Ava's hands trembled as she stared at her phone screen. Another unknown number.
"Another call…?" she whispered, her throat tight.
Her apartment was too quiet—except for the distant hum of streetlights outside.
The air felt heavy, pressing against her chest like a suffocating weight.
She swallowed hard. Her throat ached—like she had screamed.
But… when did she?
Her pulse hammered in her ears, sharp and relentless, like needles piercing through her skull.
She took a deep breath, forced herself to move, and answered—
Ava: "Who is this?"
She felt the silence.
The air was so thin that her own breath echoed back at her. A moment stretched, too long, too empty.
Then—a faint static crackle.
Suddenly—a crash!
The plates on her table toppled over, smashing against the floor.
And then—
Unknown Caller: "...Ava…"
Her breath caught.
That voice! It was familiar.
She felt a nostalgia in the voice. Ava came off thinking.
"Isn't it.... Nathan Cole?!?!, but Nathan is dead!!!! It can't be."
Her instincts screamed: Hang up. Run. Leave.
But her grip on the phone only tightened.
Ava: "No. I've been living all this time to know the truth. I can't run. I won't run."
Her voice was shaking, but her resolve held.
Then—a sound through the speaker.
A distorted laugh.
Low. Hollow. It crawled through her skin. The kind of laugh that came from an ancient throat, something rotten.
Unknown Caller: "I told you… You're next."
The line cut off.
Ava stared at her phone. No call log.
No record of the number.
Then—the apartment lights flickered.
A deep, aching scratching sound crawled from the doorway.
Her stomach twisted. She felt eyes on her, even though she can't see them.
But then—
Knock.
Three sharp and vivid knocks.
The kind that sent a pulse of cold through her bones.
Ava's breath hitched. No one should be here. Not at this hour.
Her eyes darted to the drawer.
She stared following the way to get the Gun.
But suddenly Ava burst out of fear even though she didn't wanted to.
Wiping her face, she steadied herself. Followed the way to the drawers.
She reached for the gun, gripping it tight.
Then—
BANG!
Ava's heart slammed into her ribs.
The knock was louder this time. Heavier. Angrier, ever than she heard.
Her phone buzzed again. Another Unknown Caller.
Her breath caught in her throat.
She turned the screen—
And froze.
The caller ID had changed.
This time, it wasn't just Unknown Caller.
This time, it read:
𝘕𝘢𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘦.
Her body went ice cold.
Then, from the other side of the door—
A whisper.
This time it spooked her.
She barely heard it. But it scraped against her skin like ice.
"He's inside."
---