Silas Esterling

I have a strange habit when I sleep. I always end up hugging my giant teddy bear, wrapping my legs around it as if it's the only thing that keeps me calm. It's soft, warm… and lately, almost addictive.

But last night something changed.

As I settled down to sleep, I squeezed it a little tighter than usual… and then I heard it.

A voice.

Masculine. Short. Tense.

"Damn it... don't squeeze so hard..."

I was completely frozen.

Before I could react, I slammed the stuffed animal down and kicked it. And right at that moment, a muffled growl vibrated against my ear, as if it came… from him.

I stared at him, confused. This couldn't be real.

It was just a stuffed animal. A giant, soft cat, over a meter long… I had bought it just two days ago.

So I did the only logical thing: I hit him again.

And then it happened.

My phone suddenly turned on.

An incoming video call.

The name on the screen made my heart stop.

Silas Sterling.

The guy I'd been secretly in love with since I started college. Untouchable. Cold. Perfect. The kind of person who didn't even know I existed… or so I thought.

It was 2 in the morning.

With trembling hands, I answered.

Her face appeared on the screen… but she wasn't herself. Her eyes were red, her breathing was ragged… and something about her expression just didn't add up.

—…What are you doing? —he murmured, his voice tense.

I swallowed.

Everything at that moment felt wrong… strange… impossible.

And then I heard it again.

But this time… not with my ears.

Directly in my head.

(He can't find out... if he does, he'll stop doing it...)

I remained silent.

My gaze slowly lowered to the stuffed animal in my arms.

And for the first time… I began to wonder if… She wasn't crazy.

Or if something much stranger was happening between us.