The last thing Ray saw before everything around her went black was a Shadow.
A tall, black shadow hovering over her. It had no eyes, no faces. Just... Black smoke coming from around it.
As soon as Ray was unconscious, her body just frozed in place. It was like as if her body physically gave up but her mind was still wide awake.
Ray could sense everything happening around her, including the wispers she didn't knew the meaning of.
Her eyes snapped open and Ray desperately tried to mover her body, at least her hands but it didn't work. She could practically see and feel it.
The coldness of the unswerving shadows brushing against her skin was unbearable.
And suddenly— There was a chilling feeling rushing through her bones and she sat up, gasping for air.
She was in too daze to realize what was happening around her.
By the time she snapped out of it, her hair was already wet and her night clothes were sticking to her skin.
Warm morning glow was coming from the window, the curtains moving slightly with the air.
Her head snapped to stare at the person standing by her bed. And rage instantly flushing in her face.
"AIDEN! YOU—" Ray screamed, already bolting out of bed to chase after the boy, Aiden.
"Ahahaha! Look at that! You look like a downed rat!" Aiden exclaimed, laughing at her with a pointing finger.
When Aiden saw Ray rushing towards him, he cursed under his breath "Oh shit! Miss sunlight is mad!" He giggled and ran with Ray who was fuming with anger behind him, chasing him around the house.
Aiden was Ray's cousin, Just a 10 year old boy with brown hair and big innocent purple eyes that speek of mischievous.
"AIDEN! YOU'RE DEAD, YOU LITTLE—" Ray snapped, reaching out to grab Aiden by the collar. But Aiden was fast.
"Na na na na! You can't catch me! Loser!" Aiden giggled and rushed off again, this time hiding behind Ray's mother's leg.
Ray just stood there, looking like a mad drowned rat while her mom scolded both of them lightly.
Finally Ray's mother said, "sweetie, go take a shower. I'll handle this boy."
Ray huffed dramatically but with a last glear at Aiden, she spined around and stomped off to her room.
She grabbed her clothes and towel, muttering things to herself. Complaining about whatever as she walked in the bathroom and closed the door behind her.
As soon as the door was closed, a rushing coldness came down from the walls, blocking the sunlights.
45 minutes later, Ray finally stepped out from shower, warped in towel.
The coldness in the room disapered the moment she entered and ray was unaware of it.
She stared humming songs and get dressed for the day. It was weekend after all.
Little did she knew... Her every move was being watched. By something that's definitely not an human.
After getting dressed up, she continued about her day. Which is mostly getting borde out of her mind, laying in bed, watching phone or reading novel, rolling around or having Aiden annoying her.
Later at lunch,
Ray was sitting on the table across from her mom, eating slower then usual. And the table? Chaos as usual. Aiden laughing loudly, making a mess on his face while Ray's mother was serving dishes and chatting with Aiden's mother.
Four minutes in, they're all eating and chatting. Except for Ray. Which was weird because that girl allways chatted until her throat went dry. But no one noticed.
Ray's mind was somewhere else. What was she thinking? What could it possibly be other then... That.
"i'm sure I was at the yard, I remember it clearly. Then how was i on the bed this morning and no one suspected a thing? Am I hallucinationing things now—"
Ray's thought were cut off by her mother's voice. "Ray?" Her mother called. When Ray didn't answer, she tried again "Sweetheart?"
Ray snapped out of it and looked up at her mother. "Yeah, ma?" She answered, trying to sound normal while her mind is drifting to somewhere.
"You seem... Really distance. Have something happened?" Ray's mother asked, sounding concerned as she placed spicy chicken wings on Ray's plate. "Eat more, baby."
Ray smiled at her mother's concern. "I'm so lucky to have a mother like you... what'd I do if you're no longer there? Gosh, I can't imagine." it was true. Ray couldn't imagine a future without her in it.
"Thanks ma," Ray murmured, picking up the chicken wing. "And no, I'm okay. Just... Stressed about school."
Ray's mother just stared at her, "School, huh? Mm, sure." Of course her mom didn't believe her, just give her a knowing smile as if ray had a boyfriend. But the reason was completely different from what Ray's mom thinks.
"Mom! I'm only 12!" Ray complained dramatically.
That night nothing did happen, indeed. But things with her mother continued. The constant ankle twisting while her mother was trying to sleep and things.