I stood on the balcony of my room, looking at the city glittering under the light rain. The night sky was filled with lights, and the cold air carried a soothing wet scent. I let out a long breath, trying to remember how my life had changed so quickly in the past few months.
I didn't believe that I would ever get married again, let alone be at peace like I was now. Samantha made it all possible. I looked into the room, seeing her brushing her hair in front of the mirror. Her gentle, caring face always gave me peace of mind.
"Honey, would you like some tea or coffee?" her voice broke my reverie.
I smiled. "Just tea. It's too cold for coffee tonight."
She nodded with a sweet smile. Samantha was always like that. Attentive, gentle, and never pushy. Different... different from Luna.
I dismissed the thought as quickly as possible. There was no point in remembering the past. I was married to Samantha now. This was a new beginning-a new life-and I wouldn't let anything ruin it.
Quiet Nights
We sat on the living room sofa, hot tea in hand, enjoying the quiet of the evening while listening to the sound of the rain. Samantha leaned on my shoulder, her hand wrapped around my arm.
"I'm glad you chose this house," she said softly, her voice almost drowned out by the sound of the rain.
I nodded, gazing at the cozy room. "Me too. It feels away from the crowds. Like we can forget all the bad things."
She lifted her face, looking at me with warm brown eyes. "There's nothing bad now, Ryan. This is our life. I'm here for you, no matter what."
I smiled a little, though inside I felt a slight weight that I couldn't ignore. His words were always soothing, but there was something inside me that I couldn't let go of-like a shadow that kept following, even though I pretended not to see it.
A Stable Life
Two months passed quickly after our wedding. Life felt like a perfect routine. I woke up every morning with Samantha by my side, having breakfast together before I left for work. As an architect, my job took up a lot of time, but Samantha was always there for me at home. She was the perfect wife-taking care of the house with love, making sure I was comfortable every time I came home.
Yet, in every corner of this house, I felt something was wrong. Not from Samantha, not from the neighborhood, but from myself. Like there was a dark hole always lurking, waiting for the right moment to come out.
Sometimes, when I was working at my desk or lying in bed, I could hear voices in my head. Luna's voice. Her cold laugh, her sharp words, and... the last voice I heard that night.
"Ryan?" Samantha called from the kitchen, breaking my train of thought.
I rubbed my face, trying to regain focus. "Yes?"
"Dinner's ready," she said in a cheerful tone.
I walked into the kitchen, looking at Samantha who was busy serving the food. She looked so cheerful, so alive. I didn't want anything to ruin this happiness.
As I sat at the dining table, my cell phone vibrated in my pocket. A message came in. No sender name, just a notification from an anonymous number. I picked up my phone with a raised eyebrow, opening the message.
The phone screen displayed an ultrasound image of a baby-four twins.
My blood froze instantly. I was speechless, unable to breathe. My fingers trembled, almost dropping the phone.
I looked at the screen, then turned slowly to Samantha. She was still smiling, not knowing anything.
"Ryan, what's wrong with you?" she asked softly, her face full of concern.
I forced a smile, trying to hide my surprise. "Nothing... nothing."
But inside me, I knew... this was just the beginning of something I never wanted to face again.
A Shocking Message
I sat quietly at the dining table, cell phone in hand. The ultrasound image was still on the screen. Four small fetuses were clearly visible, each with their own beat of life. This should have been an illusion. It shouldn't be real.
"Ryan?" Samantha called out to me again.
I lifted my face quickly, trying to calm my breathing. "Yes Honey?"
"Why are you daydreaming?" She looked at me in confusion, her eyebrows slightly raised.
I smiled a little, trying my best to hide the confusion tearing inside my chest. "It's nothing. I'm just... tired, maybe."
Samantha smiled softly and continued eating. But I couldn't eat. The first bite felt like a stone in my throat. I shifted my plate slightly, sighed, and tried to focus.
After dinner, I sat alone in the living room while Samantha washed the dishes in the kitchen. The rain was still falling outside, its gurgle clearly audible in the large window beside me.
I opened my phone again, checking the message a second time. There were no words. Just an ultrasound picture. And at the top of the screen, it said "Sender: Unknown."
Something in my chest felt heavy, like there was a hand gripping it tightly. I tried to think logically. Who sent this? Why? Is it a joke? But why are there four of them? There's no way someone would choose this picture by chance.
But the thought always came back. Luna.
I dismissed it. That's not possible. I was there. I saw it. I buried her myself. There's no way she...
"Ryan?" Samantha appeared from the kitchen, wiping her hands with a small towel. "You look tense. Did something happen?"
I forced another smile, trying to get the dark shadows off my face. "No, just some work that suddenly popped into my head."
She nodded, but the look in her eyes showed that she didn't fully believe it. Samantha was the kind of person who could read feelings from just one small expression, but I knew she was wise enough not to ask further.
"Then don't push yourself too hard, okay?" she said, and kissed my forehead before going to her room.
I waited until his steps were no longer audible. Then, I turned on my phone again and stared at the picture. My fingers moved, trying to trace who sent this message. But there were no clues. No name, no number to call. This message just... existed.
