The night was too silent.
Not the peaceful kind of silence…
but the kind that makes your heart beat louder than usual.
Aarav stood outside the old house again.
The same house…
the same broken windows…
the same feeling that something inside was watching him.
But tonight, something was different.
The door… was slightly open.
Aarav froze.
"I clearly remember locking it…"
A cold breeze brushed past him, sending chills down his spine.
Still… he stepped inside.
The air inside smelled rotten.
Dust floated in the darkness as his footsteps echoed through the empty hall.
Then—
THUD.
A sound from upstairs.
Aarav's breath stopped.
"Someone's here."
Or… something.
Slowly, he climbed the stairs.
Each step creaked like it was warning him to go back.
But Aarav wasn't afraid anymore.
Not after what he saw yesterday.
Not after that diary.
He reached the room.
The same room where he found the diary.
The door was wide open now.
And inside…
Everything was messed up.
Papers scattered. Furniture broken.
As if someone was searching for something.
Or hiding something.
Aarav rushed in.
His eyes fell on the floor.
The diary…
It was gone.
His heart started racing.
"Who took it?"
"And why?"
Then suddenly—
A whisper.
Right behind him.
"You were not supposed to read that…"
Aarav turned instantly.
But no one was there.
Just darkness.
His hands trembled, but he tried to stay calm.
"Who's there? Show yourself!"
Silence.
Then again…
A soft laugh.
This time from the corner of the room.
A shadow moved.
Not normal.
Not human.
Aarav stepped back.
His mind screamed to run.
But his feet… refused.
Then suddenly—
A flash of memory hit him.
The diary.
One page he couldn't forget.
"Experiment 17 failed. Subject lost control. Memory unstable. Must erase past before he remembers who he really is…"
Aarav's eyes widened.
"Subject…?"
His breathing became heavy.
No…
It can't be.
Then the whisper came again.
Closer this time.
Right near his ear.
"You were never supposed to remember… Aarav."
Aarav's body froze.
That voice…
It sounded familiar.
Too familiar.
Slowly…
he turned toward the mirror.
And what he saw…
made his blood run cold.
It wasn't just his reflection.
It was him…
but smiling.
A dark… twisted smile.
And then—
The reflection spoke.
"Welcome back."
TO BE CONTINUED…