The Stranger in My Photos 40
The door swung open.
The other me stepped inside, slow and careful, like it didn’t want to startle me. Its eyes — my eyes — stared right into mine.
It smiled.
“Thank you,” it said softly.
I couldn’t move. My legs felt like they weren’t mine anymore, and maybe they weren’t.
Behind me, the thing pretending to be my mom laughed again, wet and rattling. “See, sweetie? It’s easier this way.”
The other me nodded. “It is.”
My phone buzzed. My hand was shaking so hard I nearly dropped it.
"Don’t fight. It hurts more when you fight."
The other me reached out, palm up.
“Give it to me,” it said.
My voice barely worked. “What?”
It tilted its head — the same way the stranger always did.
“The phone,” it said calmly. “It’s not yours anymore.”
I looked down at the screen. My reflection stared back from the black glass. Only it wasn’t me. Not exactly.
My eyes were wrong. Too dark. Too empty.
My phone buzzed one last time.
"It’s time to go now."
The other me took a step closer. I couldn’t tell if I was shaking or if the room was.
“Where… where am I going?” I whispered.
The other me smiled wider.
“Somewhere quieter.”
It reached for me.
And everything went white.
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The Stranger In My Photos 40 🤔🤔