Chapter One: Creepy Start

I can't remember when it started, but my dearest and closest friend, Ivy, became increasingly strange. Her once lively and cheerful personality turned into melancholy. Our communication dwindled, and the look in her eyes changed from affectionate to something eerie.

In her eyes, I was no longer her beloved, but rather an insignificant object. Consequently, her temper grew more and more volatile, often leading to arguments over trivial matters.

What's even more bizarre is that I would have recurring nightmares when I lay in bed at night, unable to get a good night's sleep.

This sensation, accompanied by a slow and gradual drift, made me increasingly uncomfortable, as if a vast and insurmountable gap had emerged between us.

Although Ivy's personality slowly transformed into something unfamiliar, I loved her and knew she loved me too. Thus, I endured and reassured myself, convincing myself that it was all in my head and would pass. Because I firmly believed that for two people in love, there is no obstacle they cannot overcome.

Little did I know, this was just the beginning of a nightmare. Since then, horrifying and inexplicable events have continued to unfold around me...

My name is Hudson, born into a single-parent household, deprived of a father from an early age. It was my mother, along with my grandparents, who raised me. Growing up, going to school, graduating, and now working at an advertising design company with a decent salary, I was fortunate to have met the woman I loved.

Everything seemed routine, mundane, and the end of my life seemed foreseeable. But change came so suddenly, so unexpectedly. When the trajectory of fate shifted unnoticed, like a train switching tracks, a monstrous wave suddenly overturned me.

In the summer of 2016, one evening as I returned home from work, strange events unfolded around me without warning.

Teacup, the sheepdog I've raised since childhood, reacted strangely upon seeing me return home. His fur stood on end, and he incessantly barked at me as if I were a stranger. 

No matter how I called his name, it seemed futile. It was as if he didn't recognize me, his owner. The more I called his name, the more ferociously he barked at me. I had never seen him behave like this before—so aggressive and wild. It was as if he wanted to break free from his chain and tear me to pieces.

Confused and puzzled, I stood at the door, unable to comprehend Teacup's behavior. I began to suspect if he had gone mad, not even recognizing the one who had raised him. Hearing his relentless barking, Ivy rushed out from inside the house. 

Upon seeing me standing at the yard gate, she too was puzzled. She yelled at Teacup to stop, but he seemed oblivious to both of us, continuing to bark furiously at me.

With no other option, I reluctantly picked up a stick from the wall and approached Teacup, shouting to scare him into silence. I didn't intend to harm him but merely to stop the noise, as his constant barking would surely disturb the neighbors at this late hour.

To my surprise, as I approached Teacup with the stick, he only barked louder and more urgently, as if seeing me as his mortal enemy!

"Teacup! Stop barking, or I'll hit you!" I shouted, waving the stick. Teacup, unfazed by my threat, charged at me even more aggressively, pulling at his chain with a loud clang.

Seeing Teacup's behavior, Ivy and I exchanged a helpless glance. "Hudson, should...should I call the nearby vet for Teacup?" Ivy asked loudly, looking at me for an answer.

As Ivy spoke, Teacup suddenly stopped barking. His fur, which had been bristling, lay flat against his body.

This sudden change caught me off guard. I dropped the stick and called out, "Teacup." Teacup, upon hearing his name, whimpered and wagged his tail at me, sticking out his tongue.

The aggressive stance he had taken against me moments ago vanished, as if he had recognized me again.

Filled with confusion, I cautiously approached Teacup and gently stroked his head as he obediently sat down, ears drooping back.

"Ivy, what's wrong with Teacup tonight?" I asked, puzzled, as I continued to stroke his head. Teacup had never behaved like this in all the years I'd raised him. "I don't know what's wrong with Teacup tonight.

As you saw, he...he doesn't seem to recognize me either," Ivy replied, equally puzzled by Teacup's strange behavior tonight. "Well, let's leave it for today. If you have time tomorrow, take him to the vet on Shannan Road," I said, heading inside.

It had been a long day, and after work, I just wanted to enjoy a good meal, take a relaxing shower, and get some sleep.

Ivy followed me inside, agreeing with a nod. After dinner, I helped Ivy tidy up the table, then sat alone on the couch to watch TV. However, for some reason, I couldn't concentrate on the show.

I had a lingering sense of unease, and my right eyelid kept twitching... Teacup's extremely abnormal behavior tonight left me feeling unsettled. I couldn't pinpoint exactly why, but it felt like something was about to happen.

"Hudson, what are you staring at over there?" Ivy, sitting beside me, asked as she noticed me lost in thought. "Not thinking about anything in particular, just a bit tired from the rush of advertising projects at work recently," I replied.

Upon hearing this, Ivy stood up from the couch, went to the kitchen to heat up a cup of milk, and brought it over to me, handing it to me saying, "Drink the milk first, rest early if you're tired. You've been working hard." I smiled, took the milk from Ivy, and drank it in one go.

A wave of fatigue washed over me, and with a yawn, I headed straight to the bedroom, undressed, and got into bed to sleep.

While asleep, I had a long, long dream. I dreamt that I was dead, and I saw my motionless, slowly darkening body lying on the bed... When I was awakened by this nightmare, drenched in cold sweat, I sat up abruptly in bed.

As I came to, the sky was already starting to brighten. I let out a sigh of relief, then turned to look at Ivy lying peacefully beside me, sound asleep. Her long eyelashes and fair skin made her look even more captivating at that moment.

I couldn't resist reaching out to gently caress Ivy's cheek. She worked at a foreign trade company, nine to five. I always believed that having a girlfriend like Ivy was my good karma from past lives.

A beautiful girl like her willing to work alongside me, I couldn't let her down. So, I've always been diligent at work. Though sometimes exhausted, the past year spent with her has been fulfilling and satisfying.

She's a sensible and gentle girl, understanding of my not-so-great temper. After withdrawing my hand, I glanced at the clock on the wall—it was already half past six in the morning, time to get up and get ready for work.

Taking a deep breath, I got dressed and started to get out of bed. Just as I was about to step off the bed, I noticed some small black dots under the bed. They weren't large, but they stood out distinctly on the wooden floor.

Seeing these black dots, I crouched down in confusion. A faint smell of burning wafted into my nose, adding to my bewilderment. I hesitantly reached out to touch the black dots on the floor; they stuck to my hand, feeling like... like ashes left after burning paper.

Realizing these dots were indeed ashes, I was stunned. How could there be such a thing in our bedroom where Ivy and I slept? "Hudson, what are you doing down there?" Ivy's questioning voice came from behind me.

Upon hearing her, I quickly turned and said, "Ivy, isn't it strange? I found ashes on our floor, and I can smell burning."

After hearing my words, Ivy also came down from the bed, looking puzzled as she gazed at the black dots on the floor.

"This is indeed strange. Could it have blown in from outside when I opened the window to ventilate yesterday?

" Could these black ash dots be blown into the room by the wind? Though perplexed, I didn't dwell on it too much, and proceeded to freshen up, eat breakfast, and head out for work.

But, more horrifying events were about to unfold...