The Night I Woke Up Someone Else
"I always know when the darkness is close."
That's the first thing in my mind when I snap awake.
A cold room.
Darker than it should be.
And a man sitting in the corner like he's been waiting for me.
I push myself upright immediately.
"Who are you?!"
He doesn't move, not even an inch.
His voice is calm, steady—wrongly steady.
"Well… that depends."
"Depends on what?"
"On who you are right now."
"What is that supposed to mean?"
I swing my feet off the bed. "And why are you in my room?!"
"It's not your room."
His voice stays low, controlled, like he already expected every question.
"Okay, stop. I don't know you."
My pulse is already pounding. "Just tell me where I am."
He stands slowly. He's tall—too tall—and unsettlingly composed.
"You're safe," he says.
"Safe from what?"
His eyes lock onto mine like he's searching for something.
"From yourself."
I freeze.
"What the hell does that mean?"
He steps toward me, cautious but firm, like someone approaching a wild animal.
"My name is Kai."
"Good for you. Now why am I here?"
"Because I brought you here."
My breath catches.
"So you kidnapped me?"
"If I didn't, you'd be dead."
A slight pause.
"Or someone else would be."
"What—no. No. I don't hurt people."
He tilts his head like he's heard that line a thousand times.
"Aurora… you said the same thing yesterday."
"Yesterday?"
There's a sharp, empty space in my mind.
I reach for a memory—any memory—but the moment I try, it slips away.
"I haven't seen you before," I whisper. "Ever."
His expression doesn't change.
Like he expected that answer too.
"That's because you weren't Aurora yesterday."
My stomach drops.
"What are you talking about?"
"Tell me the last thing you remember."
"I—I was at home. I think."
My voice cracks.
"I was… cooking?"
But even as I say it, the memory blurs, dissolving into nothing.
"And before that?" he asks quietly.
"I don't know."
I shake my head harder.
"Why can't I remember?"
He steps closer.
"Because the part of you that was awake then… isn't the part that's awake now."
"Stop. No. You're messing with me."
"I'm telling you the truth."
"What truth?"
He pulls something from his pocket.
My phone.
My breath catches.
"Why do you have that? Give it back!"
He unlocks it with my fingerprint—easily.
"Aurora."
He turns the screen toward me.
"Before you say another word… watch this."
A video.
Of me.
My hair is a mess. My face is cold, sharp.
My smile is wrong—too confident, too dangerous.
My voice is low, controlled, not mine at all.
"Don't let her wake up."
I stumble backward.
"No. No, that's fake. That's not me."
"It is you."
"That's not my voice!"
"It's your voice when you're her."
"Her?"
"Aria."
I blink hard, trying to force air into my lungs.
"Aria? Who the hell is Aria?"
"The part of you that comes out when you're scared."
"Stop. Just stop."
I grab the edge of the bed to steady myself.
"This is insane."
"When she's awake," he continues calmly, "you're not."
"You're lying."
"I wish I were."
"Why would I have another version of myself? Why would she make a video? Why would she—"
He cuts me off gently.
"Because you told her you wouldn't believe me."
My voice shakes.
"What did she tell you? Exactly?"
"That you would panic."
"I'm not panicking."
"You are."
"Shut up."
"She told me," he says quietly, "not to let you out of this room."
"Why? Why would she say that?"
His jaw tightens slightly.
"Because she thinks you're about to try to kill me."
I stare at him, breath held, mind blank.
"That's insane."
"Is it?"
"Yes. I don't even know you."
"Aria does."
I step back again.
"Well, I'm not Aria."
"I know."
"Good. Then open the door and let me go."
He shakes his head once.
"I can't."
"You're not keeping me here."
"I am."
"You're not!"
"I have to."
My voice rises.
"Who gave you the right?!"
"You did."
"I never—"
"Not you."
He looks at me steadily.
"Her."
I clench my fists.
"You can't just lock me up because some other version of me told you to."
"If I let you out, someone gets hurt."
"Not by me!"
"You sure?"
"Yes!"
