Chapter 2 HARROWED NIGHT

In my sleep, I felt a heavy object pressing on the upper part of my stomach. It seemed to move, pulling my body backward until my back touched a broad chest. I wasn't sure if it was a chest, but one thing was certain – it felt solid.

It's difficult to distinguish if this is a dream or reality. Feeling disturbed, I changed my position to lie on my back, and the heavy object on my stomach moved with me. Faintly, I heard a soft whistle with gentle strokes in my hair, as if trying to lull me back to sleep.

Yet, I attempted to grasp some awareness; my eyes squinted. My vision was filled with darkness because I always turned off the lights when sleeping for a more peaceful rest. Briefly, I caught a whiff of a pleasant musk mixed with citrus in my nose.

The cold, humid air made my eyes unable to endure. I reached for the stuffed animal on the headboard and hugged it. My eyes closed tightly, and soon, I was engulfed in a peaceful sleep. The gentle strokes on my head continued until I remembered nothing more.

***

"Nadia! Nadia!"

I startled awake, my head suddenly throbbing. The banging sound and loud calls kept entering my ears. I kicked off the gray blanket around my waist, reaching for the long kimono on the chair to cover my body clad only in a tank top.

Hana's voice echoed loudly from outside my bedroom door, as the main door was close to my room. So Hana's high-pitched voice resonated as loudly as an alarm in my room. Annoyed, I unlocked the door, and Hana barged in.

"What's going on?" I asked while closing the door again.

"Emergency!" she exclaimed. "Miss Diana's class is starting soon!" She continued excitedly, making my small house resonate.

"Miss Diana? Isn't that scheduled for tomorrow?" I questioned, confused, as far as I knew, there were no classes today. I had planned to relax in my room all day watching Netflix.

"Didn't you check your phone messages? She asked for a schedule change because she has an event tomorrow!"

I held my breath. "So, what do we do?" I asked, feeling lost. Hana rolled her eyes lazily, "Hurry up and shower, Nadia Samara! We'll be late if we don't leave in an hour."

I stomped my foot in frustration; my plans for a relaxing day had failed again. I had even prepared some snacks to enjoy. I deliberately woke up later for this special day. Yes, every day off is a special day for me.

"Wait!" Hana interrupted as I was about to pass by her. I looked at her with a mix of confusion and annoyance.

"What now?"

Hana touched my neck, and I immediately avoided her, moving away from her hands that were trying to touch my shoulder again.

"Who gave you a hickey?"

I frowned; my head spun again. "What do you mean?" "The red mark on your neck," Hana touched my neck with her finger, "who did it?"

Ignoring Hana, I quickly walked into the room and closed the door. I ran a bit towards the full-body mirror near the bathroom, looking at the red mark on my left neck again. This time, the mark increased by one from last night.

My memory rewinds to last night's events. My eyes land on the bed I slept in, then return to the window near the room. I feel like someone has entered my room. Yes, I sense someone's presence here. Goosebumps rise on my skin. Is it an unseen entity?

It seems I should install CCTV in this room. But my fear returns; I'm afraid to see the results later. Honestly, I'm not ready to know what happened to me; I'm scared.

"Nadia, we have half an hour left!" Hana shouts softly from the kitchen.

I quickly grab a towel and enter the bathroom. Just as I'm about to clean up, a small note stuck to the mirror catches my attention. Yellow paper. I approach slowly and remove the paper.

"You didn't eat your dinner last night, dear. I was angry, so I added another red mark to your neck. Naughty girl, don't defy my orders again!!"

I cover my mouth tightly with my hand. I can't hold back my tears. My tears flow, dropping down my cheeks. All of this is clearly done by an irresponsible person. This is harassment.

Should I report this to the police? Well, I will report it to the police. But, if I do that, what about my studies and my reputation? The perpetrator didn't leave anything specific aside from the red mark on my neck. Everyone would likely assume it's a hickey done by a man for his lover, just like with Hana.

In the end, I finish my cleaning while crying. I also vigorously scrub my neck with a body scrubber, intending to erase any traces of whoever it was on my body.

After finishing, I go through the day as usual. Hana manages to slightly cheer me up with her silly antics. For a moment, I forget the strange incident that haunted me.

***

Weekends like this are perfect for relaxing. I search through the cabinet where I usually keep my snacks. But it's empty, only a few nuts are left. It looks like I need to buy some snack supplies. Today, I plan to be lazy and watch movies, and this time, nobody should disturb my plans.

I head out wearing a large brown hoodie paired with black shorts. I grab my wallet and phone. The shopping place is not far from my house. It's right in front of this residential complex, near where I usually wait for the bus.

I don't forget to bring my gray umbrella because I see the weather is getting cloudy again. Just to be safe, I have an umbrella before it rains. As I pass by my house, I see the usually vacant house next to mine now occupied by several people.

Taking the initiative, I approach one of them and ask, "Excuse me, sir. If I may ask, what's happening in that house?"

"Oh, this. Someone will be moving into this house in the near future. They said the owner will start living here tomorrow," the man replies while observing the house we're talking about.

I nod, after saying thank you, I continue walking towards the front of the complex. I'm a bit relieved because the empty house is starting to be occupied by someone. At least my assumption about the haunted house is slowly disappearing. Hopefully, my new neighbor is a girl and we're the same age.

Arriving at the supermarket, I pick up some snacks that I think will last, and also some canned drinks to fill the fridge. When it feels enough, I pay for my food and head back home.

My dark brown hair flutters with the passing wind. I observe the slightly deserted surroundings. People seem to have the same lazy nature as me, reluctant to go out on weekends. It's more comfortable staying at home and enjoying the day with snacks and soda.

My gaze falls downward, playing with small rocks with my home slippers. Having pale white skin is common for Americans. I just need to keep my skin moisturized, so I enjoy doing home treatments with beauty products like body lotion and skincare.

To be continued...