Darkness.
But not empty.
Not silent.
This time—
It was filled with something.
A presence.
Breathing.
Waiting.
KNOCK… KNOCK… KNOCK
Aarav gasped.
His eyes snapped open.
He was on the ground.
Cold pavement beneath him.
The empty street.
The same place.
Nothing had changed.
"…no…"
His voice cracked.
"I didn't leave…"
The sky above remained dark and broken.
The buildings still twisted unnaturally.
Everything felt… wrong.
Like reality had been stretched too far.
Aarav forced himself up.
His legs trembled.
His body felt heavier.
Slower.
Like something inside him had changed.
Then—
He heard it.
Footsteps.
Behind him.
Aarav turned quickly.
Nothing.
The street was empty.
Silent.
"…stop doing that…"
He whispered, his voice shaking.
"I know you're here…"
A pause.
Then—
A voice.
Not from outside.
Not from the street.
From inside his head.
"Of course I am."
Aarav froze.
His breath caught.
"No…"
His hands slowly rose to his head.
"No, no, no…"
The voice chuckled softly.
Calm.
Familiar.
"You opened the door."
Aarav shook his head violently.
"Get out of my head!"
"This is my head."
Silence.
Aarav's body went still.
His mind blanked.
"…what…?"
The voice grew clearer.
Stronger.
Like it was waking up.
"You're inside now."
Aarav stumbled back.
"That doesn't make sense… this is MY body—"
The world flickered.
For a split second—
Everything changed.
Aarav wasn't standing anymore.
He was sitting.
On the bed.
In his room.
His room.
But—
Something was wrong.
He couldn't move.
Couldn't speak.
Couldn't even breathe properly.
He wasn't in control.
His body stood up.
Walked forward.
Moved on its own.
Aarav's thoughts screamed—
STOP!
But nothing happened.
He was watching.
From inside.
Trapped.
His body walked to the mirror.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
And looked at itself.
Aarav saw his reflection.
Same face.
Same eyes.
Same everything.
But then—
The reflection smiled.
Not him.
Something else.
"See?" the voice whispered.
"Fits perfectly."
Aarav's mind spiraled.
"No… NO—!"
The reflection leaned closer.
Eyes darkening.
Smile widening unnaturally.
"You're the visitor now."
The world snapped back.
Aarav fell to his knees.
Back in the empty street.
Gasping.
Shaking.
"…what did you do to me…?"
Silence.
For a moment—
Nothing answered.
Then—
Footsteps.
Real this time.
Slow.
Approaching.
Aarav looked up.
And froze.
The other version of him stood there again.
But now—
It looked different.
More alive.
More… real.
Its eyes weren't empty anymore.
They were sharp.
Focused.
Aware.
It smiled.
Calm.
Confident.
"It's starting to settle."
Aarav's chest tightened.
"…what is…?"
The other Aarav stepped closer.
"The exchange."
Aarav shook his head violently.
"No… no, I'm still here—"
"Not for long."
Another step.
Closer.
Closer.
"You came into my door."
Its voice was steady.
Certain.
"So I get your place."
Aarav's breathing broke.
"That's not how this works—!"
The other Aarav laughed softly.
"That's exactly how it works."
The ground beneath Aarav trembled.
The sky cracked further.
The world began to collapse slowly.
"Every wrong door…" the other Aarav continued,
"…takes something from you."
Aarav felt it.
Inside his chest.
That knocking.
Louder now.
KNOCK… KNOCK… KNOCK
His heart—
No—
Not his.
Something else.
"…what is that…?" Aarav whispered.
The other Aarav smiled.
"That's me."
Aarav's blood ran cold.
"I'm replacing you."
Aarav tried to stand.
Tried to run.
Tried to do anything—
But his body failed him.
His vision blurred.
His hands faded slightly.
"No… no, no, no—"
The other Aarav stepped right in front of him.
Close enough to touch.
"It won't hurt."
A pause.
"Much."
The knocking grew louder.
Faster.
Violent.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK
Aarav screamed—
And then—
Everything went silent.
A soft whisper echoed in the void.
"One more step… and he's gone."