Areeba sat in her dimly lit apartment, staring at the message on her phone.
Unknown Number: You're next.
She deleted the message, but her fingers trembled.
Ever since the alley incident, the nightmares had gotten worse. Shadows moved where they shouldn't. The street dogs—they watched her.
Something was coming.
And deep inside, she knew it had never truly left.
Then—her phone buzzed again.
Unknown Number: Come back to the alley.
Areeba's stomach twisted.
She should ignore it.
She should block the number.
But as she looked outside, a single black dog sat beneath the streetlight.
Staring at her.
Waiting.
Areeba exhaled sharply.
There was no escaping this.
She had to go back.