Folio Two, Page Forty-Seven (svegra mos droskron tal-pyes)

As I opened the door to put my ksibja away, I felt hot breath on the back of my neck and saw something — a shadow, maybe — reflected in the doorknob as I fumbled with the lock. My fingers shook. I remembered seeing my reflection in the lens the previous night, my cheeks blue from the glowing wall screen. Everything had stopped, but perhaps it had found me. Maybe Nightofday1840 had apologized because he couldn’t protect me. To turn around seemed like a death sentence, but I felt a quiet gaze at the back of my neck —

“Who’s there?” I tried to whisper, but my voice box had stopped working. I shoved the door open and whirled into the room as fast as I could, shutting and locking the door behind me.

When I pressed my ear against the door, I heard something shuffle and shake. Looking through the lock revealed only an empty hallway.

I retreated farther back into the room until my back had pressed up against the wardrobe. The door pulsed when I looked at it—I thought I saw it breathe, and a shadow passed beneath it —— and all at once my wall screen turned on, flashing images of thunder and lightning, and the eye —! My pants felt wet.

From the closet, I heard beeping. Unlike everything else, this seemed the most real and concrete — this was the only thing I could rely on — but I had to find the source before it stopped forever. This time I knew it was coming from under the —

And then someone knocked on the door. My wall screen went dead. Maybe Anumë — but —

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