The walk back home from the cliffs was unusually quiet. The wind that had howled so insistently earlier in the evening had stilled, leaving behind an eerie calm that hung in the air like a forgotten song. Elena's heart hadn't settled, though. The glow of her pendant and the whispers of her name still played in her mind, like fragments of a dream she was desperately trying to piece together.She clutched the silver pendant around her neck, its cool metal now reassuringly familiar against her skin. Nothing about this made sense, and yet she couldn't ignore the nagging feeling that her world was about to change in a way she couldn't fully comprehend.The coastal path wound back through the trees, a shadowy trail that was well-worn beneath her boots. Elena had walked this route more times than she could count, yet tonight it felt different. The trees seemed taller, the shadows longer, and the night itself was thick with a sense of anticipation.When she reached her small cottage nestled at the edge of town, she hesitated before opening the gate. The soft glow from the porch light cast a warm, golden hue over the familiar stone steps, but even the comfort of home couldn't quiet the unease curling in her chest. Something was coming. She could feel it in her bones.Pushing the thought aside, she stepped through the door and kicked off her shoes. The soft hum of the radio greeted her, the local station playing its usual soothing jazz. Elena turned it off, needing the quiet to think. She set the pendant down on the table, staring at it as if it could offer her answers.Why had it glowed? Why had the wind whispered her name with such urgency? And that flash of light—what was that? She wasn't one for supernatural beliefs or fantastical tales. She had lived her life grounded in the real world. But tonight felt like the beginning of something otherworldly.Her phone buzzed on the kitchen counter, startling her from her thoughts. She grabbed it, seeing Mae's name on the screen. Her best friend, ever the night owl, was likely calling to check on her."Hey," Elena answered, trying to keep her voice steady."Hey! You home? I was going to swing by. I made that pasta you love, and there's way too much for just me."Elena smiled despite her tension. Mae had a knack for offering comfort at the right moments. "Yeah, I'm home. Come on over."Fifteen minutes later, Mae appeared at the door with a steaming container of pasta and a bottle of wine. As they settled at the kitchen table, Elena considered whether she should tell Mae about the strange events on the cliffs. Would Mae even believe her? Would she believe her, if their roles were reversed?"You seem distracted," Mae said between bites of pasta. "Everything okay?"Elena hesitated. "I had a weird experience earlier, on the cliffs."Mae raised an eyebrow, but her curiosity was piqued. "Weird how? Like, creepy-weird or…?""Both," Elena admitted. She took a deep breath, trying to organize her thoughts. "It started with the wind. It… spoke to me. I know it sounds insane, but I kept hearing whispers. Then my pendant—this pendant," she gestured to the small charm on the table, "it started glowing. And right before I left, I saw a flash of light on the horizon. But it wasn't a boat or anything. It was something else. Something… I don't know."Mae stared at her, fork suspended midair. After a beat, she set it down and reached for the wine, pouring them both a glass. "Okay, that's… pretty intense. But, look, you've had a long week. Maybe you were just tired, and your brain was playing tricks on you. You know how stress can make us see and hear things that aren't really there."Elena wanted to believe that, but deep down, she knew it wasn't stress. It wasn't fatigue. This was something different. "Maybe," she said, though the words felt hollow. "It just felt so real."Mae studied her for a moment before offering a small smile. "You know I'll believe anything you say, Lena. If you think something's up, then maybe it is. I just don't want you to get too freaked out over it. But if it happens again… maybe talk to someone? Like a… professional?"Elena laughed lightly, appreciating Mae's concern. "Yeah, I'll call a therapist the next time my necklace glows," she teased.The mood lightened, and for a while, they slipped into their usual rhythm of banter and small talk. But even as they chatted, Elena couldn't shake the feeling that something—or someone—was watching her.Later, after Mae had left and the house had fallen into silence, Elena found herself staring out the window. The moon was high, casting a silvery glow over the trees outside. The same unease from earlier lingered in the stillness, and the pendant sat on the table like a silent question waiting for an answer.Suddenly, a knock at the door shattered the quiet.Elena's heart leapt into her throat. No one knocked on her door at this hour. She grabbed her phone, creeping toward the door with cautious steps. Peering through the window, she saw a shadowy figure standing on her porch, tall and cloaked in darkness.Her hand trembled as she opened the door a crack. "Who's there?" she called, her voice unsteady.The figure stepped forward into the light, revealing a man with piercing eyes and a presence that seemed both familiar and completely foreign. His gaze met hers, and something stirred deep within her—recognition, fear, and something else she couldn't name."Elena," he said, his voice smooth and deep, the same voice she had heard on the wind."We need to talk."