Aarav didn't remember falling asleep.
Or if he even slept at all.
Morning light slipped through the curtains.
Soft.
Normal.
Peaceful.
Too peaceful.
He opened his eyes slowly.
Everything looked the same.
His room. His ceiling. His desk.
Nothing out of place.
But something felt… off.
His body was still tense.
As if it hadn't rested.
As if it had been awake all night.
Aarav sat up.
His eyes immediately went to the corner of the room.
Nothing.
The hallway.
Empty.
No shadow.
No footsteps.
No voice.
He exhaled slowly.
"Just a nightmare…"
But even as he said it—
He didn't believe it.
His phone lay beside him.
The screen was black.
For a moment, he hesitated.
Then picked it up.
No messages.
No unknown number.
Nothing.
"…What?"
His fingers moved quickly.
Checking notifications.
Call logs.
Messages.
Nothing.
As if it never happened.
Aarav frowned.
"No… I saw it…"
He got up from the bed.
Walked toward the mirror.
Stopped.
The words from last night echoed faintly in his mind.
Don't look behind you.
He shook his head.
"Enough."
Slowly, he looked into the mirror.
His reflection stared back.
Normal.
Tired.
A little pale.
But normal.
Aarav let out a quiet breath.
"See? Nothing."
He leaned closer.
Studying his own face.
His eyes.
For a split second—
They didn't match.
A flicker.
A delay.
Like his reflection blinked a moment too late.
Aarav froze.
"…No."
He stepped back quickly.
Heart racing again.
"That's not real."
He turned away from the mirror.
Fast.
Too fast.
He grabbed his bag.
Avoided looking at anything reflective.
And left his room.
The house felt normal.
The smell of breakfast.
Utensils clinking.
Morning sounds.
His mother stood in the kitchen.
Back facing him.
"Aarav, you're late," she said casually.
Relief hit him instantly.
"Yeah… I just—"
He stopped.
Her voice.
It sounded right.
But something about it…
felt slightly… off.
He couldn't explain it.
"Did you sleep well?" she asked.
Aarav hesitated.
"…Yeah."
A lie.
She turned slightly.
But not fully.
"Good," she said.
Then silence.
Too long.
Aarav frowned.
"Mom?"
No response.
"…Mom?"
Slowly—
Very slowly—
She turned around.
Her face was normal.
But her eyes—
They were… empty.
No warmth.
No emotion.
Just staring.
"Aarav," she said again.
Same tone.
Same voice.
But now—
It felt hollow.
"Come here."
Aarav didn't move.
Something inside him screamed—
Don't.
His heart started pounding again.
Just like last night.
"Why?" he asked carefully.
She tilted her head.
Slightly too much.
"I said… come here."
Her lips smiled.
But her eyes didn't.
Aarav took a step back.
The air felt heavier.
Then—
His phone buzzed.
Loud.
Sharp.
He flinched.
Slowly pulled it out.
A new message.
Unknown number.
His hands trembled.
He opened it.
"Rule 2: If someone calls your name at night…"
The message glitched.
Then completed itself.
"…it's not them."
Aarav's breath stopped.
"…night?"
He looked up.
The room felt darker.
The light—
Was dimmer.
When did that happen?
His mother—
No—
That thing—
Was closer now.
Standing just a few steps away.
He hadn't seen her move.
"Aarav…" it whispered.
The voice layered.
Two voices.
One familiar.
One not.
"Why are you ignoring me?"
His chest tightened.
This wasn't real.
This wasn't real.
This wasn't real—
Then—
Everything snapped.
The light returned.
Bright.
Normal.
The kitchen.
Back to normal.
His mother stood near the stove.
Cooking.
Humming softly.
"…Aarav?" she said, confused."When did you come here?"
He stared at her.
Her eyes.
Warm.
Normal.
Real.
"…Just now," he said quietly.
His voice felt distant.
Like it didn't belong to him.
He stepped back slowly.
One thought echoing in his mind—
If that wasn't her…
Then what was it?
His phone buzzed again.
Another message.
He didn't want to open it.
But he did.
"You're starting to notice."
A pause.
Then—
"It noticed you too."
🔥 END OF CHAPTER 2