Skye couldn't breathe.
She stood frozen in the bathroom, staring at her reflection. The woman in the mirror was gone, but the eerie feeling didn't leave her. The sudden chill that had settled in the room seemed to have sunk deep into her bones. She rubbed her arms, trying to shake it off.
It's just a trick. A stupid prank, she told herself. You're not falling for it.
But the ringing of her phone pulled her from her thoughts, snapping her back into reality. She jerked her head toward the screen.
Unknown Number.
It wasn't the same number as before — or maybe it was. She hadn't really paid attention to the digits last time. But this time, something felt… different. Like the phone was vibrating a little too violently. Almost like it had a mind of its own.
Her fingers trembled as she answered it.
A low, distorted voice filled the receiver.
"Did you think you could run?"
Skye's stomach twisted. This is insane, she thought, pressing the phone to her ear with a mix of disbelief and dread.
"The key," the voice continued, "It's closer than you think."
The call ended abruptly.
Skye tossed the phone onto the bed, her heart thumping erratically in her chest. She couldn't handle this. She needed answers. She needed to know who was behind this, why they were doing it, and, most of all, how to make it stop.
But the ring buzzed again.
This time, it wasn't a text message. It was a notification on her smart ring.
A prompt:
"You are close. Look beneath the floor."
Skye blinked, confused. Beneath the floor? The hell did that mean?
There was no way she was going to start ripping up the apartment floors — or was there?
She glanced around. The apartment was still unnervingly quiet, the faint hum of the fridge the only sound breaking the silence. The lights flickered once more, and Skye shook her head, her frustration building.
"No way," she muttered aloud. "There's nothing beneath the floor."
She had to remind herself to stay calm. This was just some elaborate prank, right? Someone had hacked her devices, set up this twisted little game to mess with her. She wasn't stupid.
But the idea that this was some kind of joke was beginning to feel... less convincing.
Skye kneeled beside the couch and inspected the wooden flooring, scanning the surface for any signs of something unusual. When she found nothing, she gritted her teeth. Maybe it's a trick. Maybe it's just in my head.
She got to her feet and wandered into the kitchen, pacing back and forth. She couldn't keep doing this. She couldn't let herself fall deeper into whatever this was. But something kept nagging her, pulling her back.
She reached into her pantry, grabbed a bottle of water, and popped the cap. The glass clicked as she twisted it open.
As she turned to take a sip, her eyes landed on the hardwood floor again. The gleam of something metal caught her eye — just a sliver of light beneath the couch. She wasn't sure if she'd imagined it or not, but it was enough to make her stop in her tracks.
The feeling hit her before the thought even formed in her mind: There's something there.
Skye dropped the water bottle on the counter and rushed over to the couch. She bent down, trying to get a better view of whatever had caught her attention. A faint metallic glimmer was tucked between two floorboards.
It looked like a small key.
The key.
She wasn't sure whether to laugh or scream. Her heart pounded, a mix of excitement and fear churning in her stomach. She grabbed a knife from the kitchen drawer and pried at the floorboard, her hands shaky with adrenaline.
It took longer than she expected, but finally, with a sharp snap, the board came loose. Beneath it was a small metal key, no longer than her palm, rusted with age but unmistakably real.
The instant her fingers brushed the cold metal, her phone buzzed again.
"The first task is complete."
Skye couldn't help the nervous laugh that escaped her lips. She held the key up to the light, inspecting it closely. It looked old, almost antique, with intricate engravings she couldn't quite make out.
"What now?" she muttered to herself, staring at the screen. The call had dropped, but the voice wasn't gone.
Her smart ring buzzed again, another notification.
"Go to the seventh floor. The next task awaits."
Seventh floor. Skye swallowed hard, staring at the message.
The seventh floor.
Her heart skipped a beat. Was this part of the game? Was she really supposed to go to the seventh floor?
She glanced toward the elevator across the hall, the one that always had that strange, unsettling ding whenever it arrived. Her skin prickled. Was this… real?
The idea of going to the seventh floor made her feel like she was about to walk into some twisted nightmare. She felt like she had no choice. Maybe, if she went, the game would end. Maybe it would stop haunting her apartment. Or maybe…
Her smart ring buzzed again, louder this time.
"Time is ticking. You have thirty minutes."
Skye stared at the message, her blood running cold. She grabbed her jacket, snatched the key from the table, and bolted for the elevator.