The Door Was Locked

The silence didn’t feel like silence anymore.

It felt like something was waiting.

⸻

Cristina stood frozen near the window, her fingers still gripping her phone. Her breathing was shallow, uneven, like her body already knew something her mind hadn’t fully processed yet.

⸻

Cristina (whispering):

“This isn’t real… this isn’t real…”

⸻

But denial didn’t change facts.

The window was open.

She hadn’t opened it.

⸻

Her eyes flicked outside again—

The rooftop.

Empty.

⸻

Her chest tightened.

⸻

Cristina:

“He was just there…”

⸻

Her phone remained still now. No new messages. No typing bubble.

Nothing.

⸻

That was worse.

⸻

Slowly, she stepped back from the window and shut it firmly, locking it with shaking hands.

⸻

Click.

⸻

The sound echoed louder than it should have.

⸻

Cristina (thinking):

Okay. Think. You’re safe.

⸻

She turned toward the door.

Still locked.

She had locked it earlier.

She remembered that clearly.

⸻

But something felt wrong.

Not visible.

Not obvious.

Just—

Wrong.

⸻

The air felt heavier.

Like someone else was breathing in the room.

⸻

Cristina:

“…Hello?”

⸻

No answer.

⸻

She swallowed hard and forced herself to move, step by step, checking every corner of the room.

Closet.

Empty.

Bathroom.

Empty.

Under the bed—

Nothing.

⸻

Cristina (exhales):

“You’re losing it…”

⸻

Her shoulders dropped slightly.

Relief tried to settle—

⸻

Knock.

⸻

Her entire body jerked.

⸻

The sound came from the door.

Slow.

Controlled.

⸻

Not rushed.

Not aggressive.

⸻

Just… deliberate.

⸻

Cristina:

“…Who is it?”

⸻

Silence.

⸻

Her throat tightened.

⸻

Cristina (louder):

“Who’s there?”

⸻

Another knock.

Same rhythm.

Same calm.

⸻

Her heart began pounding violently again.

⸻

Cristina (thinking):

Don’t open it.

⸻

Her hand moved toward the handle anyway.

⸻

She stopped herself.

⸻

Cristina (whispers):

“No.”

⸻

Her phone buzzed suddenly in her hand.

⸻

She flinched.

⸻

Unknown:

“Don’t open the door.”

⸻

Her breath caught.

⸻

Cristina:

“…You’re outside. How do you—”

⸻

Another message.

⸻

Unknown:

“Because that’s not me.”

⸻

Everything inside her went cold.

⸻

Her eyes snapped to the door.

⸻

The knocking stopped.

⸻

Silence.

⸻

But now it wasn’t calm.

It was suffocating.

⸻

Cristina:

“…Then who is it?”

⸻

No reply.

⸻

Her fingers trembled as she slowly stepped back from the door.

⸻

Then—

The handle moved.

⸻

Slowly.

⸻

Click.

⸻

Her stomach dropped.

⸻

Cristina:

“No… no no—”

⸻

The door creaked open.

⸻

Darkness filled the hallway beyond.

No lights.

No sound.

⸻

But something was there.

She could feel it.

⸻

A shape shifted just beyond the frame.

⸻

Too tall.

Too still.

⸻

Not human.

⸻

Cristina stumbled back, her breathing breaking completely.

⸻

Cristina (whispers):

“Stay away…”

⸻

The figure didn’t rush her.

Didn’t lunge.

⸻

It stepped in.

⸻

Slow.

Dragging.

⸻

Like it had all the time in the world.

⸻

Her vision flickered—

⸻

A flash.

⸻

The same hallway.

Blood on the walls.

Her screaming.

That thing—

closer.

⸻

Cristina (gasping):

“No—this is happening—this is happening now—”

⸻

Her legs gave out slightly as she backed into the table behind her.

⸻

The figure tilted its head.

⸻

Then—

It moved faster.

⸻

Too fast.

⸻

Cristina screamed.

⸻

And suddenly—

Everything stopped.

⸻

The air snapped.

⸻

Like tension being cut.

⸻

The figure froze mid-step.

⸻

Then—

A voice.

Cold.

Controlled.

Dangerous.

⸻

Leo:

“You shouldn’t touch what’s mine.”

⸻

Cristina’s heart slammed against her ribs.

⸻

The shadow near the door trembled.

⸻

Then slowly—

It began to distort.

⸻

Like it didn’t belong here.

⸻

Cristina (breathing hard):

“Leo…?”

⸻

He stepped into the room.

This time—

Not a dream.

⸻

Real.

⸻

Dark clothes.

Sharp gaze.

Presence that filled the entire space instantly.

⸻

The shadow recoiled.

⸻

Leo (quiet, lethal):

“Did you think I wouldn’t notice?”

⸻

The thing made a low, unnatural sound.

⸻

Cristina:

“What… is that?”

⸻

Leo didn’t look at her.

⸻

His focus remained locked on it.

⸻

Leo:

“A mistake.”

⸻

The word wasn’t loud.

But it carried something heavy.

Final.

⸻

He took a step forward.

⸻

The shadow jerked back violently—

⸻

And vanished.

⸻

Gone.

⸻

Just like that.

⸻

Silence returned.

⸻

Cristina’s legs gave out completely this time.

She sank to the floor, shaking.

⸻

Cristina:

“…That wasn’t human.”

⸻

Leo finally looked at her.

⸻

And for the first time—

There was something darker in his expression.

⸻

Not anger.

Not concern.

⸻

Ownership.

⸻

He walked toward her slowly.

⸻

Cristina tried to move back.

Her body refused again.

⸻

Cristina:

“You said that wasn’t you…”

⸻

Leo:

“It wasn’t.”

⸻

He crouched in front of her.

Too close.

Again.

⸻

Cristina:

“Then what was it?”

⸻

A pause.

⸻

Then—

⸻

Leo (quietly):

“Something that shouldn’t have found you this early.”

⸻

Her breathing became uneven again.

⸻

Cristina:

“Early…?”

⸻

His gaze dropped briefly to her wrist.

The mark.

Still there.

⸻

He reached for it again.

⸻

This time—

She didn’t pull away.

⸻

His fingers brushed over the mark lightly.

⸻

Her entire body reacted instantly.

⸻

Cristina (shaky):

“…You’re real.”

⸻

Leo:

“I’ve always been.”

⸻

Silence stretched between them.

Heavy.

Charged.

⸻

Cristina:

“You’re in my dreams… my visions… and now here?”

⸻

Leo:

“Yes.”

⸻

No hesitation.

No denial.

⸻

Cristina:

“Why me?”

⸻

His thumb pressed slightly against her wrist.

Not painful.

But firm.

⸻

Leo (low voice):

“Because you were never supposed to be unprotected.”

⸻

Her breath caught.

⸻

Cristina:

“Protected…?”

⸻

He leaned closer.

His voice dropping just enough—

⸻

Leo:

“From me.”

⸻

Her heart stopped.

⸻

Cristina:

“…What?”

⸻

A faint smile appeared.

Dangerous.

Controlled.

⸻

Leo:

“You’re not afraid of the right thing yet.”

⸻

Her chest tightened.

⸻

Cristina:

“And what is that?”

⸻

His eyes locked into hers.

Unblinking.

Unwavering.

⸻

Leo (soft, final):

“Me.”

⸻

⸻

The room felt smaller now.

Colder.

⸻

Because the truth settled in slowly—

⸻

That thing came for her.

⸻

But Leo didn’t just stop it.

⸻

He claimed her.

⸻

And somehow—

That was worse.

⸻

End Of Chapter 2

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