Swipe : The Order of Swipe

Chapter 1

Susan opened her eyes to the new day by 4:44 am. She realised she couldn't move her entire body, she was stuck, and she was struck. The sleep paralysis demon crept over her body as she lay still in fear, her entire mind lost control and her breath could barely pass through her nostrils. Susan Wander, the 23-year-old finally released herself in gladness after the effect of the demon wore off. It took almost two minutes but it felt like it was an hour. She yanked herself up in a sitting position facing her mirror.

         She stared at her reflection for a whole five minutes, her eyes moved to the window with the curtains flowing with the rhythm of the wind. She turned back to her right side to get her phone, she saw her boyfriend, Stan, asleep. He didn't even notice her nearly losing her entire life at once. Anyway, she didn't feel like he needed a disturbance.

         Susan picked up her phone from the marble cupboard, yes they were rich enough to afford the marble architecture. She unlocked her phone and she searched for new messages, she just peeped into one that got her interest. It was from their group chat.

      Oh, shoot! She forgot they had a get-together plan already arranged for the last Friday of the month. She scrolled through the messages until she took proper screenshots of what she needed from the entire conclusion.

        She pulled her bedsheet to the side, she wore her flip-flops already waiting for her feet. She took herself to the bathroom for urination, and when she got there, she met the bathroom sink tap. She wondered why it was still on, but she turned it off anyway. She sat on the toilet seat to pee.

           As she sat, her eyes turned to the right side. She could see a shadow, the demon wasn't out of her room just yet. She shivered in fear but she ignored her goosebumps. Stan got up, he asked, "Who's there? Susan? Is that you?"

         Susan was too baffled to speak, he went silent. She realised he just talked from his sleep. He wasn't awake yet, she rinsed her pubic area. She got up quickly and she flushed the toilet.

         She turned on the lights, yes it was too early but it was too scary too. She turned on the hallway lights as well, No her parents didn't know Stan came over. They were away for a vacation. She had the entire house to herself.

          She picked up her laptop, she decided it would make more sense to Google certain information. She searched and got the answers she wanted. Stan finally woke up, he looked at her like she was crazy. Why was she awake by this time, he just peeped his phone. He was confused.

        Their eyes met, and she asked, "Imagine if the world came crumbling down, would you escape?" He smiled at her indirect sarcasm, he loved it whenever she trolled him like she owned him.

       He replied, "Listen, I just want to know… Why did you do this? Are you having a photo shoot? There are a lot of lights on."

         She stopped typing, turned to him and said, "Well while you were asleep, I was oppressed by a sleep paralysis demon. I saw it twice."

         He never understood the effect of it because he never experienced it. It felt too unreal for him to agree with.

         "Really? Why didn't you call my name?" He asked.

       "It's sleep paralysis, you can't speak or even move. You can't blink even, you're just there. Stuck."

        "Brrrrrrrhhhh!!!" The alarm clock just rang. It's 5:35 am. He turned it off, he turned to her again. "Susan, you should calm down and talk to me. Next time try your best to wake me up. Just give me any signal. Also, today's the major day for us."

          "Yeah but then."

       "But then what? What's wrong?"

    She said, "Stan, I'm having a really bad and bitter feeling about today."

         His eyebrows furrowed, and he asked, "Why? We always do this every last Friday of the month. Explain."

         "This is going to be different. I'm serious. I don't know what Damon planned but trust me, it's not going to be okay. I had a dream before I woke up."

       "What did you see?"

      "I saw us crying for help. We were trapped in an unrecognizable place I've never seen before."

        "Hmm. Okay then, let's watch out at least. You should tell the others."

       "Yeah, I will."

   She typed the message in the group chat. Damon called her phone immediately after he saw the message. He said, "Hey, don't make me scared. What's wrong?"

        She replied, "They're coming, Damon. We can't do this."

         "Do what?" He was so dazed. He asked again, "What are you talking about?"

       "Damon, I don't think we should go for this Friday's get-together. Let's do it tomorrow. At another place. Maybe another theme."

      "Oh I understand you now, you're scared of the horror theme. Susan relax, we don't have a lot of horror to give. It's just the dressing and the actual food and drinks. Nothing else, okay. Look, maybe a little truth or dare. Don't worry sweetie that's all we are doing. Relax." He reassured.

        "Damon, you won't get it. I'm seeing us having issues. Today. I don't know where it's going to come from and how it's going to go but I know something serious. Even if you don't mess it up, someone else will."

        "We are just eight in number. Who will?"

    She went silent. She didn't know who, she just had a feeling. She replied, "Okay then. No problem. See you later." She dropped the phone from her ears, cutting the call.

       She turned to Stan already out of the bathroom, he was so fast with his bathing time. He said, "You see, it's not that serious. Maybe we could avoid another person but not the entire day." He wore his shirt and trousers. He kissed her on the cheek and ran for breakfast. It's already 6:00 am.