CHAPTER 5
857 Words
That night, Megan couldn’t sleep.
The conversation with Adrian kept replaying in her mind like a broken record.
Tell him about the snake.
She stared at the ceiling of her bedroom, her blanket pulled up to her chest. The house was quiet. Too quiet.
Her parents were asleep downstairs.
But Megan’s heart refused to slow down.
Jason had insisted on driving her home after school.
He barely spoke during the ride.
His hands gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned pale.
When they reached her house, he had said only one thing before she got out.
“Lock your doors tonight.”
Not goodnight.
Not call me if you need anything.
Just that.
Lock your doors.
Megan rolled onto her side and closed her eyes.
But sleep didn’t come gently.
It came suddenly.
And when it did—
The dream returned.
---
Darkness.
Cold.
Endless black space stretching in every direction.
Megan stood barefoot on a stone floor.
The air smelled like rain and something ancient.
Her heartbeat echoed around her.
Then she heard it.
A sound.
Soft.
Slow.
Sliding across stone.
Her body stiffened.
Because she already knew what it was.
The sound grew louder.
Closer.
Closer.
Megan turned slowly.
And saw it.
A massive serpent.
Its body coiled across the floor like a living shadow.
Black scales shimmered under dim torchlight that hadn’t been there before.
Its golden eyes locked onto hers.
Not angry.
Not violent.
Watching.
Studying.
Waiting.
Megan tried to move.
But her feet wouldn’t obey.
The serpent raised its head slowly.
Higher.
Higher.
Until its gaze met hers.
Then—
It spoke.
Not with words.
But directly inside her mind.
A voice that felt ancient.
Powerful.
You survived.
Megan’s breath caught.
The serpent’s eyes gleamed.
You were chosen.
A cold shiver ran through her body.
“I didn’t choose anything,” Megan whispered.
The serpent’s body shifted slightly.
The sound of its scales scraping against the stone echoed through the darkness.
Choice comes later.
Power comes first.
Megan shook her head.
“I don’t want power.”
The serpent leaned closer.
Its breath was cold.
You will.
Suddenly—
The ground beneath her feet cracked.
Darkness swallowed everything.
Megan screamed—
---
She woke up gasping.
Her bedroom ceiling stared down at her.
Her heart raced violently in her chest.
The clock beside her bed read 2:47 AM.
Megan pushed herself upright, trying to calm her breathing.
“Just a dream,” she whispered.
But the words didn’t comfort her.
Because the dream felt too real.
Her phone buzzed suddenly on the nightstand.
Megan jumped.
Her hands trembled slightly as she picked it up.
A text message.
Unknown number.
Her stomach dropped.
She opened it.
Three words appeared on the screen.
Did you see it?
Megan’s blood turned cold.
Her fingers shook as she typed back.
Who is this?
The reply came instantly.
You know who it is.
Megan swallowed.
Adrian.
Another message appeared.
Good. You're learning quickly.
Megan’s heart pounded harder.
How did you know about my dream?
The typing bubble appeared.
Stopped.
Appeared again.
Then the answer came.
Because I was there.
Megan stared at the screen.
Her breathing slowed.
Not from calm.
From fear.
That’s not funny.
Another message appeared.
I'm not joking.
Her fingers hovered over the keyboard.
You’re lying.
The reply took longer this time.
When it finally appeared—
It made her blood run cold.
Look at your mirror.
Megan froze.
Slowly… very slowly… she lifted her eyes toward the mirror across her bedroom.
At first she saw nothing unusual.
Just her reflection in the dim light.
Then she noticed something.
Something on the glass.
Her stomach twisted.
A symbol had been drawn on the mirror.
Not with marker.
Not with paint.
But with something darker.
Something that looked disturbingly like dried blood.
The serpent symbol.
Exactly the same one from the card.
Megan dropped the phone.
Her breath caught in her throat.
“How…?”
Her bedroom door had been locked.
Her windows closed.
No one could have entered the room.
Her phone buzzed again.
Megan forced herself to look.
Another message from Adrian.
Now you believe me.
Her fingers trembled violently as she typed.
Get out of my house.
Three dots appeared again.
Then the response came.
Relax.
I'm not there.
Megan’s voice came out in a whisper.
“Then who drew that?”
Her phone buzzed again.
This time the message was longer.
You still think the Shadow is a person.
Megan felt the room grow colder.
What does that mean?
The reply appeared slowly.
It means you're asking the wrong question.
Her chest tightened.
Then what’s the right question?
The final message appeared.
And Megan felt the world shift beneath her feet.
The question is…
Why did the serpent choose you?
The phone screen went dark.
No more messages.
Megan sat frozen on her bed.
Her eyes slowly returned to the mirror.
The serpent symbol stared back at her.
Silent.
Watching.
Waiting.
And for the first time since the shooting—
Megan felt something she hadn’t allowed herself to feel before.
Not fear.
Not panic.
Something deeper.
Something darker.
Curiosity.
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