At 2:17 a.m., Aarav's phone buzzed.
Unknown Number: "I can see you."
He frowned. Probably a prank. He lived alone on the 8th floor of an old apartment building in Kolkata. The curtains were closed. The door was locked.
Another message came.
Unknown Number: "Blue T-shirt. Laptop open. You should really sleep."
Aarav's blood froze.
He slowly turned his head toward the window.
Nothing.
His heart thudded in his ears. Maybe someone hacked his webcam. He slammed the laptop shut. His fingers trembled as he typed back:
Aarav: "Who is this?"
Three dots appeared instantly.
Unknown Number: "Look behind you."
The lights went out.
Total darkness swallowed the room.
Aarav's breath quickened. Power cut? But the streetlights outside were still glowing.
His phone flashlight flickered on. The room looked normal.
Except…
The bedroom door was open.
He was sure he had closed it.
Another buzz.
Unknown Number: "You forgot to lock the balcony."
Aarav slowly walked toward the balcony door.
It was slightly open.
The cold night air rushed inside.
His chest tightened. He lived eight floors up. No one could climb that.
Unless…
A shadow moved near the curtain.
He spun around — nothing.
Buzz.
Unknown Number: "Too slow."
Suddenly, his phone switched to camera mode by itself.
The screen showed him standing there.
But behind him…
A tall dark figure.
Aarav dropped the phone and turned around.
No one.
The phone buzzed again on the floor.
He picked it up with shaking hands.
Now the camera showed the living room.
Empty.
Then the screen changed.
A CCTV view.
Of his apartment building entrance.
Timestamp: 2:05 a.m.
It showed… him.
Walking inside.
Smiling.
But Aarav had been home since 8 p.m.
His stomach twisted.
The video zoomed in.
The "him" at the entrance slowly looked up at the camera.
And winked.
The power suddenly came back.
The room lights flickered on.
The balcony door was now closed.
His bedroom door too.
Everything looked normal.
Except one thing.
His reflection in the mirror…
Was still smiling.
And Aarav wasn't.
The final message arrived.
Unknown Number:
"You're not alone in there."
Then the phone screen went black.
Forever.