered.
No response.
Only silence.
Her fingers tightened around the bedsheet. She slowly reached for her phone. The screen lit up.
No new notifications.
Still blocked.
Still quiet.
She looked back at the window.
The curtain had stopped moving.
The room felt colder.
Nyra swallowed and carefully got off the bed. Each step felt too loud. Too exposed.
She moved closer.
Closer.
Her heartbeat pounded harder with every step.
She stopped just a few feet away.
The window latch hung slightly loose.
Unlocked.
Nyra's breathing became shallow.
She lifted her hand slowly and pushed the curtain aside.
The street outside was empty.
No one.
No movement.
Just the quiet road and dim light.
Her shoulders relaxed slightly.
Maybe she forgot to lock it.
Maybe the wind—
Her phone vibrated.
Nyra flinched.
The sound felt too loud in the still room.
She looked down.
Unknown number.
Her breath stopped.
She opened it.
"You should lock your window."
Her fingers froze.
The phone felt heavier in her hand.
Another message appeared.
"I opened it."
Nyra's heart slammed violently.
Her eyes snapped toward the window again.
The night outside suddenly felt darker.
She stepped back slowly.
Another message.
"You walked toward me."
Her pulse raced.
He was watching.
Right now.
Her eyes scanned the street desperately.
Nothing.
But the feeling… remained.
Another message appeared.
"You weren't scared."
Nyra swallowed.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
Another vibration.
"I liked that."
Her chest tightened.
Fear mixed with something she didn't want to name.
Her breathing slowed unconsciously.
Then—
"I wanted to see your face closer."
Nyra stepped back again, bumping lightly into the table behind her.
Her phone vibrated again.
"I was right outside."
Her throat went dry.
She quickly walked to the window again and looked out.
Empty.
But now she knew—
He had been there.
Watching her sleep.
Watching her move.
Watching her breathe.
Her heart pounded harder.
Another message.
"You looked better without him."
Nyra's eyes softened for a brief second.
He meant Mike.
He noticed.
Her fingers tightened around the phone.
Then the last message came.
"I'll come closer next time."
Nyra's breathing slowed.
Instead of fear… anticipation spread quietly inside her chest.
She stared at the words.
Her mind replayed the moving curtain.
The unlocked latch.
The calm tone in his messages.
He wasn't rushing.
He wasn't panicking.
He was patient.
Controlled.
Watching.
Her heartbeat quickened again.
This time — not entirely from fear.
Nyra slowly reached forward…
and locked the window.
But her eyes stayed outside.
Waiting.
Her phone vibrated one last time.
She looked down.
"Good girl."
Nyra's fingers froze.
Her breath caught.
Her heart raced faster than before.
And for the first time—
She didn't block the number.
She saved it.
Without a name.
Just a blank contact.
Then she placed the phone beside her.
And whispered softly to herself—
"Come closer."
Outside…
something shifted in the darkness.
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