was a grand thing, making one all fluffy and warm, but his staring was slowly starting to make me feel uncomfortable. Besides, I needed someone to keep me warm and cozy. I pushed the covers aside whispering, "Come on already." He didn't budge.
The strange feeling in the pit of my stomach intensified. Something wasn't right, so I opened my eyes. The moonlight falling in through the high bay window caught on something shiny. And then I realized what it was: a knife. My eyes widened as I rolled to the other side of the bed a moment before the blade cut open my pillow. Jumping up from the bed, I dashed for the door when he gripped my hair and pulled me back. The pain rippling through my scalp was excruciating.
"Thrain, you're hurting me," I screamed. I couldn't believe he had turned all psycho on me. Yelping, I kicked hard, hitting the guy right where it hurt the most, then stood and took off down the hall and stairs. A groan and thuds echoed not far behind me, but I didn't turn. My fear kept me running.
The house was dark. No sound that would betray anyone's presence. I couldn't believe how naive I was for trusting a guy I met less than a week ago. Come to think of it, what did I actually know about him? He was a demon and they usually came with a bit of a tendency toward murder, or so legends said. My heart hammered hard in my chest as I headed for the kitchen. I couldn't remember whether the door could be locked from the inside, but I figured if there was no key, I stood a better chance hiding in the woods than inside the house with a killer searching for me. My hands patted the lock only to find there was no key. Damn it.
I opened the backdoor and took off into the night like the wind, making sure I closed the door behind me in case the guy followed. My breathing made a whistling sound as I shimmied through the bushes and trees, not paying attention to the cold that crept up my legs and turned my skin into goose bumps. I ran for a few minutes before I dared to look over my shoulder. The trees looked like huge, ominous shapes in the darkness. Stopping, I pressed my back against a thick trunk and held my breath to listen. Nothing stirred. I got rid of him. Now what? I couldn't return back to the house, but just my flannel PJs and sweater wouldn't be able to keep me warm against the cold for long. Sooner or later, I would freeze to death.
A twig snapped to my right. I turned my head sharply. Only too late did I see the dark shadow from the corner of my eye. Something hard hit my temple, sending me flying into a bush. I groaned and pushed up on my elbows, paralyzed with fear, the pain banging against my skull making me dizzy.
"Hey, are you looking for me?"
My head shot up at the familiar sound of my own voice. How did I speak when my mouth never opened? I hadn't even formed the words in my mind. And then I saw her standing near a tree. The moonlight caught in her dyed black hair and made her pale face look even paler. She wore a white flannel shirt that hung down to her knees, rolled up at the sleeves to reveal thin forearms. My breath caught in my throat. She was the spitting image of me. Even her nightwear looked like what I was wearing. But how could it be, unless I was dead and looking at my own body? But shouldn't my body be lying on the ground with me hovering over it instead of the other way round? My stomach turned. I felt so dizzy from all the pounding inside my head, I feared I'd be throwing up any minute.
"Sofia? I've been looking for you," the figure standing a few feet away from me said. I turned my head, seeing Gael standing there. The tip of his knife was inches away from my throat. Scared, I peered from him to the girl, who looked like me, and then back to Gael.
"What are you doing, Gael? Why did you hit her?" the girl asked in a thin voice that betrayed her fear. She inched closer and reached out to touch Gael's arm. The air