Echoes of you

A Flicker in the Dark

The next morning, Sophie's body moved on autopilot.

She had managed a few hours of sleep, but even in her dreams, she had felt his presence. It was always there—hovering, waiting, watching her from somewhere just beyond the edge of her awareness. Every time she stirred awake, she half-expected to find him standing at the foot of her bed, a shadowy figure emerging from the darkness. But there was never anyone there.

Yet somehow, she knew she wasn't alone.

The city was quiet this early in the day, with only a handful of people out on the streets, huddled in their coats against the chilly morning air. Sophie pushed through the glass door of a small coffee shop, the familiar scent of roasted beans and warm pastries washing over her as she stepped inside.

She ordered her usual—a black coffee—and found a seat by the window, where the pale morning light filtered through the glass, casting soft shadows across the floor. Her hands wrapped around the cup, grateful for the warmth, though her fingers still trembled slightly.

She hadn't been able to shake the feeling from last night. That voice—Riven—was still echoing in her mind, threading through her thoughts like a pulse she couldn't escape. Every time she closed her eyes, she could feel it—the pull, the connection, the overwhelming sense of him, as if he were right there beside her, just out of reach.

"You already know me."

His words had sent shivers down her spine, even now, sitting in the calm light of day. How was it possible that she could know him? She had no memory of anyone named Riven—no connection to anyone who could possibly be reaching out to her like this. And yet... there was something in the way he had said her name. Something that felt familiar, as if he had been calling to her for a long time, waiting for her to hear him.

Her phone buzzed, snapping her out of her thoughts. It was Aiden again, checking in on her like always.

"Coffee soon? Haven't heard from you."

Sophie's thumb hovered over the screen, her heart sinking. She knew she should text him back, but her mind was too tangled in the strange events of the last few days. Every conversation with Aiden felt like a lie—like she was keeping something important from him, something too strange and impossible to explain.

She sighed and typed a quick response: "Busy. I'll call you later."

The truth was, she didn't want to talk to anyone. Not until she figured out what was happening to her.

The bell above the door jingled, and Sophie glanced up as a man walked in, his dark coat dripping with rain. He shook the water from his hair, his movements sharp and precise, like someone who was used to being in control of his surroundings. He ordered quickly, then turned, his eyes scanning the room—and for a brief, heart-stopping moment, his gaze locked onto Sophie's.

It wasn't him. She knew that. Riven wasn't real—not in the sense that this man was—but her heart still skipped a beat, a flicker of recognition sparking deep in her chest. She looked away, heat rising to her cheeks as she stared down into her coffee, the warm liquid reflecting her pale face.

"Get a grip, Sophie," she muttered under her breath.

The man took his drink and left without a second glance, and Sophie let out a shaky breath, forcing herself to relax. She needed to stop this. It was getting out of control. She couldn't keep seeing him everywhere, feeling his presence around every corner. It was making her paranoid and jumpy—like her own mind was conspiring against her.

She had to get answers.

Pulling her phone from her bag, she hesitated for only a second before opening her browser and typing into the search bar: