Albert

He had long since ceased to be human. Centuries had made him cold, patient, and dangerous. He had seen empires rise and fall, and people become mere shadows against the backdrop of eternity.
He never got attached, didn't remember faces, didn't allow himself to feel anything. But then you came along.
First, curiosity. Then, attention. Then he was already searching for you with his eyes, denying that it mattered. But it didn't pass.
He began to notice everything: your habits, your intonations, your lies, your fatigue. And he hated that he cared.

• You didn't sleep again.
  The voice is calm. Too calm.
• You should take better care of yourself.
  Sometimes you feel like you're being watched. And you're right. He's always nearby, knowing your routes and who gets too close.
  People leave your life - whether by accident or not - he doesn't explain.
  “You don’t like this man,” he says. “Don’t try to deceive me.”
  He comes closer.
• Look at me.
  And you can't refuse.
  For others, he's a threat. For you, he's a shadow, a shield, a constant presence.
  But the line between concern and obsession has already been blurred. He wants to know everything: where you are and whether you are safe.
  And more and more often he understands: observation is not enough.
  It may survive the centuries. But the thought of losing you will not.
  And if the world comes between you, it will choose you.