At exactly 2:13 AM, Kiara's eyes suddenly opened. She didn't know why she woke up. The room was dark and completely silent, the kind of silence that makes every small sound feel louder than usual. For a moment she just stared at the ceiling, trying to calm her breathing. Then her phone vibrated on the table beside her bed. The sudden sound made her jump.Kiara slowly turned her head toward the table. The screen of her phone was glowing faintly in the darkness. Someone had sent her a message.
She reached for the phone and unlocked it.
1 New Message. Unknown Number.
Kiara frowned. It was strange because none of her friends were awake at this time. Curious, she opened the message.
The words on the screen made her stomach tighten.
"I can see you."
Kiara stared at the message for a few seconds and then let out a small nervous laugh. "Very funny," she whispered, assuming one of her friends was trying to scare her. She quickly typed a reply.
Who is this?
For a few seconds there was no response. The house was completely silent again. Kiara placed the phone back on the table and pulled her blanket closer, ready to go back to sleep.
Then her phone vibrated again.
She picked it up and read the new message.
"You shouldn't be awake right now."
Kiara frowned again. The message felt strange, but she still thought it was a prank.
Stop it, she typed. Who are you?
The reply came instantly.
"Look at the window."
Kiara froze.
Her bed was right beside the window, but the curtain was closed. Slowly, she turned her head toward it. For a moment she didn't move. Her heart was beating a little faster now, and she didn't know why.
"This is stupid," she whispered to herself.
She slowly reached out and moved the curtain slightly.
Outside, the street was empty. The dim streetlight illuminated the quiet road. There was no one there.
Kiara rolled her eyes and let the curtain fall back into place.
"Nice try," she muttered.
Just then her phone vibrated again.
When she read the message, the smile disappeared from her face.
"I told you not to move the curtain."
Kiara's hands suddenly felt cold.
How did the sender know she moved the curtain?
Her heart began to beat faster. She quickly looked around the room. The door was closed. The lights were off. Everything looked normal.
Her phone vibrated again before she could think further.
"Now you know I'm real."
Kiara swallowed slowly.
For the first time, fear started creeping into her mind.
She typed quickly.
Where are you?
A few seconds passed.
Then the typing dots appeared on the screen.
Kiara watched them nervously.
The reply came.
"Very close."
A chill ran down her spine.
Before she could type another message, something strange happened.
Tap.
Kiara's head snapped toward the window.
The sound had come from the glass.
For a moment she didn't move at all.
Then the sound came again.
Tap… Tap…
Someone… or something… was knocking on the window.
Her breathing became heavy.
Her room was on the second floor.
No one could reach that window from outside.
Her phone vibrated again.
With trembling hands, she looked at the new message.
"Open the window."
Kiara slowly shook her head.
"No…" she whispered.
Another message appeared immediately.
"Open it."
The tapping on the glass became louder.
Tap… Tap… Tap…
Kiara felt frozen in place.
Her phone vibrated again.
The next message made her heart almost stop.
"I'm getting cold out here."
Kiara slowly turned toward the window again.
The curtain moved slightly with the wind.
For a moment she saw nothing.
Then suddenly…
She noticed something appear on the glass.
A wet handprint.
Slowly sliding downward.
From the outside.
Kiara stepped back in fear.
Her phone vibrated one more time.
The final message appeared on the screen.
"Why are you scared?"
A few seconds later another message appeared.
"You invited me."
Something was standing outside the window… waiting in the darkness.
Kiara could feel it watching her.
But the real question was…
What would happen if she opened the window?
To be continued…