09/02/2026
The doorbell rang again.
DING… D**G…
In the middle of the night.
No one comes to visit at this hour.
Javier stood motionless like a statue.
Beads of sweat dotted his forehead.
I whispered:
"Who... who's out there?"
Javier did not reply.
Just stare at the door.
Then he said, in a hoarse voice:
"Don't... open it."
A chill ran down my spine.
“Javier…”
He turned to me.
For the first time, genuine fear was clearly visible in his eyes.
"If it walks in..."
"I won't be able to keep you here any longer."
KNOCKING SOUND
The bell is no longer ringing.
This time it was a knock.
CLUMP… CLUMP… CLUMP…
Slowly.
Like someone who knows for sure there's someone inside.
I stepped back.
"Are you a police officer?"
Javier gave a dry laugh.
"The police don't knock like that."
CLUMP… CLUMP…
Then a voice rang out.
That wasn't a man's voice.
That's not a woman's voice.
But it was a voice… like many people speaking at the same time:
“Sofia…”
"It's time..."
I was speechless.
It knows my name.
I looked at Javier.
"He said someone should come and get the next part..."
"Who is it?"
Javier whispered:
"The person you signed the contract with."
I CAN'T BREATHE
"What kind of agreement?"
Javier closed his eyes.
"Ten years ago..."
"I didn't marry you for love."
That sentence was like a stab in the back.
I choked up.
"…What?"
Javier opened his eyes.
"I'll marry you..."
“…to guard you.”
I moved back further.
"What am I?"
Javier swallowed hard.
"You're not a victim, Sofia."
"You are the kind of person people fear."
AUTOMATIC DOOR OPENING
I didn't have time to react.
CLICK…
Rotating door lock.
Rotates automatically.
No one touched it.
The door opened slowly.
A cold wind swept in.
On the porch…
There's no one here.
There was only darkness.
Already…
One step.
BANG.
Someone walked in.
But as soon as I saw it…
My heart stopped beating.
That's not a person.
His skin was as white as wax.
Deep-set, dark eyes.
Their mouths were smiling, but there was no warmth in their smile.
And his neck…
There is a red string.
A key identical to Javier's was hanging on the lanyard.
He looked at me.
And he said:
"Hello, Sofia number 3."
I shouted:
"What is Sofia #3?!"
He tilted his head.
"Before you..."
"There were two other Sofias."
I was trembling.
"Where are they?"
He laughed.
"Underground."
JAVIER ALMOST COLLAPSED
"Do not…"
Javier said, his voice filled with despair.
"Don't bring it up again..."
That person took another step forward.
"You've been guarding her for too long."
"The agreement is for 7 years."
"It's been 10 years now."
Javier yelled:
"I'M TRYING TO SAVE HER!"
The other person laughed.
"Rescue?"
He looked at me.
"She doesn't need saving."
"He's just delaying the inevitable."
I shouted:
"What are you talking about?!"
The person held out their hand.
In the palm of your hand…
It's a photograph.
This is a picture of me.
But that's not me now.
It's me…
Standing next to a co**se.
My hands are covered in blood.
My mouth is smiling.
I yelled:
"ARE NOT!"
The person whispered:
"I remember now."
MY HEAD HURTS LIKE IT'S GOING TO EXPLODE
The images came flooding in.
Screaming.
Hospital.
Syringe.
A man pleaded.
And I…
I received the injection.
I laughed.
I clutched my head.
"No... no... no..."
Javier rushed forward and held me.
"Sofia! Don't remember!"
The other man laughed loudly.
"Too late."
Then he said something that made Javier turn pale:
"Tonight…"
"We're not here to take her."
Javier trembled:
"...So what are you doing here?"
That person looked straight at me.
"We've arrived..."
“…to return her.”
I whispered:
"Return it… to whom?"
The person pointed to the ceiling.
"Give it to the thing that's sleeping inside you."
SUDDENLY…
I felt my heart beating unusually fast.
A voice echoed in my head.
That's not my voice.
It whispered:
"Final…"
"I woke up..."
My eyes widened.
Javier recoiled, panicked.
“Sofia…”
"Why are you looking at me like that?"
I smiled.
But that wasn't my smile.
I heard it with my own mouth:
“Javier…”
"Thank you for keeping the cage..."
“…up to this day.”
TO BE CONTINUED…