Somewhere on the edge of consciousness, she felt the water shut off. Warm hands cupped her face. Then strong arms lifted her off the floor. She didn’t even have the strength to fight back. At that moment, none of it mattered anymore. He could do whatever he wanted with her. She didn’t care. She wanted to die. That single thought kept echoing through her head. Nothing in her life had ever gone the way it was supposed to. So what did it matter? The day her parents died, she should’ve died too.

  Her body began to fill with a soothing heat, as if someone were pouring something into her—something she couldn’t quite comprehend—warming her from the inside out. And the longer it lasted, the more she understood: it was life. Life itself. She felt her strength return, her vitality rising. Her mind sharpened, her thoughts snapping into focus. It all started to make a terrible kind of sense. Who she was. What had just happened. And the thing she most wanted to forget: the warning. Yes. That black-haired bastard had known exactly what would happen. And he hadn’t lifted a fucking finger to stop it. That son of a bitch had left her to that perverted pig, and was probably laughing about it right now. Of course, there was another voice inside her. A smaller, colder one, whispering that if she’d only listened, none of this would have happened. But she shoved that thought aside. Right now, she was burning. Burning with a hatred so deep, it scorched everything else to ash. And stronger than anything else was the desire for revenge. She opened her eyes, ready to stand up and do something—anything—to take control. But the sight in front of her wiped her mind clean.

  He was standing over her. That eye—it hadn’t been a hallucination. He was really there. Leaning slightly over her, watching her. Watching her like he could see straight into her soul. He was short. Slight. With pale blond hair. Dark circles under his eyes. Skin so pale it looked almost gray. His clothes were old, just like something out of another century. And she knew instantly: he was dead. But how…? Why hadn’t she sensed him before? As if reading her thoughts, the man curled his lips into a grotesque mockery of a smile. A psychotic grin that stopped her cold. That was it. She’d reached her limit. She couldn’t take even one more thing.

  “You’re finally awake,” the ghost said softly, his voice strangely gentle. Calm. Even soothing.

  “What do you want?” she croaked, her mind racing for a plan—any plan.

  But whatever tactic she was hoping for crumbled instantly, as the spirit answered:

  “Your death.”

  The smile widened—though that should have been impossible.

  “You have to die. You need to give me your life. It’s worthless anyway. You’re worthless.”

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  “What…?” It was all she could manage. Her brain simply refused to form a better question. “What are you talking about?”

  “About your death,” the ghost replied. “The sooner it happens, the better. Don’t be afraid. You won’t go to hell. You’ll stay with me. Forever.”

  He raised a bluish hand and gently stroked her hair. She felt it. His touch. Real. Tangible. Cold. How the hell had he hidden himself from her until now? And if he was a ghost, why did he feel so solid?

  “What are you?” she asked, edging toward the furthest corner of the bed.

  The smile dropped from his face. His voice grew flat:

  “Your nightmare. Or your end, if you prefer.”

  She tried to run. Bolted upright, ready to flee, but he caught her wrist. Effortlessly. She yanked, thrashed, used everything she had, but it was like being held by stone. He didn’t even flinch. He stood like she weighed nothing. As if he were holding a paper doll.

  “Don’t run,” he said, a note of sorrow in his voice. “You’ve already given me so much energy. But I need more. You have to give me all of it.”

  Alice froze. She looked into the empty eyes of a madman, and remembered something she’d read long ago about malevolent beings. They feed on fear. But hate—hate is their finest meal. When humans feel those emotions, their bodies release the highest levels of energy. And that’s what these things consume. Like food, she thought, and suddenly, it all made sense—why he’d waited until now to appear. He’d been gathering strength. Feeding on her terror. Drawing power from everything she’d lost. Even now, she could feel it—him draining her, inch by inch. Sucking the life right out of her. If only she could stop it. Block him somehow. Of course she should be able to do that now. The thought of the Not-Doctor—and his twisted way of demanding obedience—sparked something wild and furious in her.

  Her body moved on instinct, reaching into reserves she hadn’t known existed. She felt the power coalescing around her, waiting to be shaped, to be directed. She focused, and built a barrier. An invisible wall of force formed around her. It could work. She just had to hold it. Reinforce it. Then—

  “Too late,” said the ghost quietly, still gripping her wrist. “You’ve already lost.”

  Alice looked down. Right where he held her, the barrier was weakening. A hole. A passage. A crack. And he was already slipping through it.

  “Where are you when I actually need you?” she whispered, trying to push the entity away. “I’m in danger. This would be a great time to show up…”

  The ghost began absorbing the barrier, devouring it. With each passing moment, the situation slipped further beyond saving.

  “You must die quickly,” he said, smiling again. “After all, that’s what you wanted… just moments ago.”

  It hit her like a slap. A brutal, stinging slap with no reply. The barrier collapsed. Her energy scattered—immediately swallowed by the ghost. His hand clamped tighter around her arm. Those wild eyes burned through her. What the hell was she supposed to do now? Fight, whispered a little girl buried deep inside her. The only problem was, the voice didn’t say how. Alice gathered every last shred of energy she had. Forged it into a blade. And with one final surge of will, she hurled the weapon at the ghost with her mind. The entity recoiled in surprise, releasing her. She collapsed to the ground, unconscious. This is the end, she thought, just before the darkness swallowed her.