My legs moved faster than I thought they could. The hallway stretched endlessly ahead of me, but I didn’t care. I didn’t stop. I didn’t look back.
The wet, dragging sound followed me — faster now, louder, like it was getting closer. My breath came in sharp bursts, burning my throat. My phone buzzed again, vibrating wildly in my hand.
Another message:
"Stop running."
No chance.
I saw a door up ahead. It didn’t look like any door in my house — old wood, splintered and cracked — but it was a way out.
My phone buzzed again.
"Don’t open it."
I hesitated, but the sound behind me was too close. I grabbed the handle and yanked it open.
Bright light flooded the hallway, blinding me. I stumbled through, slamming the door behind me. The sound stopped.
Silence.
I blinked, trying to adjust to the light. My heart pounded in my ears. Slowly, the room came into focus.
It wasn’t my house. It wasn’t anywhere I recognized.
White walls. White floor. Everything sterile and cold. The air smelled like chemicals.
My phone buzzed one more time.
"Look up."
I did.
There was a mirror on the far wall — a full-body mirror.
I stepped closer. My reflection stared back. It wasn’t distorted. It wasn’t delayed. It was just… me.