1. A Strange Encounter

“Thank you Martha.” She thanked the woman behind a counter of her favorite coffee shop. “Come next time dear! It’s always a pleasure.” Martha chuckled before Rose stepped out of the door. The wind rushed past her orange brown curly hair as she glanced at the stars. It’s a beautiful night tonight, she thought as she held onto her warm coffee before walking into the dark streets of New York with her amber eyes shining with amazement.

She wasn’t barely a few steps away when goosebumps start crawling on her neck. Rose quickly glanced around. Nothing. There was not a living soul in site. She quickly picked up a faster pace. “I just need to make it through the park and I’ll be back home.” She reassured herself, but she still felt like she was being followed. Rose saw the parks gates just a few meters away and she began to slowly walk again. When she was finally safe and hidden by bushes, she looked back into the darkness. There was still no one. “Maybe I’m imagining things?” She murmured. Her mind then flashed back to the past where she saw freaky creatures with horns around a crying baby boy. She also remembered the time she was walking home with her friends when she saw a figure lurking in the darkness. All her friends thought she was crazy and just laughed at her, but she knew there was something. She wasn’t hallucinating or even being psycho, she saw what she saw. “Miss! Miss!?” Someone shouted in the distance. Rose finally came back to reality and glanced around. She finally saw a small built security guard heading her way. “We are going to close the park and we ask you to leave!” He shouted, clearly frustrated. “Oh..uhh sorry!! I didn’t know sir.” Rose shouted back. The security guard was finally standing a few meters away from her. “Where were you heading?” He asked. “I-I was walking my usual route back to my apartment sir.” She stuttered a little. Policemen- or woman always made her nervous!! “Oh, very well then miss. Continue your way through the park to get home safely.” He smiled before starting to whistle and walked of to the gate where she entered a couple of minutes ago. “Thank you!!” She shouted before quickly walking back. She did felt safer with the policeman with her, but she wasn’t going to ask him to walk with her back home. That would have been to awkward and embarrassing.

When Rose finally made it in her apartment she tried to turn on the lights. “Damn it. Stupid electricity!” She’d place her empty cup on the table near the door. She unfortunately drank everything on her way back through the park. Grabbing her phone from her back pocket she headed to the kitchen. She scanned the area with her phone flash for the power switch. When she saw it she pulled the small lever down and her apartment lit up. Her apartment wasn’t that big and it wasn’t very fancy, but she managed with it. She walked back to the door and locked it while grabbing her empty cup and throwing it into the trash can. Rose made her way through the living room and entered her room. The wind breeze lifted up her window curtains. Odd. Weren’t they closed? Slowly she stepped forward before pulling the certains away revealing the open window. She’d quickly closed it before pulling her certains back and made her way to the bathroom. After quickly brushing her teeth she hopped into her bed. “Hmmmm. Cozy and warm.” Rose mumbled as she snuggled into her sheets...

About an hour later there was a loud thump and she immediately woke up. Rose looked around holding her blankets in front of her. Maybe there’s nothing? When she finally got the urge to lay back down and sleep again. She felt unsettled and uncomfortable. She slowly stood up and shivered. W-why is it so cold? The room felt like the North Pole. “Ugh. The air conditioner is probably broken...” She quickly grabbed her robe from the closet and walked out into her small and now ice cold living room. Rose made her way to the kitchen. Next to the power switch there was a small box with red, yellow, blue and white cord and buttons. She quickly noticed that the blue cord wasn’t in its correct place. Grabbing the blue cord she placed it into its hole. “There we go.” She’d mumble proudly and the living room slowly started coming back to its normal temperature. When she entered her room it was still ice cold. Just when she wanted to say something she saw something move near the window. She didn’t dare to move as she watched it. Something sat near the window with the cold breeze brushing its hair and flapping the certains. She couldn’t see what it was but she could tell that it looked quite human except for the slightly pointy ears and glowing red and blue eyes and those eyes were staring straight into hers. She needed to get out, but her body wouldn’t move, it was glued to the ground. When Rose finally blinked the window was open and it was gone.

“W-What on earth...” She’d mutter and walked closer to the window. How did he even get in? The window isn’t even broken! Couldn’t have left it open, right?... Rose leaned out of the window glancing around and staring into the distance. Maybe Stephanie and Juri were right, maybe a therapist will help with this. The thought formed in her mind as she pulled her certains close again. Crawling back into her bed she looked at the ceiling. Hopefully tomorrow will be normal. She thought before slowly closing her eyes and drifting of to sleep. Rose woke up in a strange place and someone was standing in front of her.

“W-Who are you?” Rose bravely asked. “You’ll find out sooner or later my Tulip.” The voice chuckled before lifting up her chin. “Now sleep...”

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