Light

"You sure you didn’t imagine it? Could’ve just been a damn cat."

"Come on, I’m not that crazy. I swear it was a person… a silhouette. Tall as hell. No way it was a cat."

"You said you’d just woken up. Maybe you were still dreaming."

"I’m telling you, it was real. I saw the tree branches moving, like someone was standing in them."

Josh doesn’t answer. He just stays quiet, lost in thought—and that makes me a little uneasy.

I take advantage of the silence and start lining up jars of vegetables and canned soup on the wooden shelves. There’s still a lot to do. I can’t believe the last two hours just disappeared like that. We haven’t even made a dent in the store’s inventory.

The grocery shop belongs to my grandma, and Josh and I help her out a few times a week.

When my cousin showed up this morning at our place on Street, I didn’t waste a second before telling him what happened a couple nights ago in my backyard. Of course, he didn’t believe a word I said. I expected that. I don’t even blame him—I’ve never believed in this kind of stuff either.

But I still can’t shake the feeling. The confusion. The fear.

Because I still have no idea what the hell I saw in my own home.

"So what do you think it was? "Josh finally asks, pulling me back to the present."A ghost? Aren’t you the one who doesn’t believe in that crap, bro?"

I roll my eyes. He’s definitely messing with me.

I stand up and drop an empty cardboard box onto the table.

"I never said it was a ghost, idiot. I said it looked like a person. What worries me is that it could’ve been some kind of thief."

"Or one of your admirers following you home now "Josh says with a wink."You’ve got half the girls at school dying for you. Don’t be surprised if they start stalking you."

He stands and shoves my shoulder.

"If I were you, I’d take advantage of that kind of luck."

"Did you exaggerate what happened with that girl again? Josh, I told you to stop. Do you seriously think I want everyone knowing about that? It’s not something to brag about. We almost died!"

"But you didn’t. Thanks to you. Don’t downplay the fact that you saved her. Girls love heroes."

"They never liked me before. Now they’re only interested because of that fire. They’ll get bored of the whole “hero” thing soon enough—you’ll see. And I’m not interested in playing along. You know that’s not me.

Josh rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

"Besides… there’s no way that silhouette was some “admirer.” It was huge. Broad."

"So your creepy stalker’s a guy? Damn, man"run for your life!"

I smack him lightly on the head. Not too hard. No need to make him any dumber than he already is.

"Ow! Can’t even take a joke! No wonder people can’t stand you! "he whines, rubbing his head.

This idiot never takes anything seriously.

Sometimes it’s exhausting trying to get him to listen.

I haven’t been able to stop thinking about what happened that night—the moment I woke up in my backyard.

I can’t shake it. The uneasiness. The fear. And especially… that drawing.

It makes no damn sense. I don’t remember making it. Hell, I don’t even remember leaving my room.

I’ve confirmed the sleepwalking is real. But what terrifies me more… is realizing I might also be losing what little sanity I have left.

I keep seeing that shadow—the one from that night. Everywhere. At all times. It feels like it’s there… watching me.

Following me...

I feel hunted. Trapped. This sick, suffocating panic hasn’t left me since.

I’m terrified of finding out this is all in my head. I’ve never hallucinated before… I’m scared I won’t recognize myself anymore. Scared I won’t understand what’s happening to me.

The thought of losing myself again—of slipping back into madness—makes my chest tighten.

And as much as I fear that possibility… it still sounds more believable than something as stupid as ghosts.

And yet…

I can’t completely rule it out.

Because whatever I saw hiding in those tree branches… it didn’t even look human.

Its shape was wrong. Twisted. Almost like—

No.

Stop.

This is ridiculous. There has to be an explanation.

As for the drawing that still has me on edge… I’m trying to hold on to what my cousin said. Sleepwalkers don’t know what they’re doing. They don’t remember. They have no control.

"So… what did it look like? "Josh asks, pulling me back to the present.

"What are you talking about?"

"The thing you drew when you were all zombie-like."

I shake my head at the comment.

I don’t even understand that drawing myself. It was complex. Strange. And somehow… disturbing.

It makes no damn sense. Not to me, not compared to anything I’ve ever done before.

I used to love drawing. I used to draw all the time—landscapes, faces, anything I saw. But never something like that.

After a few seconds of silence, I finally answer.

"It looked like some kind of symbols… and a sequence of numbers. I don’t know."

"Don’t mess with me, man "Josh says, his tone shifting, concern creeping in.

"I wish it was just that, Josh. A joke. Some sick prank from someone trying to mess with me. But I made it… I’m sure of it."

I exhale, my gaze drifting into nothing.

I try to go back to what I was doing, but my mind won’t let it go.

"Don’t you dare bring this up to Annie, okay? "I warn, still not looking at him."The last thing I want is for her to worry about this. She’d freak out more than I already am. Got it, Josh? If you start running your mouth again, I swear—"

"Alright, man! Damn, calm down!"

I try to tell myself to relax. That everything’s fine.

But I can’t shake this frustration eating me alive.

I can’t stand this torment anymore—this broken, messed-up mind of mine. I can’t stand feeling like I’m losing control.