Episode 26: The Possession
649 Words
A Presence That Shouldn’t Exist
Claire’s breath hitched.
The room was too still.
Too dark.
Too wrong.
She lay frozen in bed.
Every nerve in her body screaming.
Because she wasn’t alone.
A hand curled around her waist.
Warm.
Solid.
Too real.
Her lips parted in a silent gasp.
Because she knew that touch.
That grip.
That dominance.
No.
No, it wasn’t possible.
Ethan was dead.
Ethan was gone.
Wasn’t he?
And yet—
A breath ghosted against her ear.
Deep. Slow. Familiar.
His voice was silk and fire.
"You still feel me, don’t you?"
Claire’s chest tightened.
Because the worst part?
She did.
Ryan’s Concern—And Claire’s Silence
The next morning, Claire sat at the kitchen table.
Her hands wrapped around a cup of coffee.
Ryan sat across from her, watching.
Studying.
"You’re quiet," he said.
Claire’s fingers tightened on the mug.
"I didn’t sleep well."
Ryan frowned.
"You’ve been like this for days."
Her stomach twisted.
Because what was she supposed to say?
That she had felt Ethan’s hands on her?
That she had heard his voice in the dark?
That some part of her believed he was still here?
Ryan leaned forward.
"Claire," he said softly.
"You can talk to me."
Her throat tightened.
Because she wanted to.
She really, really wanted to.
But if she said it out loud…
If she admitted that she still felt Ethan…
Then that meant it was real.
And Claire wasn’t ready for that.
Not yet.
The Reflection That Lies
That night, Claire stood in front of the bathroom mirror.
Her breath shaky.
Her heartbeat uneven.
She turned on the sink.
Splashed cold water on her face.
Took a deep breath.
And when she looked up—
She froze.
Because in the mirror—
Her reflection was wrong.
Her own face stared back.
But her eyes—
Her eyes were different.
Darker.
Like they weren’t hers at all.
Her pulse pounded.
No.
No, this wasn’t happening.
She blinked—
And suddenly, she was normal again.
Her own face.
Her own eyes.
Her own mind.
Right?
Claire’s stomach churned.
She gripped the sink, her fingers trembling.
She was just imagining things.
That was all.
Just stress.
Just exhaustion.
Just—
"You can’t run from me, sweetheart."
Her body went rigid.
Because the whisper wasn’t in her head.
It was right behind her.
Claire whirled around—
But the bathroom was empty.
Her hands shook violently.
She wasn’t imagining it.
She wasn’t crazy.
Ethan was here.
And now, he wasn’t just watching.
He was waiting.
Ryan Feels the Distance Growing
Ryan’s fingers tapped against the table.
Claire was slipping.
He could see it.
Feel it.
Like she was still half-trapped in the past.
Still somewhere else.
And Ryan?
Ryan was scared.
He reached for her hand.
She flinched.
Just for a second.
But it was enough.
Enough to make his chest tighten.
Enough to make his jaw lock.
"You’re still thinking about him."
Claire’s throat tightened.
She opened her mouth—
But no words came out.
Because wasn’t that true?
Didn’t Ethan still haunt her?
Didn’t she still feel him?
Ryan exhaled sharply.
"He’s dead, Claire," he said.
Her heart ached.
Because if Ethan was dead—
Then why did it still feel like he was right here?
The Night That Changes Everything
Claire told herself it wasn’t real.
That she was just tired.
Just grieving.
But that night—
That night, she woke up gasping.
Because someone was touching her.
A hand sliding over her waist.
A body too warm behind her.
Her lungs stalled.
She knew that touch.
That grip.
That presence.
A whisper brushed against her ear.
Low. Husky. Familiar.
"Did you miss me?"
Claire’s pulse roared.
Because this time?
This time, it wasn’t a dream.
Ethan was real.
Ethan was here.
And now, he was inside her head.
Or worse—
Inside her soul.
(To Be Continued…)
- Writer
