The air in the graduation hall buzzed with triumph and the promise of new beginnings. Daniell Jane Cruz, valedictorian and fresh culinary arts graduate, shared high-fives and laughter with her closest friends: Cyrille, Rein, Ashley, Celine, and Katherine. They were inseparable, a tight-knit group since fourth grade, and today marked not an end, but a vibrant new chapter.

“Congratulations, graduates of class 2020-2021!” the announcement boomed, met with cheers. Daniell smiled, accepting their playful teasing about her intelligence. Tonight, they'd celebrate. Celine offered her house, Daniell volunteered to make cocktails, and Katherine suggested a bar. Their bond felt unbreakable, a shield against any worries.

Later, back in her condo, Daniell chatted with her mom overseas. A familiar warmth settled over her as they talked, until a faint, unsettling crack echoed from somewhere in her room. She dismissed it, just tiredness, but then her bedroom window revealed a large, inexplicable crack. It wasn't hit; it looked scratched, tracing a strange, chilling pattern. As she touched it, a wave of goosebumps prickled her skin.

Her eyes widened. Reflected in the cracked glass, a girl stood behind her, staring. Daniell spun around, but the room was empty, only a cold gust of wind sweeping past. Hallucinations, she told herself, just exhaustion. She set an alarm to nap, trying to shake off the eerie feeling. But as darkness claimed her, a cold voice echoed in her mind, "Sleep well, my friend. For I will make sure you won’t be getting any of it the following days."