My mind started spinning. I tried to remember everything that happened that night. Luna's face, the blood on the floor, the hole in the forest that I covered with dirt. I even went back to the place a few weeks later, making sure everything was safe. There were no strange signs. No one had found anything.
So how could there be this picture? Who knows?
I tried to calm myself down, but every time I closed my eyes, the image appeared again. The picture of the babies. Four babies. Quadruplets.
I closed my phone roughly and threw it on the table. I don't want to think about it anymore tonight. I need to sleep. But as I stood up to head to my room, my cell phone vibrated again.
I stopped, staring at the screen that lit up with a new message.
"You can't forget me, Ryan. They won't let you either."
The breath I'd been holding was suddenly released, panting like someone who'd just drowned. Trembling hands slowly reached for the phone, opening the message. There was no sender's name, just like before.
I read the message over and over again, trying to understand what it meant. Who are they? What did it mean that I couldn't forget? Is this Luna?
It can't be. There's no way she could be alive.
Outside, the rain was still pouring. But I heard something else. Not the sound of water droplets, but the sound of steps. Slowly, hesitantly, approaching the front door.
I turned around, staring at the door with my heart beating hard. Who would be there on a night like this? I stepped slowly, each movement feeling like the weight of a thousand kilos.
As I reached the door, I stopped. A loud knock echoed, three times.
"Ryan..." a quiet voice sounded behind the door. It was almost impossible. But I knew that voice. I knew who was calling me.
I backed away, my body trembling. I didn't. That can't be. She can't be here.
The Knock at the Door
I stood transfixed, staring at the tightly closed front door. But that voice... that voice echoed in my head. "Ryan..." Slow, hoarse, and very familiar.
My body couldn't move. My breath caught in my throat. It can't be. This isn't real. I'm just exhausted. I'm just-
Knock... knock... knock.
Three loud knocks broke my thoughts. The sound was real. Too real.
I swallowed, trying to find the courage to approach the door. My fingers trembled as they touched the knob. Part of me wanted to open it, the other part wanted to run to my room and lock myself in with Samantha. But I couldn't let fear take over.
With bated breath, I turned the door knob slowly.
A cold breeze greeted me as I opened the door. The rain was still falling heavily, soaking the front porch of the house. But there was no one there. Only darkness and the sound of rain filled the night.
I stepped outside, trying to make sure. My eyes swept the front yard, the streetlights reflecting the puddles on the asphalt, but still nothing.
"Who's there?" I asked, my hoarse voice almost drowned out by the sound of the rain.
There was no answer. Only the cold wind pierced my skin.
I went back inside, closing the door quickly. But something made me stop. On the floor right in front of the door, there was an envelope.
I stared at it like it could explode at any moment. A small brown envelope with my name written on it, the letters neat but cold, soulless. No return address, just my name.
My fingers trembled as I picked it up. I walked into the living room and sat on the sofa, ignoring my cell phone that was still on with the last message haunting me.
The envelope felt light, but heavy in my mind. With a heavy sigh, I opened it. It contained only one photo.
I flipped the photo over and my chest felt like it had been hit with a hammer. Luna's photo.
She was standing in a dark, gloomy-looking hallway, wearing a simple black dress. But that's not what made me almost lose my mind. It was her face. Her face hadn't changed at all. No sign of injury, no sign that she...
I dropped the photo to the floor. My head was spinning, my breathing was ragged. There was no way this was real. There was no way she was alive.
"It's just a coincidence," I muttered, trying to convince myself. "Someone is playing a trick on me. Maybe... maybe it's just a coincidence."
But who? Who knew about Luna? Who knew what happened that night? No one knows. No one knows!
I stared at the photo again, this time with my heart racing. In the corner of the photo was a small note in black ink, a handwriting I clearly recognized: "I'll see you soon."
I squeezed my hair, trying to control the thoughts that were starting to fall apart. There's no way. This can't be her. Luna was dead. I was there. I buried her myself. But why does this all feel so real?
Samantha's steps sounded from the hallway. I hurriedly hid the photo under the sofa cushions, calming my labored breathing.
"Ryan? You're not asleep yet?" she asked, her tired eyes looking at me in confusion.
"Not yet. I was just... thinking about the project," I replied quickly.
He nodded, then came over, sitting beside me. "Don't be so hard on yourself, okay? We can talk if something's bothering you."
I gave a small nod, but said nothing. I couldn't tell him. I wasn't even sure this was real.
After Samantha went back to the room, I sat alone in the living room by the dim light of the lamp. I tried to ignore the photo, tried to forget the messages, but they kept haunting me.
When I finally stood up to go to my room, my phone vibrated again. I stared at the screen, this time with a tightness in my chest.
A new message appeared: "I'm close, Ryan. Get ready to welcome us."
I stared at the message, my body frozen in place. Us?
I wanted to throw the phone away, but something outside caught my attention. Through the living room window, I saw the silhouette of someone standing under a street lamp.
The shadow didn't move. But I knew, I could feel it. It was her. Luna.