While staring at the the empty space in my bedroom, I listened to my mom's pleas of getting up and leave the room.

"Lucinda. Please come down for dinner." She begs, voice slightly muffled by the door. "I'm sorry for making you eat vegetables, just please come out."

"I'm not hungry."

"Lucinda, please?"

Not bothering to reply, I was too focused on my thoughts. That is until I heard his familiar chuckle. I closed my eyes to block out his mocking laughter.

"Go away." I growled out. The space beside me, where I was lying on the bed, dipped. His cold fingers running up and down my arm, making visible small bumps appear.

He didn't say a word, but I can hear him. I know he wants something, or he just wants to annoy me again. I guess ghosts have too much time on their hands.

"What is it? What do you want?"

Again, he remained silent, and that is when I opened my eyes to stare directly at him. A gasp escaped my lips when he started chocking me, his eyes were blacker than ever, if that is possible.

"W-wha—"

I tried to remove his hands off my neck, but they won't budge. "S-stop...." I stammered, trying to breathe.

This is it.

He was going to end my life right here.

Right now...

***

"Lucy."

What...

"Lucy."

Mom?

"Lucinda!"

I inhaled and opened my eyes, sitting up to face my mom's worried face. I was breathing hard and fast. Hand reaching up to touch my neck, I couldn't feel anything. There was no sign of pain, but his hand was definitely wrapped around it awhile ago.

The actual fuck.

"Lucinda, are you okay?"

I nodded hastily as I examined my neck by feeling it. There were definitely no mars or anything out of place. Sighing in relief, I answered. "I'm okay, Mom."

"Are you sure?" She warily questions, searching something on my face while I nod.

"I'm fine." I reassured her, standing up. Grabbing the nearest towel, I used it to wipe the sweat off my forehead.

"We have to leave."

My eyes widen when those words came out of her mouth. "What?" I repeated, trying to confirm what she just said.

"We have to leave. Isn't that what you wanted?" She blinked. I furrowed my eyebrows. This was new.

"Yeah, but why?"

"We aren't safe here anymore." She looks around the room, is she expecting him? "He's coming for us. For you."

" M-mom—"

I let out an ear-piercing shriek when a blade went through her heart. She fluttered her eyes close and fell to the ground. Blood gushing out of the wound profusely. There he stood behind her, with his long butcher knife, smiling wickedly.

He raised the knife and aimmed it towards me, to my heart.

I screamed.

***

Sitting up, a gasp escaped my lips. Looking around my room frantically in search of the monster, my eyes fell on the clock ticking peacefully on top of the nightstand.

3:36 A.M

I wiped the sweat and removed the blanket around me. It was getting hot. Peeking on my reflection on the mirror, I walked towards it. Nothing was wrong, no wounds or any sign of strangulations. Probing my face, my face fell as I noticed there were huge eye bugs beneath my eyes.

To make sure I wasn't dreaming this time, I pinched myself.

"Ow."

It hurts.

It was all a dream. A double dream to be exact. It's weird. Then again, nothing is normal in this house.

I sighed and began walking towards my bed. Wrapping the duvet around my body from the cold atmosphere, I lay there motionless.

Am I getting too paranoid?

Slowly, I closed my eyes, tomorrow I'm going out. I'll try to spend my life normally and go shopping. Be a normal human being for once.

Pretend that there is no ghost haunting me in this town.

***