Kabir's body froze.
His eyes locked on the ground.
That shadow…
It wasn't normal anymore.
It moved.
It breathed.
It smiled.
Aarya stepped back instinctively.
Her heart racing.
"Don't look at it directly!" she warned.
But Kabir couldn't look away.
Because that shadow…
It was him.
Every movement… almost matching.
But not exactly.
Not anymore.
The shadow slowly lifted its head.
Even though shadows shouldn't have faces.
And yet—
It did.
A distorted version of Kabir's face appeared within it.
Smiling.
Wider.
Creepier.
"You're waking up…" the voice echoed.
Kabir's ears rang.
"Stop…"
His voice was weak.
Shaking.
The mark on his wrist burned again.
Stronger.
Deeper.
Like something was carving into his skin.
Aarya rushed forward and grabbed his shoulders.
"Focus on me, Kabir!"
Her voice cut through the noise.
Through the fear.
Through that darkness.
Kabir blinked.
His vision blurred.
But he tried.
Tried to focus on her.
Her eyes.
Her voice.
Her presence.
"Don't… lose control…" she whispered.
Kabir clenched his fists.
Trying to ignore the pain.
Trying to ignore that voice.
"You don't need to fight…"
The shadow stretched further.
Rising slightly off the ground now.
"…just accept me…"
"No!" Kabir shouted.
For the first time—
Loud.
Strong.
His voice echoed in the empty street.
Aarya's grip tightened.
"That's it… keep resisting…"
Kabir shut his eyes tightly.
His breathing uneven.
"I'm not… you…"
The mark pulsed violently.
Pain shot through his entire arm.
But this time—
Kabir didn't back down.
"I'm… not you!" he shouted again.
Silence.
Suddenly—
The shadow stopped moving.
Completely still.
Aarya's eyes widened.
"Did… it stop?"
For a moment—
Everything felt normal.
Calm.
Too calm.
And then—
The shadow laughed.
Low.
Distorted.
"Then prove it…"
Kabir's eyes snapped open.
Before he could react—
The shadow lunged upward.
Merging back into his body.
A strong force hit him from inside.
Kabir screamed.
"Aaaahhh—!"
His body arched.
His eyes flickered—
Black for a second.
Then normal again.
Aarya stepped back, terrified.
"Kabir…?"
Kabir stood still.
Breathing heavily.
Head down.
Silent.
Then slowly—
He lifted his face.
His expression…
Normal.
But something felt off.
Very off.
"I'm fine…" he said.
But his voice…
It didn't sound completely like him.
Chapter 15 Suspense:
Aarya stared at him carefully.
Something didn't feel right.
And then—
Kabir's lips slowly curved into a faint smile.
The same smile…
That shadow had.
Aarya's heart dropped.
Because for a second—
She wasn't sure anymore…
Was this really Kabir…?