Tempetation Of Shadows |18+

CHAPTER 5: HEALING GROUNDS

The next morning, I woke up with a sense of urgency. The events of last night still haunted me, but I had no time to dwell on them.

I needed to see Sofia. I quickly got ready, throwing on a pair of jeans and a comfortable top, and rushed downstairs.

"Good morning, Aunt Maria!" I called out as I passed through the bakery."Good morning, sweetheart," she replied with a smile, her hands busy with a tray of freshly baked pastries.

"Are you okay? You seem in a hurry.""Just need to see Sofia," I said, giving her a quick peck on the cheek before heading out the door.

The walk to Sofia's house was brisk. The event of last night replayed in my mind, the mysterious hooded figure.

I needed to talk to Sofia, to make sense of it all.When I arrived at her house, I knocked rapidly on the door. It opened almost immediately, and Sofia stood there, looking just as anxious as I felt."Elena! Come in," she said, pulling me inside.
We went straight to her room, where she handed me a cup of coffee. "So, how are you holding up?

Honestly, I'm not sure how I'm holding up. I got that nightmare as usual again and when I woke up, it was already 2:30 midnight. I started crying, my heart feeling heavy with the familiar weight of grief and fear. I felt like someone had eyes on me, despite being in the locked room. The sensation was so intense that I walked towards the balcony.

I thought it would be the usual: I'd look around and find no one. But last night was different. When I opened the door, I saw a man wearing a cap, staring towards my balcony room-and then directly at me. He didn't even spare a glance away. It was the same hooded man from the bar. I could feel it in my bones.

Sofia, yesterday when I saw him, it was like he had an aura of menace around him. It's getting worse day by day. I'm scared. Can he be the one who killed my parents and now wants to kill me?

Sofia looked at me with concern, her brows furrowing as she processed what I was saying. "Elena, that's terrifying. Why didn't you tell me sooner? We need to do something about this."

"I didn't want to worry you," I admitted. "But now, after what happened last night, I can't ignore it anymore."

She nodded, squeezing my hand. "We'll figure this out, Elena. You're not alone in this. Maybe we should go to the police or at least hire some security."

"I don't know, Sofia. What if this person is watching our every move? What if going to the police makes things worse?"

Sofia's eyes widened. "Then we have to be careful. But we can't just do nothing. You're too important to me to let this slide."

Her words brought a small measure of comfort, but the fear still lingered. I needed to be vigilant and watch for any signs that might explain what was happening.

After our conversation, we decided to take a walk to clear our heads. As we strolled through the park, I tried to push the dark thoughts aside, focusing instead on the beauty of the morning. The birds chirping, the fresh scent of flowers, and the warmth of the sun were a stark contrast to the cold fear that had gripped me.

We talked about lighter things, our upcoming classes, and plans for the weekend. It felt good to momentarily escape the shadows that seemed to follow me. But deep down, I knew that this peace was fragile, that the answers I sought were still out there, lurking in the darkness.

As the day went on, we made our way back to the bakery. Aunt Maria greeted us with a warm smile and a tray of freshly baked cookies. "I thought you girls might like a treat," she said, her eyes twinkling with affection.

"Thanks, Aunt Maria," I said, taking a cookie and savoring the sweet, warm flavor. "You always know how to make things better."

She gave me a knowing look. "Just remember, Elena, you're stronger than you think. Whatever's bothering you, you'll get through it."