From a number he didn't recognize.
"I know what you did last winter."
His heart skipped a beat.
Last winter was a chapter of his life he had buried deep—no witnesses, no proof, no mistakes. Or so he believed.
He typed back:
"Who is this?"
Three dots appeared instantly.
"Look outside your window."
Rayan slowly stood up. The room felt colder than before. His hands trembled as he pulled the curtain aside.
The street was empty.
No people.
No cars.
Only silence.
Relieved, he laughed nervously and turned back—
His phone vibrated again.
"Behind you."
Before he could react, the lights went off.
Darkness swallowed the room.
A whisper brushed his ear:
"You forgot one thing, Rayan… guilt never stays buried."
The lights came back on.
He was alone.
But his phone showed one final message:
"This is only the beginning."
And at the bottom of the screen—
Read at 2:17 AM.