Hans looked visibly frightened. It wasn't the first time he had seen Niklas react like that, as if he had just witnessed something terrifying. Niklas was sitting on the floor with his eyes closed, breathing heavily. Hans quickly placed the papers he had been holding on the desk and rushed toward him.
"Niklas, what's wrong with you?" he asked.
Niklas didn't answer. His eyes remained shut; he was afraid that if he opened them he would see Hans's face distorted again. Hans crouched beside him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Hey, open your eyes. Calm down."
After a few seconds, Niklas slowly began to open his eyes. He looked at Hans carefully this time. His face looked completely normal.
Hans frowned.
"You need to see a doctor. This isn't the first time I've seen you like this."
Niklas finally spoke.
"I saw your face… it was deformed," he said quietly. "And I heard a whisper in my ear. I couldn't understand what it was saying."
