Through the advancements in technology and social media, teenagers have developed this peculiar habit of checking their phones the first thing, every morning. I wake up every morning to the same routine. Everything was quiet today, no chirping of birds, tranquil streets and a hushed neighborhood; as if the world was still asleep at this time of noon. I straightened up, stretched my arms, yawned and fetched my phone. It took me a while to register that only one text flashed on my screen. No WhatsApp messages, no messenger texts and no Instagram notifications. Just one single text from an unknown number. I swiped it off and figured there might be a problem with my data so I restarted it. To my surprise, no message or notification showed up, not even from the news app that never failed to provide an update. Is it my data that's not working? I switched to wifi, but, nothing changed. I tried logging in to Facebook web but the site took ages to load and failed. The hairs on my neck rose and a shiver ran down my spine. Something was definitely wrong! I walked towards the door to ask mum about it, but, thought against it as the reply would be; "WHY THE HELL WERE YOU STARING AT YOUR PHONE EARLY MORNING! AND THANK GOODNESS THAT ALL THE WORLDS INTERNET HAS STOPPED WORKING!!" The thought of her reply itself had upset me. I decided to crash down on my bed again. Took my phone and shuffled through the apps until another message flashed from the same unknown number. I tapped the notification and my inbox appeared on the screen. The two messages made my heart skip several beats and my stomach tangle with the intestines. "It's not real. None of it. Trust no one. Escape! Get out of there and meet me in the woods. Now!" The second one read: "You swiped the notification without reading. I know you did. Evacuate the place pronto and don't look in any of their eyes. If you don't believe me talk to you family and if at all they ask about any of these messages, run for your life. Remember, DO NOT MAKE EYE CONTACT, NOT WITHOUT PROTECTION. Beware." My heart was banging my rib cage and my fingers were numb. I had no idea what to do next. The first thing that occurred to me was, Am I being watched? I went up to the window and looked around the street. Not even a single leaf moved on it. Out of the blue, something touched my back and I squealed. I was terrified to the extent that I had no idea when I had walked backwards up to the door and it was the door that touched my back. I was shivering feverishly. What had happened in one night? I know I had slept early yesterday but nothing could've changed in twelve hours. Or was something really really wrong? I wore a T-Shirt and fetched my shades from the cupboard. No, I can trust my family, can't I? My lungs suddenly were void of air. DO NOT TRUST ANYONE! I've always had trust issues but something is wrong this time. Vacant streets, data turned off, a message from an unknown number, who seemed to be watching me all the time and something in me still wanted to trust this unknown person. I put on the shades and started walking downstairs. I was sweating. I called out, "Mum?" "Oh son! Thank heavens you're awake!" She came with a start out of the drawing room. Astonishingly, she had her glasses on as well. "I see you already have your shades on. Did you receive a weird text this morning?" She asked. The sender had predicted right. How did she know about the message? My pulse was rising and my head was heavy. I pushed her away and ran towards the door, until someone caught me from behind. "Don't son! Don't go out there! They're manipulating you!" Dad yelled, pulling me behind. What if you all are manipulating me! I thought but didn't raise my voice as I tried to break free. "Eric has gone mad! Eric has gone mad! Yeaaaa!" I heard my brother from behind. He had never behaved this way before. Something was definitely wrong with my family. I need to get to the woods. After a series of failed efforts, I finally managed to get rid of my father's grip and ran straight towards the clearing in front of our house. I ran towards the road and out of the blue a motorbike honked from behind as I was about to reach the river beyond which, was the forest in which I was supposed to go. I heard roars of laughter from the rider as he came speeding towards me. His hand bristled my hair as I dived into the river and crossed it. My glasses were off. I wanted to look back but didn't dare to. I ran into the woods, eyes partially closed. I run, deep into the woods, until I find a tree house and someone waving a white piece of cloth. This is it. I've reached. I climbed up the wooden stairs, hung there. I reached the top, panting. It is a girl, I could see through my partially open eyes. She folded the stairs up and took me in. "Glad you made it here. It's okay. You can open your eyes," she said. I did as was told. I looked at her and there I saw, the girl, faceless, no nose, no lips, just a pair of white eyes, staring at me. My eyes popped out as I saw the horrendous creature, taking form of a girl. I ran towards the door until a man entered with the same features. White eyeballs and void of all other facial features. I yelled. I couldn't breathe. I shut my eyes hard as the girl caught me from behind. The man forced my eyes open and I saw the world around me fade into darkness. I was falling into darkness, with my lips and nose vanishing in thin air. I was becoming one of them. "We told you, DO NOT TRUST ANYONE. And you must do as we ask."
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