At exactly 2:17 a.m. Aarav's phone vibrated under his pillow, dragging him out of a deep, uneasy sleep. He groaned rubbing his eyes, and pulled the phone out, expecting some random notification. But the screen showed an unknown number no name, no picture, just a single message: "Check your front door." He frowned, slightly annoyed. "Who even does this at this time…" he muttered under his breath. Still, something about it didn't feel like a normal prank. The house was unusually silent not even the faint hum of the fan or distant street noise. Just a heavy, unnatural quiet that made his chest feel tight.
After a moment of hesitation, he got out of bed and stepped into the hallway. The floor felt cold under his feet, and every step seemed louder than it should have been. His mind kept telling him it was nothing, just someone messing with him, but that strange feeling refused to go away. As he reached the front door, his phone vibrated again. His grip tightened as he checked the new message: "Don't open it fully." Aarav swallowed, his hand hovering over the handle. For a few seconds, he just stood there, staring at it, debating whether to ignore everything and go back. But curiosity pushed him forward. Slowly, carefully, he turned the handle and opened the door just a little.Outside, there was nothing. No person, no movement just darkness stretching out into the night. For a second, he almost laughed at himself for getting scared. But then his eyes dropped to the ground. There was a phone lying right at the doorstep.His breath caught.He bent down and picked it up, his fingers suddenly cold. It looked exactly like his. Same model. Same scratches on the corner. Even the same cover. A strange uneasiness crawled up his spine as the screen lit up in his hand.