Reality

Chapter 9: Embrace the Dark

The help arrived a few hours later, and my parents were there too. They hugged me tightly, relief evident in their eyes. As we embraced, I couldn't shake the feeling of unease lingering in the air. The sky seemed oddly dark, yet the moon's glow illuminated the surroundings, casting eerie shadows. Breaking away from the hug, I glanced towards the forest and noticed the dark figure standing amidst the trees. Its form was unsettling, with elongated limbs that seemed to stretch unnaturally, blending into the darkness.

Boarding the other bus, I felt a sense of apprehension lingering after my encounter with the shadow. Each of us made it home safely, but the memory of the dark figure haunted my thoughts. Arriving home in the early hours of the morning, I noticed my friends Niklauz and Vincent were still online. I messaged them, apologizing for my recent absence and explaining the strange events of the night. They offered reassurance, but the sense of dread persisted.

Following the incident, classes were suspended for two days to allow everyone to recover from the ordeal. Yuri suggested we hang out, and I agreed, inviting Niklauz and Vincent to join us. Meeting at a nearby fast-food chain, we attempted to distract ourselves from the unsettling events. However, a message from a classmate revealed disturbing rumors circulating about me online. The page dedicated to spreading falsehoods tarnished my reputation, leaving me feeling vulnerable and exposed.

Despite our efforts to trace the source of the rumors, we were unsuccessful. Feeling helpless, we parted ways and returned home. Walking alone, I couldn't shake the feeling of being watched, a sense of impending danger lurking in the shadows. Suddenly, a chilling message appeared on my phone, demanding that I commit a heinous act within a specified time frame. Panic seized me as the ominous countdown began, signaling dire consequences if I failed to comply.

Unable to sleep, I found myself in the hospital after passing out from exhaustion. Concealing the true reason behind my collapse, I confided in my family about the online harassment but omitted the sinister ultimatum. Their shock and concern only added to my guilt and fear. Desperate to end the torment, I resolved to take matters into my own hands.

In a moment of desperation, I committed a horrific act, driven by a desire to silence my tormentor. I got out of the hospital bed and went into a hallway that had no CCTV and waited. I grabbed a syringe and a glove. I went into a janitor's closet and put on the gloves. I waited for someone to pass by. Just then, a nurse was right in front of the closet, so I took my chance and stabbed the nurse with the syringe repeatedly until she died. I made the whole scene look like she had slipped and fallen onto the syringe she was holding.

I took a picture and sent it to the anonymous account that was posting things about me, then I went back to my room, eagerly waiting for my parents and the user to respond to the picture. After the user saw it, the whole page was taken down. However, my relief was short-lived as a chilling message appeared, taunting me with the label "killer." The dark figure reappeared, its presence a harbinger of impending doom. Overwhelmed by fear and guilt, I succumbed to unconsciousness, trapped in a nightmarish cycle of darkness and despair.