The next morning, sunlight streamed through the curtains, but the warmth didn't ease the chill in my chest. I hadn't slept properly, not after those strange messages last night.
"Miss Flora," Sofi called softly from behind the door, "your breakfast is ready."
"I'll be there in minutes, I replied.
I sat up, rubbing my temples. The image of that message glowed in my mind the photo of the road, the one the unknown number said not to take. I had brushed it off as some prank… until the moment I saw that road blocked by an accident.
It couldn't have been a coincidence.
Before leaving for school, I asked Uncle Denny to check the same road. He returned after ten minutes and confirmed it was now completely closed off. "Construction work, Miss. The surface cracked after the accident last night. They'll fix it in a few days."
So whoever sent me those messages they knew something before even the news spread.
My stomach tightened. Who would know? And why tell me?
---
At school, whispers floated around like dust in sunlight. Everyone had heard about my breakup with Austin.
"She's pretending to ignore him."
"She's probably trying to make him jealous."
The usual nonsense.
But their voices felt distant, like echoes from another world. I didn't care. I had bigger things to worry about. Each time my phone buzzed, my heart skipped a beat half-expecting another message. But there were none.
By lunch, that silence started gnawing at me more than the gossip. The unknown sender hadn't texted since last night. It should've been comforting… but instead, it made me uneasy.
Why stop now? Were they watching me still? Or had I finally escaped their sight?
---
When school ended, I got into the car, quietly asking Uncle Denny to take a different route home. The thought of crossing that blocked road again made my palms sweaty. I kept glancing at my phone during the drive, expecting it to light up. It didn't.
No messages. No calls.
By the time I reached home, I almost convinced myself it was over — maybe someone was genuinely trying to warn me, nothing more.
But my mind wouldn't rest.
The thought circled again and again: What if it wasn't just a warning?
What if they knew where I lived… or went to school… or even when I left home?
I couldn't focus on homework. Couldn't eat much of dinner either. The mansion, so large and quiet, suddenly felt like a cage filled with shadows.
When Sofi asked if I wanted tea, I just shook my head. "I'll go out for a walk instead."
She frowned. "At this hour, miss? It's almost evening."
"I won't be long," I promised, forcing a smile. "I just need some air."
---
I didn't take the car this time. The park wasn't far a different one, near the residential area, not the one by my school. My steps were slow, my eyes constantly flicking toward the dark corners of the street.
No message came.
Still, every sound every passing vehicle, every shifting leaf made my heartbeat quicken. I told myself this was an experiment. If someone was following me, if they really had bad intentions, they'd reach out again.
But my phone remained silent.
When I finally entered the park, children were still playing, their laughter scattering through the cool air. A few people jogged along the path. The streetlights hadn't turned on yet, but the fading orange light of dusk made everything look softer.
No shadow followed me. No strange movement.
I sat on a bench, gripping my phone tightly, eyes scanning the surroundings. Nothing. No message.
Maybe… maybe I was wrong. Maybe whoever it was really just wanted to warn me.
The thought relaxed something inside me. My shoulders loosened. I opened my sketchbook, sketching the outline of a tree letting the pencil move just to calm myself.
For a few peaceful minutes, I even forgot about the fear. The wind brushed my hair, carrying the faint scent of roses from a nearby bush.
And then, just as the light dimmed a little more, a voice came from behind me calm, deep, and strangely familiar.
"You shouldn't be here when it's getting dark. The lights on this side don't work."
The words sent a shiver down my spine they were almost identical to what that text had said last night.
I blinked, trying to get a clearer look at his face, but the park lamps flickered again, leaving him half in shadow.
"Do I… know you?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
He paused just for a heartbeat hesitated then shook his head once. "No. But it's better if you go home."
Before I could say anything else, he walked away.
My phone stayed silent.
No messages. No alerts. Just that same heavy stillness.
I stared down at my hands, realizing they were trembling. Was that him?
Or was this something else entirely?
For the first time, I wasn't sure which answer scared me more.