The touch was ice.
Not cold.
Ice.
Aarav's breath shattered in his throat.
Every nerve in his body screamed.
Yet he couldn't move.
The fingers slid slowly across his cheek.
Deliberate.
Exploring.
"Aarav…"
The voice now came from inches away.
Right in front of him.
Breathing into his face.
He tried to scream.
Nothing came out.
Then—
LIGHTNING FLASHED.
For a split second…
The room lit up.
And Aarav saw it.
Something leaning over him.
A face.
But wrong.
Terribly wrong.
Skin stretched tight like dried paper.
Eyes hollow… endless… black.
A smile carved too wide.
Too deep.
Too inhuman.
Darkness returned instantly.
Aarav's heart nearly exploded.
"No… PLEASE…"
The mattress sank further.
The thing crawled closer.
He could hear it now.
Bones cracking softly.
Joints shifting unnaturally.
Then—
The light flickered back.
Weak.
Trembling.
The bed was empty.
But—
Aarav wasn't alone.
Because behind him…
Something breathed.