Anika's mind never knew how to be quiet.
Even in the dead of night,when the world slept
and the walls held their breath,her thoughts remained wide awake : running, questioning, doubting.
She lay on her bed,starting into the darkness,
listening to the steady ticking of the clock on her bedside table.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Each sound felt louder than the last . Her thoughts wouldn't stop.
Why did mom sound tired today?
Why did my friend read my message and not reply?
Why do I feel like something bad is waiting for me?
What if I said something wrong?
Anika sighed and turned to her side.
Everyone said she overthought. As if it were a bad habit she could simply drop. They didn't understand that her mind work faster than her heart,and far louder than any sound in the room .
She glanced at her phone.
2:08 a.m.
I should be asleep.
A faint sound tapped against the window.
Her eyes snapped open.
She held her breath,listening.
Nothing.
Just the wind,she told herself.
But her mind disagreed immediately.
What if it's not?
Her phone vibrated.
Anika's flinched,her fingers tightening around the bedsheet. The screen lit up,then went dark again.No message.
Her heart raced.
Phone don't do that,her thoughts whispered.
She reached for it anyway.The moment her fingers touched the screen,it vibrated again.
This time, there was a message.
Unknown number :
You're thinking again.
Anika sat up straight.
Her eyes darted around the room,as if someone might be standing in the shadows.
The door was closed.The window was locked.
Everything looked the same.
Her hands shook as she typed.
Anika :
Who is this?
The reply came after a pause that felt far too long.
Unknown number :
Someone who hears the noise.
Her throat went dry.
What noise?
The phone buzzed again before she could reply.
Unknown number :
Your thoughts. They never stop,do they?
Her heart pounded painfully.
No one knew that.She never said it out loud.
Never admitted how tired she was of her mind.
A soft creak echoed from the hallway.
Anika froze.
She started at the door, listening.Her parents should be asleep.The house should be still.
The phone vibrated again.
Unknown number :
You're doing it again.
Her breathing grew shallow.
Anika :
Doing what?
Three dots appeared.
Disappeared .
Appeared again.
Her thoughts raced .
They're watching me .
They know where I am.
This is how something bad starts.
The message finally arrived.
Unknown number :
Imagining the worst before anything happens.
Tears burned her eyes.
That sentence felt too accurate. Too personal.
Another sound : this time closer. A faint
shuffle outside her door.
Anika slid off the bed slowly, her feet touching the cold floor. Her phone felt heavy in her hand.
Anika :
Why are you doing this?
The reply came instantly.
Unknown number :
Because you listen to fear faster than truth.
Her stomach twisted.
The hallway light flickered under the door.
She hadn't turned it on.
Her mind screamed at her to step back, to hide ,to lock herself in the bathroom. Every possible ending played out in her head : none of them good.
The phone buzzed again.
Unknown number :
Tell me : what do you think will happen next?
Her fingers trembled.
Someone will come in.
Something bad will happen.
I'll regret not being careful.
The thoughts piled up, heavy and suffocating.
A gentle knock sounded on the door.
Once.
Anika gasped, stumbling back.
Her phone vibrated sharply.
Unknown number :
See how fast your mind decides the ending?
Her heart felt like it might burst.
The knock didn't come again.
Silence returned, thicker than before.
The phone buzzed.
Unknown number :
You've lived like this for years. Scared of things that haven't happened yet.
Her eyes filled with tears.
She hated that it was true.
She hated that a stranger knew.
The doorknob moved slightly.
Not opening.
Just enough to make her breath catch.
The phone vibrated again.
Unknown number :
What if the danger isn't outside the door?
Her mind reeled.
Then where is it?
Her phone screen glowed brighter.
Unknown number :
What if it's right here?
Anika's hand pressed against her chest, feeling her heart race.
The clock ticked loudly behind her.
2.15 a.m.
She stepped closer to the door despite herself. Every Instinct told her not to. Every thought warned her of consequences.
Her phone vibrated one last time.
Unknown number :
Open the door... or let your thoughts decide what's behind it.
Her fingers wrapped around the doorknob.
Cold.
Real.
Her breathing slowed as the house seemed to hold its breath with her.
She turned the knob.
The lights went out.
Her phone screen went black.
And in the darkness, something whispered her name.
"Anika."