𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐠𝐚𝐦𝐞// 𝐓𝐎𝐌 𝐊𝐀𝐔𝐋𝐈𝐓𝐙

Paranoia

🎧please use the music provided above for a better experience🎧

———

October 31, 2010

As I arrived at the Halloween party, I was instantly awestruck by the extravagance of the event. The mansion was adorned with eerie decorations, dimly lit by flickering candles, and filled with the sound of laughter and music. People in all sorts of costumes bustled about, creating a surreal atmosphere. I had taken time to craft my own costume, going as a sultry, mysterious masquerade character, my dress flowing elegantly as I moved. The excitement in the air was palpable, and I knew this night was bound to be unforgettable.

As the Halloween party roared on, I found myself dancing with newfound energy, lost in the sea of sweaty dancing bodies. The music was pounding, and colorful lights painted the room. Amid the pulsating beats, I couldn't shake the sensation that someone was watching me. In between sips of my drink, I kept noticing a figure in the corner of my eye, dressed in a haunting costume, their gaze locked onto me. They wore a chilling 'Scream' mask, but I could still feel their eyes on me through the mask, it was piercing. When I moved to chat with friends, I'd catch glimpses of them, subtly following my path through the party. Yet, the alcohol had clouded my judgment, and I shrugged it off as mere coincidence, convincing myself I was merely letting my imagination run wild in the throes of the festivities.

———

I slowly fluttered my eyes open, feeling my whole body ache. I couldn't remember much from last night, except when I first arrived. As I peeled myself from the floor and rubbed my temples, I looked around to see trash and people passed out everywhere. It must've been quite a night.

Carefully navigating through the sea of unconscious people, I tried to find my belongings so I could make my exit. I was feeling hungover and exhausted, and I couldn't help but notice how uncomfortable my thong had been wedged up my ass all night.

After finally locating my purse, I hurried toward the front door, making my way to the car. My eyes were struggling to stay open, but I was determined to make it home.

---

I reached the massive gate guarding my house, entered the pin, and drove up the long driveway. My dad owned a large oil company in Italy, which led us to move to Germany to expand the business. Most of our fortune came from there. My dad, though well-intentioned, wasn't the best at parenting, and my mom... I couldn't remember much about her. She passed away when I was young in a house fire. I knew my dad tried, but material things couldn't replace the love and emotional support I had longed for.

As I tiptoed upstairs, I tried my best not to wake up my dad. I let out a deep sigh as I finally collapsed onto my bed; it had been a long night.

---

[Time Skip]

November 8, 2010

It had been a week since that blurry night, and some strange occurrences had been unsettling me. I didn't want to sound paranoid, but I couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching or following me. Normally, I was quite aware of my surroundings, and it was disconcerting how certain cars seemed to tail me for extended periods. It was starting to make me anxious.

---

"Are we going out this weekend?" My best friend, Verna, asked while rummaging through my makeup.

"I'm not sure, Verna... Yesterday, a car followed me for a whole 30 minutes. Strange coincidences keep happening, and it's bothering me." I replied, lying on my bed, staring up at the ceiling. Verna had been one of my closest friends since I moved here. She had helped me come out of my shell, and we had been going out almost every night since I arrived.

I had met her at Starbucks in the airport in Germany. She had just moved here from Spain because a modeling agency hired her for their shows. She is stunning, with straight black hair, captivating crystal blue eyes, and a toned and tan body reminiscent of Adriana Lima.

"Bitch, come on, don't be so paranoid! We're definitely going out this weekend, and we're going to have a blast, no doubt. Who knows, you might even meet a good fuck." Verna exclaimed, turning to me with a mischievous smile.

"Shut up!" I chuckled, playfully throwing my pillow at her. "Alright, fine, I'll go. But I'm serious, if things start feeling weird, I'm outta there."

"Yeah, yeah, okay, you're going to have fun." she said, turning back to admire herself in the mirror. "What do you think?"

"Damn, girl, you look hot!" I replied, blowing her a playful kiss. She smiled and got up from my vanity. "Perfect, let's go."

We were heading to our friend Lorenzo's place to meet up with the rest of our friends for a casual get-together. Just a group of adults having fun, indulging in some questionable decisions.

---

We finally arrived at Lorenzo's condo, which was about 20 minutes away from my place in the heart of Berlin. Lorenzo was 20 years old and studying something in college, but I honestly never paid much attention to what he said. He is good-looking and came from a wealthy Italian family who pretty much covered all his expenses.

"Hey, whores!" Lorenzo exclaimed as he swung open the door, offering bottles of alcohol. I chuckled at his playful gesture and made my way inside to greet the rest of our friends, flopping down on his couch. Honestly, I wasn't in the mood for day drinking right now; I was preoccupied with thoughts of being watched or losing my mind.

"Already hitting the bottle, huh?!" Verna teased, pointing at the half-empty bottle in Lorenzo's hand.

"Shut up, don't act like you haven't." he playfully rolled his eyes while pouring three glasses of Bacardi. I didn't say anything and just took the glass. I had to admit, drinking did help calm my mind. We all chatted and played drinking games. I ended up getting pretty drunk, but that eerie feeling of being watched never faded; it felt like there were eyes on me.

As the night wore on, and the alcohol blurred my senses, I spotted a shadow lurking outside the window. The figure stood in the darkness, partially concealed by the curtains, watching our gathering. My heart raced, and I leaned in closer to Verna, whispering, "Verna, do you see that? Someone's watching us."

Verna squinted at the window and then turned to me with a worried expression. "What. the. fuck. Should we call the police?"

I hesitated, not wanting to cause a scene, but the unease in my gut was too much to ignore. We decided to discreetly inform Lorenzo and some of our friends, and they cautiously checked outside. However, by the time they reached the window, the shadow had vanished into the night, leaving us with a deep sense of foreboding.