"You said you would protect me,"the voice whispered—soft and broken—echoing through the darkness.
"You said you would come for me..."It came again, trembling like wind through shattered glass.
"Eriic... Eriiiic..."A blurred face formed in the mist behind his eyelids—familiar, but unreachable.He knew that voice. He knew her.
"ERICCCCCCC..."It pierced through his skull like a siren.
He gasped and jolted awake—heart racing, drenched in cold sweat.His room was silent. Too silent.
Eric stumbled into the restroom, gripping the sink as cold water splashed across his face.Droplets slid down, but the chill couldn't wash away the voice still ringing in his skull.
"Remember..."
It echoed again—clearer this time, closer.
"What the hell is happening..."He clutched his head."Aghhh—my head... it's killing me..."
He stayed there for a few moments, breathing hard, before dragging himself out toward the kitchen.
The smell of toast and eggs filled the air, but it did nothing to ground him.
"Eric! Good morning, sweetie!" his mom chimed with a bright smile, placing a plate on the table.
"Morning, Mom..." Eric mumbled, his voice heavy, like he hadn't really woken up.
She raised an eyebrow. "You look totally out of it. What happened? Busy chatting with your crush all night?" she teased with a playful wink.
Eric gave a flat, humorless chuckle."Yeah, right. As if anyone would want to talk to me."
His tone had a bite to it. Not loud—but sharp enough to silence the room for a second.
His mom looked at him gently. "Hey... don't say that about yourself, okay?"
Eric looked away, shrugging off her words.But the pain in his head wasn't gone.And somewhere inside, the voice whispered again—
"You promised..."
Eric suddenly slammed the table with both hands.
"I said shut up!" he shouted in a burst of anger.
His mom froze, shocked by his outburst.
"Eric... what happened? Are you okay?"
Realizing what he had just done, Eric quickly forced a smile.
"Ah... yeah, Mom! Hehe... I was just practicing a drama script in my head, and I got too into it," he said, trying to sound casual.
His mom blinked. "A drama?"
"Yeah! Our school is doing a play," Eric replied, still faking his smile. "Anyway, I'm late. I have to go!"
He rushed toward the door, trying to escape the awkward moment.
"But Eric, you haven't eaten breakfast!" she called after him, clearly worried.
"I'll grab something on the way! Love you, Mom!" he said quickly, giving her a kiss on the cheek and a hug before running out the door.
"Be safe..." she said softly as he left.
Eric walked to the bus stop, his thoughts still heavy.
What was that dream last night? Why does that voice keep coming back?
He put on his headphones and scrolled through his playlist, hoping the music would calm him down.
As he looked around, checking if the bus had arrived, his eyes landed on someone across the street.
A man in a black hoodie and cap was sitting on a bench, face covered with a mask. He was staring directly at Eric—unblinking, focused, intense.
It was like he was waiting for something… from him.
Eric looked away, brushing it off. His head still throbbed with pain.
The bus pulled in, and just before getting up, Eric glanced back one last time at the stranger.
The man was still staring.Then—he smiled. A creepy, unsettling smile.
Eric stood up, planning to cross the road and ask who he was. But as soon as he stepped forward, a bus passed between them.
And when it moved—the man was gone.
Eric's heart skipped.
Where did he go...? He was just there!
The driver called out, "This bus is about to leave—get on now!"
Eric shook off the confusion."What was that...?" he muttered. "Ugh, I'm gonna be late for the test!"
He ran to the bus and got inside, choosing a seat in the far corner, still shaken by what he saw.
Was that real? Or just in my head... again?
He stared out the window, but the chill from that creepy smile stayed with him.
As Eric stared out the window, still trying to shake off the strange encounter from earlier, someone passed through the edge of his vision.
A girl stepped onto the bus.
She wore a black skirt, a matching black shirt, and a black cap pulled low over her face. The color made her seem almost like a shadow, quiet and unnoticed—yet somehow, impossible to ignore.
She walked down the aisle and sat in the seat right in front of Eric.
Eric glanced up for a moment.There was something about her. The way she carried herself. The way she sat—calm, composed.Even the scent she carried... it stirred something inside him.
"That smell…Why does it feel so familiar?"
He turned his eyes back toward the window, pretending to be lost in the view.
"Don't stare, don't be weird", he told himself."You've got enough problems already without being known as the guy who creeps on bus girls."
Still, something about her tugged at the back of his mind—like a dream half remembered. A presence he knew but couldn't place.
To ease his nerves, Eric pulled out his phone and started scrolling.He opened a novel he'd been reading—anything to distract his mind from the strange feeling in his chest.
Minutes passed. The world around him faded as he got lost in the story.Then the bus slowed down—it was his stop.
Eric stood up, stretching a little from the long ride.To his surprise, the mysterious girl also stood up.
Wait… she's getting off here too?
A strange mix of shock, excitement, and nervous energy filled him.
Trying to stay calm, he smiled gently.
"Please, go ahead," Eric said politely, stepping aside to let her off first.
She didn't say a word.But as she passed him, she gave him a glance—just a small one.
Her eyes locked onto his for only a second…But something about that moment shook Eric.
That look... I've seen it before. But when? Where?
She stepped off the bus. Eric followed.
But just as he reached the sidewalk—
The mysterious woman's eyes suddenly snapped to the road, widening for a split second as if she'd seen something only she could sense.A loud roar of an engine exploded nearby.
A motorcycle came speeding toward him out of nowhere—completely out of control.
Eric didn't even have time to react.
Suddenly, strong arms yanked him back.
He stumbled. The impact sent both of them crashing to the ground.
Pain shot through his head as he hit the pavement.
"Are you okay?!"The girl's voice came in a panic. She rushed to him, eyes wide with fear.
Blood trickled from Eric's forehead.
His vision blurred. Everything felt heavy, like the world was sinking.
But that voice…It echoed in his ears, familiar and warm, even through the chaos.
Eric... Eric...That voice... I've heard it before…
Through the haze, he barely opened his eyes.
He saw her face now—really saw it.
She was crying.
Her lips trembled. Her hands shook as she tried to hold him still.
"Eric…" she whispered again.
And Eric, with a weak smile, barely conscious, whispered back:
"I… found you."
Then everything went black.