He studies me like he's searching for a crack.
"Look at the screen again."
"No."
"Aurora."
"I said no."
"You need to see it."
"I don't want to—"
"Look."
He presses play again.
This time I hear something else—a second voice, faint behind my own words.
A whisper.
"Don't trust her."
I step closer to the phone despite myself.
"What… what was that?"
"You tell me."
"I don't know!"
"Aria does."
"Stop saying her name!"
"She's part of you."
"She's not."
"She is."
"Shut up!"
He doesn't react.
"The more you deny her," he says softly, "the stronger she gets."
"You don't know anything about me."
"I know everything."
"No, you don't."
"I know why you lost the memories."
"I didn't lose anything."
"Aria took them."
"Stop!"
"She keeps what she wants."
"Shut up!"
"And she hides what you can't handle."
I shake my head violently.
"I'm leaving. I don't care what you say. You can't keep me here."
"I can."
"You won't."
"I will."
"Try me."
I stand up straight, ready to make a move.
He notices instantly.
"Don't."
"You don't scare me."
"Good," he says. "Fear wakes her up faster."
"You're sick."
"Maybe."
"Let me go."
"No."
"Let me out!"
"I told you, I can't."
"Why not?!"
He steps closer, voice low.
"Because she told me you'd try to run."
"Then she's wrong."
"Is she?"
"Yes!"
"You don't sound sure."
"I'm not—just open the door!"
He doesn't answer.
Instead, he glances toward the door… as if listening.
I narrow my eyes.
"What? What's wrong?"
He doesn't move.
"Kai."
Silence.
"Kai, what are you listening to?"
He lifts a hand for silence.
"Don't do that."
"Quiet."
"Tell me—"
"Quiet, Aurora."
I grit my teeth.
"What do you hear?"
His voice drops to a whisper.
"Someone at the door."
My breath stutters.
"What… someone?"
"Yes."
"Who?"
He doesn't answer.
"Kai… who?"
He looks at me instead of the door.
"Stay where you are."
"Why?"
"Don't move."
"Just tell me who's out there."
"Aurora…"
His jaw tightens.
"You're safer if you stay still."
I shake my head.
"No. Tell me."
He exhales slowly
"I think it's her."
My chest tightens instantly.
"Who—Aria?"
"Yes."
"That's not possible."
"It is."
"She's not real."
"She is real."
"No."
"Aurora…"
"She's not real!"
"Then why is she calling your name?"
"What?!"
He gestures toward the door.
I listen.
At first, nothing.
Then—
A soft whisper.
My name.
"Aurora…"
My blood runs cold.
I take a step back.
"Kai."
"Don't go near it."
"That wasn't—no. No."
"Stay here."
"She wouldn't—she can't—"
Another whisper.
Closer.
"Aurora…"
My voice shakes uncontrollably.
"Kai, she's not real."
"Then who's saying your name?"
I can't answer.
I physically can't.
He moves toward the door slowly.
I grab his arm.
"Don't open it."
"I won't."
"Promise me."
"I said I won't."
The whisper comes again.
This time sharper.
More urgent.
"Aurora…"
My fingers tighten around his sleeve.
"Kai…"
"It's okay."
"No, it's not."
"I'm not letting her in."
"She's not real—she can't be—she's not—"
The doorknob rattles.
I jump.
Kai pulls me behind him instantly.
"Stay behind me."
"What do we do?"
He doesn't answer.
"Kai—what do we do?!"
His voice drops to a low whisper.
"We wait."
"For what?
He looks at the door.
The rattling grows harder.
Louder.
Then stops.
Silence.
Complete silence.
I hold my breath.
"Kai?"
He doesn't turn around.
"Kai, say something."
Nothing.
"Kai—"
A whisper slips under the door.
"Let him move. I want to see her."
I choke on air.
"Kai—who said that?! Who said—"
He takes a single step back toward me.
His voice is barely audible.
"Aurora… don't scream."
"Why would I—"
He cuts me off,
"She's standing right outside this door.
And the doorknob turns again
Hard.
The lock clicks.