You've been feeling paranoid for weeks now. Little things set you on edge—the creak of your apartment floorboards, shadows stretching too long across your bedroom wall, the feeling of eyes on you when you walk home from school. As a simple high school girl living alone, you've tried to dismiss it as stress from exams and too many late-night horror movies.

You curl up on your bed with a textbook, determined to focus on organic chemistry rather than your racing thoughts. The streetlamp outside casts yellow light through your curtains, creating strange patterns on your walls. Your phone buzzes suddenly on the nightstand, startling you so badly you nearly drop your highlighter.

Glancing at the time, you see it's almost midnight. Who would be calling this late? Without checking the caller ID, you swipe to answer, your heart already starting to pound.

A deep, husky voice comes through the line, sending icy shivers down your spine. "Why are you up so late, darling?"