Mara ran.
Rain splashed beneath her shoes as she sprinted the final blocks to her apartment building.
Her hands shook so badly she nearly dropped her phone.
The camera feed was still open.
Still showing Leo's bedroom.
But now the room was empty.
The door hung slightly open.
No intruder.
No second Mara.
Just Leo asleep beneath his blanket.
Mara burst into the building and climbed the stairs two at a time.
Her heart slammed against her ribs.
It had to be a glitch.
A camera error.
Something explainable.
She shoved the apartment door open.
"Leo?"
Silence.
She rushed to his room.
The door creaked as she pushed it open.
Leo lay exactly where the camera had shown him.
Fast asleep.
The room looked perfectly normal.
Mara exhaled shakily.
"Okay," she whispered.
"Okay."
She checked the closet.
Under the bed.
The bathroom.
Nothing.
Her neighbor, Mrs. Keller, stirred from the couch.
"Oh.. you're home early," the older woman said groggily.
"Did anyone come in?" Mara asked quickly.
Mrs. Keller frowned.
"No."
Mara hesitated.
"Did Leo wake up?"
"No, sweetheart."
Mara nodded slowly.
"Thanks for staying."
Mrs. Keller shuffled out soon after.
But Mara barely noticed.
She sat beside Leo's bed for nearly an hour.
Watching him breathe.
Trying to convince herself that what she had seen on the camera wasn't real.
Eventually exhaustion won.
She lay down on the couch.
And fell asleep almost instantly.
The dream came quickly.
She stood in a long hallway.
Dark.
Endless.
A door glowed faintly at the far end.
Soft golden light leaking through its edges.
Mara felt an intense pull toward it.
Step by step she moved closer.
Her heartbeat echoed in the corridor.
When she reached the door, she noticed something strange.
There was no handle.
Only a small mirror in the center.
And inside the reflection..
She wasn't alone.
Someone stood behind her.
Breathing quietly.
Watching.
Mara slowly turned.
But before she could see their face..
She woke up.
Morning sunlight spilled through the window.
Leo was already in the kitchen.
"Mama?"
Mara rubbed her eyes.
"Morning."
He stared at her strangely.
"What?"
Leo hesitated.
"You were walking last night."
Her stomach tightened.
"Walking?"
"Yeah."
He nodded.
"You came into my room."
Mara froze.
"What did I do?"
Leo shrugged.
"You just stood there."
"Doing what?"
He thought for a moment.
"Watching me sleep."
The room suddenly felt too small.
Mara forced a smile.
"I must've been sleepwalking."
Leo shook his head slowly.
"No."
"What do you mean?"
His small voice dropped to a whisper.
"Because you were already asleep on the couch."
A cold silence filled the apartment.
And Leo added quietly:
"The other you was the one in my room."