Danna stood frozen, staring at the abandoned house in front of her. It loomed like a shadow against the dim sky—mysterious, decaying, and utterly terrifying. A chill danced down her spine, but her breath caught when she saw a figure at the window.
Her father.
He was inside, waving at her, calling her name. "Danna!"
"Dad?" she whispered, heart pounding.
Without thinking, she stepped forward. Something about the house felt… wrong. The air grew heavy, her footsteps echoing too loudly. But the sight of her father pulled her in like a magnet. She couldn't leave him there—not alone.
She reached the door, hesitating as her fingers wrapped around the cold doorknob. A voice inside her screamed to turn back.
She opened it anyway.
The hall swallowed her whole. Darkness pooled inside like ink. The only thing she could see was a chair in the center of the room—and her father sitting in it.
"Dad?" she called, stepping closer. No answer.
She tried again, louder. "Dad!"
Still nothing. Her heart thudded in her ears.
And then—she saw it.
Blood.
It soaked through his shirt, staining his chest deep red. Stab wounds—too many to count. His head hung limp, his skin pale. Lifeless.
"No… no, no, no—Dad!" she screamed, collapsing to her knees. Her tears fell fast, her sobs shaking her chest.
That's when she heard it.
Footsteps.
Behind her.
Slow. Heavy.
She turned around; breath caught in her throat.
A man was walking toward her—mid-40s, tall and broad. He wore blue jeans, a white shirt, and a blue jacket. His face was hidden beneath a dark mask and a low-brimmed hat.
And in his hand… a knife. Its blade gleamed.
She jumped up, adrenaline surging.
But he was faster.
He lunged—and grabbed her arm.
She struggled, kicked, thrashed. That's when she saw it: a tattoo on his left forearm—an eagle, wings spread wide.
She screamed and threw her full weight forward, shoving him back with all her strength. He stumbled, and she ran.
Her legs moved on instinct, dodging broken furniture and shattered glass. The hallway twisted, unfamiliar. Every door looked the same. Every corner felt wrong.
She didn't know where she was going—only that she had to escape.
Suddenly, everything went black.
She had run straight into a dark room.
The door slammed shut behind her.
And she was alone.
"No!" Danna screamed, jolting upright in bed, her body soaked in sweat.
Her chest rose and fell rapidly, panic still clinging to her like a second skin. Her eyes darted around the room. It was her bedroom. The familiar fairy lights, the posters, her bookshelf. Safe.
Just then, the door burst open. Her mom stood in the doorway, followed closely by Natalia, both looking pale and wide-eyed.
"What happened, my girl?" her mom asked, rushing to her side. "I heard you scream!"
"I… I just had a nightmare," Danna panted, trying to catch her breath. "I think… the darkness from the past—it's still here. It hasn't left me."
"Oh, sweetheart," her mom whispered, pulling her into a tight hug. "Calm down, love. It was just a nightmare. You're safe now."
Natalia knelt beside the bed, gently placing a hand on Danna's arm. "Miss Woods, you should rest. I'll stay with her tonight."
"That's really kind of you, dear," her mom said, offering Natalia a small, grateful smile. Then she turned back to her daughter, concern deepening in her eyes. "Danna, how's your skin now? Is it still burning? Any rash?"
Danna slowly lay back down, wincing slightly. "A little bit, Mom. When you hugged me… I felt a burning sensation right on my chest."
Her mom's face creased with worry. "Alright, you listen to me, young lady. Make sure to apply that cream the doctor gave you—and take care of yourself."
She stood up, arms crossed now. "And one more thing… I want to meet that boy. The one who did this to you."
"No, Mom, it's fine," Danna said quickly, eyes wide. "Really—it was an accident. None of us were at fault."
Her mother's lips pressed into a thin line. Natalia stayed quiet but gave Danna a quick glance, clearly not convinced either.
Danna sighed and closed her eyes.
But even in the safety of her room…The weight of the nightmare lingered.
And somewhere deep in her chest…That burning sensation didn't feel like it was from spilled coffee anymore
After her mom left the room, Natalia sat beside Danna on the bed, watching her closely.
"How are you feeling now?" she asked softly.
"I'm fine, girl," Danna replied, waving a hand dismissively, totally unbothered despite Natalia's worried eyes.
Natalia frowned. "In the clinic… I saw the redness on your shoulders. It looked so bad, Danna. I couldn't bear to look at it for long."
She sighed, shaking her head. "Thank goodness that nurse forced you to leave and rest at home for two days. Otherwise, knowing you, you would've stayed at the university like nothing happened."
Danna gave her a small smirk, but Natalia wasn't done.
"I even took time off too," she added brightly. "I wanted to stay here with you and take care of you."
Danna raised an eyebrow. "And what about your mom and dad? Aren't they going to be upset?"
"Nah," Natalia grinned. "I talked to them. Explained everything. They actually agreed with me."
Danna paused, her eyes softening. "You really didn't have to do all this, you know."
Natalia bumped her shoulder gently. "Shut up. You'd do the same for me.
Ok let's sleep now bestie Said Danna with a smile
________________________________________
"Trust me, Garson… that was not cool," Aiden said, shaking his head as they sat in the university cafeteria. "I get it—it was an accident. But the way you threw money at her after hurting her? That was ridiculous."
Garson's jaw clenched. "It was her fault. If she hadn't opened that nasty mouth of hers, I wouldn't have reacted like that."
He leaned forward, eyes burning with leftover rage. "She screamed at me, Aiden. In front of everyone. You were there—you saw it!"
Aiden raised his brows, calm but clearly disappointed. "Come on, Garson. She was hurt. Burned. Of course she was going to lash out. Anyone would've."
Garson scoffed, looking away.
"But you…" Aiden continued, his tone sharper now, "when did you become so heartless, man?"
Garson didn't answer—just stared down at his untouched coffee, the weight of Aiden's words finally starting to sink in.
Garson sat alone in the empty classroom. The day's classes were long over, and Aiden had already called, telling him to come hang out—but Garson had refused.He just… needed a little more time.
It's been a week.She hasn't come back to university.
Is she still not well?
His fingers clenched around the edge of the desk as guilt slowly wrapped around him like chains.
Did I really hurt someone good?
The question echoed in his mind, louder than he wanted to admit. He hated the unfamiliar tightness in his chest, the quiet sting of regret he didn't know how to deal with.