Chapter 2: The Man I Can't See
1361 Words
My mother's words sent a chill down my spine. He's always with you.
I whipped my head around, scanning every corner of my room. But there was nothing there. Just me and the four walls.
“Mom…”my voice trembled.“Don’t scare me…I don’t see anyone.”
Seeing how terrified I was, she let out another heavy sigh.“Elara, even if you can’t see him, you must honor your vow. Do you understand?”
Honor your vow. The words felt archaic and grating, a bizarre restriction on a life I hadn’t even started living yet. Still, to calm her down, I agreed.
In my heart, I didn’t really believe in any of it. But to keep my mom from worrying, I dropped the subject.
As I got older and started college, the more I learned about the world, the more ridiculous the idea of my"warding vow"seemed. I even started to suspect it was all an elaborate lie my mom cooked up to keep me from dating before she thought I was ready.
That accident with the boy in my freshman year had to be a coincidence. I heard later that he’d woken up from his coma, though he was left with some lasting health issues.
Now, on my college campus, I was surrounded by the vibrant energy of people my age. Couples were everywhere, holding hands, laughing, living.
When my roommates talked about their boyfriends, I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t envious. At this age, when your heart is just starting to open up, what girl doesn’t dream of romance? After years of burying myself in books and movies, I craved a grand, sweeping love story of my own.
My chance came sooner than I expected.
One Saturday, I was lounging in my dorm, scrolling on my phone, when my best friend, Sadie, burst in. She had a mischievous glint in her eye.
“Elara, there’s a party tonight,”she said, her voice a conspiratorial whisper.“You have to come. I heard there’s going to be some seriously gorgeous guys there.”
I shot up in bed, my interest piqued.“Gorgeous guys? Like who?”
Sadie gave me a suggestive smirk.“You’ll see when you get there. Trust me, you won’t regret it.”
When I hesitated, she slung an arm around my shoulder.“Oh, come on. You’re a sophomore now. It’s not like it’s‘too early’to date anymore. Besides, it’s just a party. No one’s asking you to find a husband tonight.”
Her prodding was all it took. I finally agreed to go to the party with the promise of cute guys.
It was still the afternoon, so I figured I had time for a nap. I told Sadie I was going to lie down for a bit, then settled into bed, my hands folded peacefully over my stomach.
As I drifted toward sleep, I felt a strange, gentle warmth spreading across my chest. It was coming from the river stone pendant I always wore.
My mind grew foggy, hovering in that strange space between dreaming and waking. I cracked my eyes open and, in the hazy light of the room, I saw him. A man dressed in crimson red was sitting on the edge of my bed. I couldn't make out his face—it was like looking through smoke—but I could feel his gaze on me, cold and penetrating.
It felt like being plunged into ice water. My entire body went rigid.
I tried to sit up, to scream, but it was as if a thousand-pound weight was pinning me to the mattress. I couldn't move an inch. All I could do was lie there, watching the man in red look down at me.
Who is he? How did he get into a girls’dorm?
I tried to call for help, but only garbled, frantic noises came out. I couldn’t form a single word.
Suddenly, a sharp, pinching pain shot through my arm, jolting me violently awake.
I bolted upright in bed, my heart hammering. I looked to the side, but the man in red was gone. In his place was Sadie, her face a mask of concern.
“Did you just pinch me?”I asked, rubbing my reddening arm and giving her a wounded look.
“Elara, were you having a nightmare?”Sadie said quickly.“It looked like you had sleep paralysis or something. I was reading, and I heard you making these weird whimpering sounds with your eyes closed. I tried to wake you up, but you wouldn't respond. Pinching you was my last resort! You’re not mad, are you?”
Oh, I was so grateful. Really.
“So, what were you dreaming about?”she asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.
My eyes instinctively flickered to the spot where the man in red had been sitting. The feeling had been so incredibly real, especially his gaze. It had felt like my body wasn't my own.
“I dreamed a man was sitting on my bed,”I told her.
Sadie burst out laughing. She playfully tapped my forehead with her fingertips.“See? A classic case of‘you dream what you wish for.’Your mom has been filling your head with all that crazy stuff for so long, you’re completely repressed. It’s time to break free! Now get up and get ready. You’re going to blow everyone away tonight.”
She pulled me out of bed, and the memory of the man in red began to fade. It was just a weird dream, right?
Sadie and I were so close we shared everything, including clothes. For the party, she generously offered me her brand-new red dress. The vibrant color looked surprisingly good against my long, dark hair with its softly curled ends. With Sadie’s makeup skills, I barely recognized the stunning person staring back at me in the mirror.
The girls in our suite had all chipped in for a full-length mirror. As I was admiring the final look, I saw it—or thought I saw it. A flicker of red, a shadowy figure flashing in the reflection for just a second. At the same moment, the stone pendant on my chest grew warm again.
“Elara, you have to take that pendant off,”Sadie said, frowning.“It totally clashes with your outfit. It’s so…old-fashioned.”
Before I could protest, she unclasped it and slipped a delicate pearl necklace around my neck instead. She tucked my river stone under my pillow and grabbed my hand, pulling me toward the door.
“Come on, the reservation is for seven,”she urged.
I had to abandon the thought of putting the pendant back on. What could happen in one night? It would be fine. I was clinging to that hope.
But as Sadie’s hand held mine, a strange chill spread up my arm. An icy coldness crept up from the soles of my feet, crawling up my spine and raising goosebumps all over my skin.
I’d never been to a party like this before, and I felt a little awkward at first. I watched the other students talking and laughing with such ease, and a part of me wished I could be like that.
Then I noticed him. A senior, Liam. He had a lean build and was wearing a crisp white shirt that made him look clean-cut and gentle. He spoke with a quiet confidence that drew everyone’s attention, including mine. He was the perfect picture of the handsome upperclassman I’d read about in novels.
Sadie leaned in and whispered,“That’s Liam. He’s basically a campus celebrity. Girls are always chasing after him.”She nudged me with her elbow, a sly look on her face.“And I think he might be into you. He keeps glancing over here. Why don’t you go for it?”
Could I? My mother’s warnings echoed in my head, a deep-seated fear I couldn’t shake. He’s always with you. He sees everything you do.
“Hah…”
Suddenly, a low, cold laugh materialized right behind me.
- Writer
