Sleep eluded me, a distant dream just out of reach. My eyes pleaded for respite, heavy with fatigue, while my eyelids hovered on the brink of surrender. Yet, I remained stubbornly awake, trapped in a state of unwilling alertness. What was it that held me captive in this restless night? Was it the incessant drip of water from the faucet, each drop echoing in the silence, or the unsettling presence of the eyeless woman lying beside me? My back was turned to her, but I could feel the icy tendrils of her essence creeping into my bones.

This was a familiar torment, yet each encounter felt as fresh as the first. I exhaled a shaky breath, the sound barely breaking the stillness, and swung my legs over the side of the bed, reaching for the bedside lamp. I was acutely aware of her gaze, a silent scrutiny that followed my every movement, though I dared not meet it. As I rummaged through the dresser, a sudden gust of wind swept past me, chilling the air and sending a shiver down my spine.

The window was shut tight, yet there it was—the monster, perched ominously on my dresser. With a nonchalance that belied my racing heart, I reached for the bottle of sleeping pills, swallowing down a double dose. The cool water washed them down, and I sank back onto my bed, my gaze fixed on the ceiling above.

My fingers gripped the duvet, sensing an unsettling movement creeping closer. I continued to stare at the ceiling, a blank canvas that soon morphed into the gaping voids of its eyes. I was transfixed, caught in a haunting reflection of my own shadowy existence.

Time slipped away as I remained locked in that gaze, the pills weaving their spell until a profound sleep enveloped me—a slumber I longed to escape.

Though weariness washed over me, my mind lingered, alert and aware, unyielding in the absence of those pills.

As I surrendered to the depths of my dreams, the oppressive presence above me began to wane, even as it seemed to pierce through the very essence of my being.

My eyelids sprang open, revealing a thickly wooded forest enveloping me. The ground beneath my bare feet was a chaotic mix of twigs and stones, each step grounding me in a reality that felt too vivid to be mere fantasy.

In the distance, a glimmer of light beckoned me. The more I focused on its glow, the more the shadows around me deepened, swallowing the world in darkness. I began to chase the light, my pace quickening, yet it seemed to retreat further with each stride. Desperation surged within me as I ran, but the light remained elusive. Suddenly, an unsettling sensation crept over me, as if something lurked just behind. I turned, and there it was—the same eyeless creature from before. But this time, a sinister grin stretched across its face, a smile that twisted unnaturally from ear to ear.

Her slender, ghostly hands reached out toward me, their pale fingers almost brushing against my skin. They were so close, I could feel the chill of their presence. Panic surged through me, and I ran, my feet pounding against the ground. The light that once guided me had vanished, leaving me in a suffocating darkness. Yet, I dared not stop, terrified of being ensnared by the faceless horror that lurked behind me.

As I sprinted, beads of sweat trickled down my forehead, and my breath came in ragged gasps. Suddenly, the ground beneath me gave way, and I plummeted into an abyss. I opened my mouth to scream, but no sound emerged; my voice was trapped, stifled by fear. I continued to fall, the darkness swallowing me whole until...

With a jolt, I awoke on the cold floor, my heart racing wildly in my chest. I sat there, clutching my pounding heart, my mind a chaotic whirlwind of thoughts. Tremors coursed through my body as I fought to regain my composure, desperately seeking solace from the terror that had gripped me.

The soothing cadence of my mother's voice flowed through the phone, wrapping around me like a warm blanket. "It's alright, Elli. It was just a bad dream. You're safe now, my dear." Her words were a familiar melody, the very sound I had chosen to rouse me each morning. I exhaled deeply, relief washing over me as I took a long drink from the jar beside me.

Though I had fled the terrors of my slumber, I found myself ensnared in the harsher grip of reality. A solitary tear escaped, tracing a path down my cheek as the clatter of dishes echoed from the kitchen. But I lived alone.