Twisted Devotion

Chapter Three

Ava stirred in her sleep, her mind swimming just beneath the surface of consciousness. Dreams came and went, vivid flashes of shadowy figures and distant whispers, pulling her deeper into restless slumber. Her room was quiet, bathed in the soft, muted light of the streetlamp outside. Yet, despite the stillness, a weight pressed on her chest—a feeling of being observed.

Suddenly, her eyes fluttered open, and she lay still, blinking into the darkness. Something wasn't right. The silence in the apartment, once a comfort, now felt oppressive, thick with an invisible presence. Her body was tense, heart pounding in her chest as though it knew something her mind couldn't yet grasp.

She glanced at the clock beside her bed: 3:17 AM. Too early for dawn, too late to still be awake. With a slow breath, she tried to reason with herself. *It's just the dreams,* she thought. *Just the aftereffects of a stressful day.*

But her body wouldn't relax, every nerve buzzing with alertness. She turned her head toward the window, the blinds still drawn from earlier, casting thin lines of light onto the floor. Her throat tightened. Had she forgotten to close them fully?

Her skin prickled. She sat up in bed, feeling the cool air against her skin as she slowly swung her legs over the edge. There was no logical reason for the unease, no sound, no movement in the apartment that would explain the gnawing fear inching its way through her.

Taking slow, deliberate steps, she padded across the room to the window. The closer she got, the heavier the air seemed to become, the shadows growing longer, darker. Reaching for the blinds, she hesitated, her fingers brushing the cold metal slats.

*Don't do it*, a voice inside her whispered, but the compulsion was stronger than her fear. She had to look. She had to know.

With one swift motion, she pulled the blinds fully open, her breath catching in her throat. The street below looked the same as before—empty, silent. But her gaze drifted, drawn to the corner of the building across the street. There, cloaked in the deep shadow of an alcove, a figure stood, barely visible in the gloom. The outline of a man—tall, unmoving—watching her.

Her heart stopped.

She blinked once, twice, hoping that when her eyes adjusted, the figure would disappear. But he didn't. He remained, perfectly still, just beyond the reach of the streetlamp's light, his eyes locked onto her window. Onto *her*.

Ava's breath came in shallow gasps as she stumbled back from the window, her trembling hand reaching for her phone on the nightstand. She dialed Jess's number with shaking fingers, desperately trying to make sense of what she was seeing.

*Pick up, pick up, please pick up,* she pleaded silently.

After what felt like an eternity, Jess's groggy voice answered, "Ava? What the hell, it's the middle of the night."

Ava struggled to find her voice, her words coming out in a panicked rush. "Jess, there's someone outside my window. I—he's watching me. I don't know what to do."

"What? Ava, calm down. Are you sure? Did you call the cops?" Jess's voice sharpened, instantly more alert.

Ava glanced back at the window, heart hammering in her chest. The figure was still there, unmoving. "I...I don't know. I think I'm just freaking out, but I swear, Jess. He's there."

"Stay on the phone with me. Don't hang up, okay? I'll drive over, I'm coming. Lock your doors and stay away from the window."

Ava nodded, though Jess couldn't see her. "Okay. Okay, just hurry."

She ended the call, her hands shaking as she rushed to the front door, double-checking the locks. She paced the small space of her apartment, every creak of the floorboards beneath her feet making her jump. Minutes dragged on like hours as she waited, her skin crawling with the sensation that she was being watched.

Finally, headlights washed over the front of her building, and a car door slammed shut. She practically ran to the window, peering out to see Jess stepping onto the sidewalk, her face set in determination. Ava's eyes flicked back to the corner where the figure had been.

He was gone.

Ava's knees went weak with relief and confusion. Had she imagined the whole thing? She hadn't taken her eyes off the street for more than a second, and yet—he had vanished.

Jess knocked on the door, and Ava rushed to open it, pulling her friend into the apartment with a hug that was more desperate than she meant it to be.

"Are you okay?" Jess asked, concern etched on her face as she pulled back to look Ava in the eyes. "Did you see him again?"

Ava shook her head, her heart still racing. "No. He's gone."

Jess frowned. "Do you want to stay at my place tonight? Just in case?"

Ava considered it for a moment. The thought of being alone in the apartment now made her stomach churn, but something held her back. She couldn't run. Not from this, not again.

"No," she finally said, her voice steadier than she felt. "I'll be fine. I can't let this control me."

Jess nodded, though her expression remained doubtful. "Alright. But I'm staying until you fall asleep. No arguments."

Ava smiled weakly, grateful for her friend's presence. But as they sat together on the couch, chatting quietly to pass the time, Ava's thoughts remained on the man in the shadows.

He was gone for now.

But deep down, she knew—he would be back.

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•He's lurking... What do you guys think he's going to do with Ava once he has her?Ready to see what he's hiding?•