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R. Veyne
Freelancer, Writer, data analyst @ Mtn, Lean Technology
Freelancer, Writer, data analyst @ Mtn, Lean Technology
THE MAN WHO WAS STANDING IN MY ROOM WAS ME
<p>I woke up at 3:17 a.m.</p><p><br/></p><p>Not because of a noise.</p><p><br/></p><p>Because someone whispered my name.</p><p><br/></p><p>I opened my eyes.</p><p><br/></p><p>My room was dark.</p><p><br/></p><p>I couldn't move for a few seconds. You know that strange feeling when your body wakes up before your brain does?</p><p><br/></p><p>I stared at the ceiling.</p><p><br/></p><p>Then I heard it again.</p><p><br/></p><p>“...<strong>ROYAL</strong>.”</p><p><br/></p><p>This time, it came from the corner of my room.</p><p><br/></p><p>I didn't look.</p><p><br/></p><p>I don't know why.</p><p><br/></p><p>Maybe some part of me already knew that whatever was standing there didn't want me to see it.</p><p><br/></p><p>So I stayed completely still.</p><p><br/></p><p>Then my phone lit up beside me.</p><p><br/></p><p>3:18 a.m.</p><p><br/></p><p>One notification.</p><p><br/></p><p>From my own number.</p><p><br/></p><p>I almost laughed.</p><p><br/></p><p>Almost.</p><p><br/></p><p>Until I opened it.</p><p><br/></p><p>It was a voice note.</p><p><br/></p><p>0:07</p><p><br/></p><p>I pressed play.</p><p><br/></p><p>At first, there was nothing.</p><p><br/></p><p>Just breathing.</p><p><br/></p><p>Then I heard my own voice whisper:</p><p><br/></p><p>“Don't turn around.”</p><p><br/></p><p>My blood went cold.</p><p><br/></p><p>Because I wasn't the one who recorded it.</p><p><br/></p><p>I threw the phone across the bed.</p><p><br/></p><p>And that's when I heard footsteps.</p><p><br/></p><p>Slow.</p><p><br/></p><p>Bare feet against the floor.</p><p><br/></p><p><strong>Step.</strong></p><p><strong><br/></strong></p><p><strong>...</strong></p><p><strong><br/></strong></p><p><strong>Step.</strong></p><p><strong><br/></strong></p><p><strong>...</strong></p><p><strong><br/></strong></p><p><strong>Step.</strong></p><p><br/></p><p>They stopped beside my bed.</p><p><br/></p><p>I could see the shadow stretching across the wall.</p><p><br/></p><p>Tall.</p><p><br/></p><p>Too tall.</p><p><br/></p><p>I squeezed my eyes shut.</p><p><br/></p><p>Then something leaned close to my ear.</p><p><br/></p><p>I could feel its breath.</p><p><br/></p><p>And it whispered:</p><p><br/></p><p>“You weren't supposed to wake up yet.”</p><p><br/></p><p>I opened my eyes.</p><p><br/></p><p>Nothing.</p><p><br/></p><p>The room was empty.</p><p><br/></p><p>I sat up.</p><p><br/></p><p>My phone was still on the bed.</p><p><br/></p><p>The screen was glowing.</p><p><br/></p><p>Another notification.</p><p><br/></p><p>A photograph.</p><p><br/></p><p>I opened it.</p><p><br/></p><p>It was a picture of me sleeping.</p><p><br/></p><p>Taken from the corner of my room.</p><p><br/></p><p>I stared at it.</p><p><br/></p><p>Then I zoomed in.</p><p><br/></p><p>There was someone standing behind my bed.</p><p><br/></p><p>Someone wearing the exact clothes I was wearing.</p><p><br/></p><p>I looked down at myself.</p><p><br/></p><p>Same shirt.</p><p><br/></p><p>Same shorts.</p><p><br/></p><p>Same everything.</p><p><br/></p><p>I looked back at the picture.</p><p><br/></p><p>The person in it was smiling.</p><p><br/></p><p>I wasn't.</p><p><br/></p><p>Then my phone vibrated again.</p><p><br/></p><p>Another message.</p><p><br/></p><p>This time, it wasn't from my number.</p><p><br/></p><p>It said:</p><p><br/></p><p>“He's awake now.”</p><p><br/></p><p>I heard the bedroom door slowly open behind me.</p><p><br/></p><p>And before I could turn around...</p><p><br/></p><p>I heard my own voice say:</p><p><br/></p><p>“Don't look.”</p><p><br/></p><p>I froze.</p><p><br/></p><p>Because the voice wasn't coming from behind me.</p><p><br/></p><p>It was coming from under my bed.</p>
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