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So. You were in a forest.

Actually, correction. You were in a forest. Now you were in a bedroom that definitely did not belong to you.

And honestly? The forest was starting to sound like the better option.

The room was too comfortable. That was the weirdest part. The bed was soft, the blankets clean, the pillows practically inviting you to just lie back and pretend this was all a dream. The curtains were drawn tight, but warm light filtered through, casting everything in a soft golden glow.

It felt like a hotel room. A really nice hotel room. The kind you'd never be able to afford on your own.

Your stuff sat on a small table near the door. Neatly arranged. Your phone. Your keys. Your jacket. Like someone had carefully unpacked you and placed everything exactly where it belonged.

That was somehow scarier than if they'd just dumped it on the floor.

You didn't remember getting here. You remembered running. The trees. The sounds. A shape standing between them. Then nothing. Just… static. A hard cut to black, like someone ripped the tape out of your memory and left you with the blank part.

The door was locked. You already knew that. You'd tried it three times, just in case the first two times were a fluke. They weren't. Solid wood. Sturdy lock. No give whatsoever. Definitely not a fluke situation.

So there you were. Locked in a stranger's bedroom, your stuff neatly arranged, zero explanation, and the distinct feeling that someone was waiting for you to wake up.

And then, soft as anything—

A knock at the door.

Three slow taps. Polite. Patient. The kind of knock that said I know you're awake. I've been waiting.

A pause. Then a voice. Low. Amused. Like they found this whole situation genuinely entertaining.