Between Us

Chapter 52 : The Ghost of Her Touch

I woke up shivering, despite the thick blanket draped over me. My body ached, and I could feel the sweat clinging to my skin. A deep cough escaped my throat as I sat up, disoriented. My head throbbed, and for a second, I didn't recognize where I was.

This wasn't my apartment. I glanced around the room, my eyes darting over the wooden walls, the simple but beautiful furniture. Nothing looked familiar. Where am I? My heart raced as flashes of memory came back—running, the rain, falling. I remembered hitting the ground hard. Instinctively, I checked my elbow, finding a bandage neatly wrapped around it.

I started to piece things together, but my mind jumped to the worst-case scenario. Was I kidnapped? But then I noticed the medicine on the bedside table, next to a glass of water. Who would kidnap me and then take care of me like this? My brow furrowed as I stared at the small collection of painkillers and fever medicine. It didn't make sense.

I scanned the room again—wooden walls, a rustic bed, soft light filtering through the curtains. It was a nice place, almost cozy, but the fact that I didn't know where I was set off alarms in my head. My hand reached for my phone, but of course, the screen was black. Dead. Great.

My mind shifted suddenly to the person I saw before everything went dark. The figure in the rain. My heart pounded in my chest as the memory hit me again. I shook my head quickly, trying to push the thought away, but the name slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it. Engfa.

It was impossible. It had to be. But the memory of her face, her voice—it felt so real.

I threw the blanket off me, my body protesting as I stood up. The room spun for a second, but I steadied myself, forcing myself to move. I needed to get out of there. I tiptoed to the door, trying to be as quiet as possible. Slowly, I turned the knob and opened it just a crack, peeking out into the hallway. No one. It was eerily quiet.

I stepped out, moving carefully, my bare feet barely making a sound on the wooden floor. I glanced around—there was no sign of anyone. The house was quiet, too quiet. I made my way to the nearest window and peered outside, and my stomach dropped.

It was a beautiful wooden cabin, nestled right in the middle of the forest. Trees surrounded the place, tall and thick, and there was no sign of a road or any way out. I groaned under my breath. Perfect. I was in the middle of nowhere.

My mind raced. How was I supposed to leave from here? I didn't even know where I was, and I was too weak to make it far. I scanned the room again, listening for any sound, any indication that someone was here. But it was just me.

I pressed my hand to my head, trying to make sense of the situation, but all I could think about was the person from last night. And that face. It couldn't have been her... could it?

I started panicking, pacing back and forth across the living room floor as my mind raced. I needed to get out of there, but there was no plan, no clear exit. My breath came faster, and I tried to calm myself down, but nothing was working.

Then, the rain started again—hard, pounding against the windows. I glanced outside, and it was pouring so heavily that I could barely see anything. If I tried to leave now, I'd be soaked and lost in the middle of nowhere.

I started frantically looking for a phone—there had to be one somewhere, right? A landline, anything. I opened drawers, glanced behind furniture, but there was nothing. I headed into the kitchen, hoping to find something useful, and that's when I saw it. The oven light was on, and there was a dish inside. Someone had been here recently.

That realization hit me hard, and without thinking, I grabbed a kitchen knife from the counter. My hands were trembling as I clutched it to my chest, just in case. I made my way back into the living room, every nerve on edge, when I glanced out the window.