I woke up, but didn't open my eyes, my body was shaking, I steel filled echo of pain in my belly, it was so real so painful. Now I was afraid to open my eyes and just wait for something and this something happened

  “Anny, why are you still in bed!? Get up immediately! Are you trying to be late for school, or do you just want to irritate me first thing in the morning?!”

  What?! I heard it in my dream. What was it, what was going on here. I was shocked, terrified. How? What?

  While I was trying to collect myself my mom entered the room. She told me that have had to go and that I should stud up immediately. When she left the room, No way I will leave the flat this time. I checked the day and it was still the same Monday, crap. What does it mean? I don't know what to do, that man said that I was bad girl, but what does it mean. If it is not a dream when what. I have so many questions and no damn answers.

  I set in armchair, hugged my knees; my head was rejecting to think. So I was sitting there for a while with void in my head and fear in my heart. I think I could sit like this for whole day, but someone knocked the door.

  Fear shekeld me, I even stopped to breathe. Knocking became more frequent and stronger, it lasts maybe 5 minutes, but for me it was like damn infinity. Was the person gone?

  I stood up and quite at possible move to look at the entrance door. And that I saw made my heart dropped down. Door was cowering by interference and started to melt.

  I’m at sixth floor it's no way I can jump out. Think think think, I'm not going to be killed one more time. I think I can climb to neighbors balcony. I rushed to balcony door and opened it rapidly, but it was too late, someone grabbed me and lift into air, like I have no weight at all and threw me through balcony window with such power that I broke it without resistance only all my body started to feel pain. Seconds of flight and I smashed on the asphalt.

  I woke up in a cold sweat, trying to catch my breath. The fear of falling was still trapped in my body and mind. I was terrified all over again. What would they do next? Burn me? Drown me? Bury me alive? On that thought, I heard mom's voice...

  I had hoped that I had woken up in my own bed and that all this had been just a dream, but no. I was still stuck here. I definitely didn't want to die again; it was too painful, and I could feel the enormous damage to my mental health.

  He said that I was a bad girl, so did I need to be a good one? I had no other clue. What wouldn't a good girl do? She wouldn't skip school. And at the first time, I had stayed alive a bit longer. That meant I needed to go to school. Probably. I hoped so.

  I got dressed as before and went to school. My guess was that I needed to study hard, like a truly good girl. When I entered, Kate jumped on me just like the first time.

  "Annyyy! Heeelooww!"

  "Hello, Kate. We have a test now, right?"

  "Yes, but why are you asking? You're always perfectly prepared."

  "You know, I woke up today feeling as if I'd been working for ten years straight, and I don't remember a thing. Can you briefly remind me?"

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  "Ha! You're asking ME for help?!"

  "Yep, yep. Like I said, I'm really out of it."

  She looked at me as if I'd said something insane, so I added:

  "I'll buy you a pastry at second break. Please, Kate."

  She stared at me, even more surprised. I grabbed her hand and pulled her toward the classroom.

  "Anny, you're really scaring me today."

  "But you will help me?"

  "Okay, okay. I'll remember this as the greatest day—the day our 'Miss Perfection' asked me for help for the first time!"

  Oh, that was probably true. My mother had always told me that asking for help was a weakness.

  She managed to explain a few things to me before the test began, but it didn't help much—it had been too long. Eventually, I was the last one to hand in my paper. The teacher was surprised and asked me several times if I was feeling okay.

  In the end, I managed to finish the test, but I think I failed.

  Kate approached me after I left the classroom.

  "Did you really not lie to me? Or is this some kind of elaborate joke?"

  "No joke, Kate. I really forgot everything. Anyway, what's next?"

  "Chemistry, I think."

  "Oh, I'm dead."

  "You don't remember that either?"

  I went over to the window and looked out. There were so many trees, almost all of them now covered in green leaves. And there, between the leaves, I saw him. The faceless man was standing there. I felt as if that thing was looking right at me, seeing me completely. When I blinked, he was gone. It was like he was showing me that they were keeping tabs on me. It was time for chemistry.

  "Anny, what was at the window? You looked terrified."

  "I probably saw my own death."

  "Huh? You're telling some weird jokes today."

  "Let's go to chemistry. By the way, can you remind me what we're doing in class?"

  "Oh, Anny..."

  She was surprised but told me about the topic. I had never been good at chemistry, so I couldn't memorize it.

  I had always hated chemistry, mostly because of the teacher—an easily irritated, envious woman. She always preached about how important her subject was and demanded precise answers to her questions. Moreover, she hated me. I was sure she would call on me this time, and I would die because of her. Probably.

  And of course, she called on me. And of course, I didn't know the answer. I hated her even more now than I had back in my school days. At the exact moment I failed to answer, the classroom door opened, and the faceless thing walked in.

  Now I could get a closer look. He was wearing usual jeans, a black hoodie with the hood up, and black-and-white sneakers. But that fucking face... or rather, the absence of one. Everyone was shocked and jumped up from their seats. I shrank back toward the rear of the classroom where there was an open window.

  The classroom was on the second floor, and there was grass under the windows, so I thought I could jump. I jumped out, rolled upon landing, and felt pain in my knees and back. The creature jumped after me and landed far ahead, so I was trapped between him and the school.

  There was a door to the school basement leading to the old anti-nuclear shelter. I turned and tried to open it. To my immense relief, it wasn't locked. I crossed the threshold and closed the door behind me.

  I ran down a dark corridor. It didn't look like I remembered—it was darker, longer, and the shadows seemed alive. The corridor was illuminated by dim red emergency lamps. I thought I had been running for five minutes or more when I reached a dead end. There was a barred gate, but it wouldn't open.

  At that moment, the faceless thing appeared in the circle of light from an emergency lamp. Surprisingly, it didn't rush at me but just stood at the edge of the light. I pressed myself against the gate. I looked at the creature; my whole body was shaking. I still remembered my previous encounter with it vividly. And at that moment, something whispered in my ear...

  "Hello, sweet girl."

  I turned back and saw three glowing eyes.

  "Fuck."

  My damn luck. Of course, there was another monster here.

  "Do not be afraid of me. I don't bite, girl."

  I had really strong suspicions about that. I threw a glance at the faceless thing; it was still standing frozen.

  "Who are you?" I asked politely.

  "It doesn't matter. What matters is what I can tell you about your situation... and what you can do for me."

  At that moment, something hit me in the back, and a sharp pain erupted in my spine.

  "Find me next time. I'll be here."

  I fell down and saw the thing throw something at me.

  I guess I would die one more time.