It was a normal call.
Nothing important.
Just a quick video chat.
He was sitting in his room.
Relaxed.
Talking casually.
Laughing.
Scrolling.
Half-focused.
The camera was on.
His face clear on the screen.
Behind him…
His room.
Door closed.
Lights dim.
Everything normal.
His friend was talking.
Telling a story.
He nodded.
Smiled.
Then suddenly…
His friend stopped.
Mid-sentence.
His expression changed.
From normal…
To confused.
Then…
Worried.
“What?” he asked.
No answer.
His friend leaned closer to the screen.
Staring.
At something behind him.
His chest tightened.
“Why are you looking like that?” he said.
Silence.
Then his friend whispered:
“Don’t move.”
His heart dropped.
“What?”
“Don’t move,” his friend repeated.
Now his breathing got heavier.
“Why?”
A pause.
Then:
“There’s someone behind you.”
Everything stopped.
His mind went blank.
“That’s not funny,” he said quickly.
“I’m not joking,” his friend replied.
His voice was different now.
Serious.
Scared.
He felt cold instantly.
His body froze.
Because deep down…
He believed him.
“Where?” he whispered.
“Near the door.”
His chest tightened.
Slowly…
He glanced at the screen.
At his own camera.
At the background behind him.
At the door.
Closed.
Nothing there.
“No one’s there,” he said.
His friend didn’t respond.
Just stared.
Eyes wide.
“No… they’re there,” he whispered.
Now his heart was pounding.
“Say something,” he said.
“Don’t turn around,” his friend said quickly.
That made it worse.
Much worse.
“Why not?”
Silence.
Then:
“Because… they’re not moving.”
His breathing stopped.
“What do you mean?”
“They’re just standing there…”
His hands started shaking.
“Are they looking at me?” he asked.
A long pause.
Then his friend answered:
“No…”
Relief hit him for a second.
But then—
“They’re looking at the camera.”
His heart slammed in his chest.
Because that meant one thing.
It wasn’t looking at him.
It was looking…
Through him.
At the call.
At them.
His hands felt cold.
“I’m turning around,” he said.
“No—DON’T!” his friend shouted.
But it was too late.
He turned.
Fast.
Nothing.
The room was empty.
The door still closed.
Silence.
He looked back at the screen.
“You see? There’s no—”
He stopped.
Because his friend…
Was still staring.
Even more terrified.
“It’s still there…” he whispered.
His chest tightened.
“What are you talking about? I just looked!”
“It moved,” his friend said slowly.
His heart dropped.
“Where?”
His friend swallowed.
Then said:
“It’s right behind you again.”
