THE MAN WHO WAS STANDING IN MY ROOM WAS ME 2

I heard my own voice from under the bed. “Don’t look.” I stopped breathing. Every instinct in me screamed to run. But where? The bedroom door was still open. The thing behind it was still there. And whatever was under my bed... was speaking in my voice. I slowly moved my hand toward my phone. The screen lit up. 3:21 a.m. Then another voice note appeared. From my number. I didn't press it. It played by itself. My voice whispered: “Whatever happens next, don't answer me.” I stared at the phone. Then something under the bed knocked three times. Knock. Knock. Knock. I felt tears forming in my eyes. Then I heard footsteps outside my bedroom. Someone was walking down the hallway. Slowly. Coming toward me. I wanted to scream. Instead, I covered my mouth. The footsteps stopped at my door. Silence. Then my mother called my name. “ROYAL?” I nearly cried from relief. “I'm here!” The moment the words left my mouth... everything went silent. My mother's voice came again. But this time... from underneath my bed. “I'm here too.” I couldn't move. Something grabbed my ankle. I kicked violently. My phone fell. The screen faced the floor. And in that tiny glow beneath the bed... I saw two eyes. Then four. Then six. There wasn't one person underneath my bed. There were people. Dozens of them. All staring at me. All wearing my face. I screamed and ran. I reached the bedroom door. But when I stepped into the hallway... I was back in my bedroom. I tried again. Same thing. Bedroom. Again. Bedroom. Again. Bedroom. Each time, something was different. The first time, my bed was empty. The second time, someone was sitting on it. The third time... I was sitting on it. Just staring at myself. The version of me sitting on the bed smiled. “Finally.” I backed away. He stood up. “You took long enough.” “What are you?” He tilted his head. “You.” Then he walked toward me. I ran past him. This time the door opened. I stumbled into the hallway. My house was completely dark. I ran downstairs. My mother's room. Empty. Living room. Empty. Kitchen. Empty. Then I heard my phone ringing upstairs. I looked back. My phone was still in my hand. The ringing continued. I answered. Nothing. Then my own voice whispered: “Look behind you.” I didn't. I refused. Then something touched the back of my neck. Cold fingers. I shut my eyes. And remembered the voice note. Don't answer me. So I stayed silent. The fingers slowly moved from my neck... to my mouth. Something leaned against my ear. And whispered: “You finally learned.” I opened my eyes. Morning sunlight was coming through the windows. My house was normal. My mother was in the kitchen. Cars were passing outside. People were talking. Everything was fine. I laughed. I actually laughed. It had been a nightmare. Just a nightmare. I walked into the kitchen. My mother looked at me. Then she dropped her cup. She stared at my face. “Who are you?” I smiled nervously. “Mom... it's me.” She stepped backward. Her eyes filled with tears. “No.” She grabbed her phone. Her hands were shaking. Then she showed me a photograph. It was me. Standing beside her. Taken yesterday. She pointed at the person in the photograph. “That is my son.” Then she pointed at me. “And you aren't him.” I looked at the photograph. My stomach dropped. Because the person beside her... was smiling. And standing behind him... was the man from my bedroom. I looked at my mother. She was crying now. Then my phone vibrated. One final notification. 3:17 a.m. I looked at the clock. It was 7:42 a.m. Another notification appeared. “You shouldn't have opened your eyes.” Then another. “He is awake now.” I slowly looked toward the kitchen window. My reflection was standing there. Except... I wasn't. It smiled at me. And whispered through the glass: “Your turn to sleep.” The lights went out. And the last thing I heard... was my own voice screaming from somewhere inside the house: “DON'T LET HIM WAKE UP.”

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