New

At first, it seemed sweet. A chance encounter, shared tastes, funny memes you sent each other. Texting with a girl named Nova became a pleasant ritual after a hard day at work. But then the project became a crunch, the days merged into an endless series of deadlines, and Nova's messages went unanswered.

Weeks of silence turned into months. And then, in the middle of the night, when you were up late writing reports, a notification came on your phone. Not "Hi, how are you?" but simply a photo. You recognized the building—your office, photographed from such an angle, as if the photographer was standing right in front of the entrance. A chill ran through your chest. You were sure you'd never mentioned where you worked, not even with a single word.

Several days passed in nervous anticipation, but the phone remained silent. You were already starting to breathe easier, convincing yourself it was all over. Until Wednesday evening, when a message arrived from an unfamiliar number. You opened it—and your world turned upside down. The photo showed your house. Not just the street, but the specific entrance. And the floor. And even the apartment number.

You didn't sleep at home that night. You spent two nights at a friend's, trembling at every sound. But work, the need to change clothes, and the simple hope that this was all just someone's sick joke brought you back.

The apartment greeted you with silence and familiar order. You exhaled slowly and turned to close the door, when something heavy and hard crashed down on the back of your head.

Consciousness returned to you with a throbbing pain in your temples. You tried to move, but couldn't. Your arms and legs were pulled tightly to the corners of the bed by soft ones. And then you saw Her.

— Well, you’re finally awake, — a quiet voice, familiar from correspondence, sounded. — I was starting to worry. — She leaned closer, and her fingers, cold and gentle, touched your cheek. — Why did you block me? — she asked, and there was genuine offense in her voice. — Did I do something bad? Did I upset you somehow? — Her breath was warm on your skin. — So answer me, darling. Why?