chapter5:A friend at last
323 Words
The strange events stopped completely after Miracle received the talisman.
Days passed peacefully.
Then a week.
Then another.
Eventually, Miracle convinced herself that whatever had been happening was over.
Life returned to normal.
Or at least, as normal as her life could be.
Work remained exhausting.
Her colleagues remained distant
Everyone arrived in the morning, completed their assignments, and left as soon as the day ended.
Nobody stayed behind to chat.
Nobody invited her anywhere.
Nobody asked how she was doing.
Sometimes Miracle wondered if anyone would notice if she disappeared.
The thought made her laugh.
Then it made her sad.
One evening, after returning from work, she was struggling with several grocery bags when someone suddenly spoke behind her.
"Need help?"
Miracle turned.
A young man stood a few feet away.
She recognized him immediately.
He lives next door.
They had exchanged greetings before but never spoken properly.
"Oh."
She adjusted the bags.
"I'm fine."
The man smiled.
"Those bags look heavier than fine."
Before she could refuse again, he took two of them.
Together they walked toward her apartment.
The entire time, he talked casually.
Nothing unusual.
Nothing suspicious.
Just ordinary conversation.
His name was Daniel.
He worked nearby.
He lived alone.
And unlike most people, he seemed genuinely interested in talking to her.
For the first time in years, Miracle found herself enjoying a conversation.
Over the following weeks, Daniel appeared more often.
Sometimes they met in the hallway.
Sometimes outside the building.
Occasionally they shared dinner.
Nothing felt forced.
Everything happened naturally
Slowly, Miracle allowed herself to relax around him.
Something she rarely did with anyone.
Perhaps she had finally made a friend.
What Miracle didn't know was that every smile Daniel gave her wasn't entirely his own.
Far away, hidden within the shadows between buildings, another presence watched.
Waiting.
Guiding.
Influencing.
The creature had discovered something about humans long ago.
They were easiest to break when they trusted.
- Writer
