"I... I" She stammered.

It is not really nice to stare at someone for too long, it makes them uncomfortable.

She hummed in her mind.

"You?" He tilted his head to look at her again. His piercing gaze was killing her all inside.

"I just came to see the room; sir gave me the keys that's why." And it was the truth. She could've just said it earlier without stammering.

Arthur went out of the room without another word.

"What did I ever do to you?" She shouted but there was no response, "Dumbass!"

She entered the room and locked it behind her. Her eyes swelled with tears. She couldn't understand the reason behind his rude behavior.

"What did I ever do to you?" She sobbed.

The environment suddenly tensed. There was something melancholic about the place, she knew. In an instant, she felt as if she wasn't alone. There was someone or something with her. She stared up, but nothing. There was no one. Of course, there shouldn't be anyone. Arthur just left, and there is no one in this room other than her.

"I am tensed. I really need to take some rest."

She turned around to leave, but the hairs of the back of her neck rose in alarm. The wind was colder than before, it wasn't cold but something between the icy and warm that made her shiver. She was never afraid of any kind of paranormal things as she knew they were not real.

But that was the first time, her heart started beating erratically and, she could feel the presence of someone behind her, very very close to her... As if it's breath was fanning over her shoulder. Near yet apart.

'No no no, it can't be real. What the hell am I thinking? Why am I even thinking about it?'

Oh boy, only if she knew... it was real, very very real, and very different from the stories and movies in which they are presented.

She turned around to check if anything else was there. Just as she turned around, she saw a pair of hazel brown eyes shining in the dark, and a female silhouette near the window. Her heart froze.

"AHH!" She screamed. Her legs weren't helping in carrying them out of the room and she fell down there. But the next time, she opened her eyes, it was gone. With her heart beating like crazy she looked around again.

"GOTCHA!" Someone shouted.

And she nearly got a heart attack just by hearing the sound.

"You're scared to death, oh my! Look at your face! You're really scared aren't 'cha?" The voice was familiar. Janet supported herself on her elbows and stood up. Her heart still beating erratically.

"Was that you, Avery?" Janet sternly asked. Her voice was devoid of emotions.

"Yes..." She bit her lips looking at her nails.

"Why did you do that?!" Janet shouted, "I literally WAS SCARED TO DEATH!"

"Oh come on! You yourself told me you aren't afraid of them so why so much screaming now?"

"Are you nuts? Who isn't going to freak out??"

"Okay fine fine..." Avery laughed and together they went towards their room. Janet locked the door and breathed deeply.

⭑⁎꙳⭒☪︎⭒꙳⁎⭑

"Avery tell me one thing, was that really you?" Janet asked while reading a book.

Avery looked up from her mobile and laughed.

"Of course, silly!"

"When did you come?" Her voice was rough.

"I don't know! Maybe two or three minutes before you screamed?"

"Okay..."

Janet stayed silent. She tried to recollect all the things and put them again back together. It was impossible for her to think anything irrational, but the feelings she got there; the chill she felt... left her numb and cold.

But her heart screamed and thudded in her chest.

It's not possible.

The silhouette of that girl was different. Janet couldn't forget about that one-minute encounter with her. Her natural long and straight hair was flapping in the winds; that was indeed beautiful. Yes, Avery also had straight hair but that was not natural, it naturally looked like it got straightened some days before she came here. But... that girl was different. Her sharp jaws and that light hazel brown gaze which was so intense at the same time pure; piercing and at the same time relieving.

'But Avery has ocean blue eyes.' This lone thought was enough to form goosebumps all over her body.

Is it possible to have change of color of the eyes in the darkness? She had never heard of it... So?

No no no. Calculations weren't matching. It wasn't Avery.

But then again, who was it?

"Come on! Are you still thinking about that Janet?" Avery sighed. "Okay, I promise, I'll never do that."

"Make sure, you never do that again." Her voice was almost angry.

"Sorry, I know that was random─"

"And coincidental. . ." Janet succumbed to deep thoughts.

Avery huffed then again put the earphones on. There was actually no point describing all this, she thought.

Dinner was served in their room, just because it was their first day, and were given a schedule for proper maintenance of the time.

After they had their dinner, they went to their bed, and with all the deep thoughts whirling around her head, Janet surrendered to Hypnos.

⭑⁎꙳⭒☪︎⭒꙳⁎⭑

"Janet. . . Janet? Help. . ."

A rough, slow and, nearly inaudible voice seemed to call her. It nearly sounded like that person was strangled to death by someone and was crying out for help.

She got the familiar chill that she felt during her night stay at her uncle's house.

Same numbness, same coldness.

She couldn't move. She couldn't breathe.

Her eyes shot open; she looked around. . . Avery was fast asleep. But Janet still couldn't move and that scared the hell out of her.

She felt as if someone was dragging her somewhere.

And she was laid out somewhere, the surface was rough, and she felt as if she was drugged. She had zero capability in her to move her limbs or hands.

"Help!" Was the last voice she heard. And, after some time, she understood that the voice she heard was hers.

. . .

The day dawned crisp and clear when she opened her eyes after that night, she screamed.

She surely wasn't in her bed. . . but in a dark forest.

Any thoughts? :)

Thanks for reading! ♡