A woman

"Arina!" I shouted after her, but she was already out of sight. I was too exhausted to chase her and too overwhelmed to understand her reaction. With a heavy sigh, I turned away and headed for the guest room.

I lay on the bed, my mind restless with thoughts of Mrs. Rosalie and the strange events that had transpired. The weight of the locket around my neck felt like a constant reminder of the looming danger. Gradually, fatigue overcame me, and I fell into a fitful sleep.

A sudden noise jolted me awake. Disoriented, I squinted at the clock on the bedside table — 2:30 a.m. My heart raced as I heard the soft rustling of fabric. I noticed that the window was slightly ajar, the curtain billowing gently in the breeze.

I got up cautiously and walked toward the window, the room dimly lit by the moonlight that streamed in. As I reached for the window to close it, something outside caught my eye. My breath caught in my throat.

"Wh-What was that?" I stammered, my voice barely a whisper. My heart pounded in my chest, each beat louder than the last as I tried to comprehend what I had just seen.

I sat on the ground, paralyzed by fear.

Her hair was wild and unkempt, her eyes—completely white—seemed to stare into nothingness, and in her hand, she held a lifeless animal, its fur matted with blood. 

So, it's true. Mr. Roselia didn't lie to me. The rumors were true. 

A sudden realization hit me like a cold gust of wind.

Arina!

She was alone in the room. Panic surged through me as I scrambled to my feet, my mind racing with horrifying possibilities. What if that… thing had reached her?

"Arina, for God's sake, open the door!" I pleaded, my voice cracking under the weight of my fear. I pressed my ear against the wood, straining to hear any sign of movement, any indication that she was okay.

For a moment, there was nothing but an eerie silence, thick and suffocating. 

"Arina!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the hallway as I started kicking the door. Panic gripped me tighter with each passing second.

Damn it, why isn't she opening? My heart raced as I frantically searched for the key, my hands trembling with fear. I finally found it, fumbling to fit it into the lock. The moment the door clicked open, I burst into the room.

Arina was just waking up from the bed, wiping sleep from her eyes, her expression groggy and confused. Relief washed over me like a wave, but it was quickly replaced by a surge of urgency. "Arina!" I rushed to her side, grabbing her by the shoulders and shaking her gently.

"What happened to you, Arina? Why didn't you open the door?"

She blinked at me, her mouth opening to respond, but something else caught my attention—a cold breeze drifting into the room. I turned sharply and saw that the window was wide open. My heart skipped a beat. Without thinking, I rushed over and slammed it shut, latching it securely.

"Don't you ever open this window," I told her, my voice trembling.

Arina stared at me, confusion clouding her eyes.

"Zoe, what's wrong with you?" she asked.

I was too preoccupied with scanning the darkness outside to answer immediately. My eyes darted from shadow to shadow, searching for any sign of that woman, or whatever she was. But there was nothing. The night was eerily still, as if holding its breath.

Satisfied that we were alone, I turned back to Arina, trying to calm my racing heart. I forced a smile, hoping it looked more convincing than it felt.

"I was missing you," I said, my voice softening as I walked back to her.

"Come, let's sleep together."

Arina narrowed her eyes at me, suspicion flickering in her gaze. I could tell she sensed something was off, but she didn't press further. Instead, she just watched me closely as I lay down on the bed, patting the space beside me.

"Come, sleep here," I urged, trying to sound as casual as possible.

"You can sleep, I'm not in the mood to," Arina muttered, her voice distant as she moved to the couch and sat down, her arms wrapped around herself. 

"Arina, please. Why are you doing this to me?" I asked, standing up and walking toward her, my heart aching at the sight of her so withdrawn. I knelt beside her, reaching out tentatively. "What's wrong?"

Tears welled up in her eyes, and before I could react, she broke down, sobbing uncontrollably. "Why did you wear that necklace, Zoe?" she cried, her voice filled with anguish. "You still trust your God, the one who took our two children. Why, Zoe? Why?"

Her words cut through me like a knife. The grief we had both buried so deep suddenly came crashing down around us. I reached out to comfort her, but she pulled away, her pain too raw. "Arina, listen to me—" I began, my voice trembling.

"I don't want to listen!" she screamed, standing up abruptly. "Stay with your God. I'm leaving your house." Her voice was laced with bitterness as she moved toward the door.

Panic surged through me. I couldn't let her leave, not when that terrifying presence might still be out there, lurking in the shadows. "Wait!" I called out desperately. "I'm taking it off. Now, please don't go."

With trembling hands, I unclasped the necklace that hung around my neck, the small cross glinting in the dim light. I placed it on the table, my heart heavy with a fear. Arina's expression softened as she saw the gesture, and without a word, she walked back to me and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me into a tight embrace.

She smiled at me sweetly, her earlier anger seemingly forgotten.