She loved talking to people online. It was easy. A few taps on her phone, and she was connected to strangers from all over. Each conversation felt exciting. Each message was a new door opening.
One night, an unfamiliar name appeared in her inbox. The message was simple: "Let’s meet." She hesitated. Curiosity tugged at her. Ignoring the warning bells, she agreed. After all, she had met other people before. What was different this time?
The meeting spot was an old diner on the edge of town. It was dark inside, save for flickering neon lights. She waited, glancing at her phone. No message. No sign of the person. Just the sound of her heart pounding in her ears. Then, she felt a presence behind her. A hand gripped her shoulder.
She turned. It wasn’t who she expected. The face was familiar yet twisted, a distorted reflection of someone she once knew. Panic surged through her. “Who are you?” she gasped.
The figure smiled, but it wasn’t friendly. “You’ll find out soon enough.”
Before she could react, a cloth covered her mouth. Darkness enveloped her. When she awoke, she was in a small, dimly lit room, bound to a chair. Fear gripped her. She was alone.
Days passed. She faced questions, riddles, and demands. Each time she hesitated, the torment escalated. Food was scarce. Water was a trickle. She learned quickly. Survival meant deciphering the clues.
What was the truth? Why was she chosen? Each revelation chipped away at her sanity. The unknown became her enemy.
Finally, she pieced it together. The figure was someone from her past, someone she had wronged. They wanted her to suffer. They wanted her to remember.
In that moment, despair turned to resolve. She would escape. She would confront the darkness. But even as she plotted her escape, a chilling realization sank in: the unknown wasn’t just outside. It was inside her, too.
