One night, while engrossed in TV, an eerie sensation of being watched crept over me. A flicker of movement caught my peripheral vision—like a shadow shifting. Upon focusing on the corner of my room, where the bookshelf stood, I brushed it off as imagination. The TV went off, and as I reached for the light switch, a larger mirror caught my attention. A shadow moved distinctly in its reflection. My heart raced as I snapped my head in the direction, noticing an odd, dark haze near the bookcase. Straining my eyes, I witnessed the shadow move again, accompanied by a searing headache. My eyes closed in pain; when I reopened them, the ghostly figure had vanished.
Searching my room, I finally spotted it, closer and more defined. A man’s form took shape from the shadowy depths. Despite my throbbing head, I kept my gaze locked. The figure remained stationary. Abruptly, it shrank, descending to the floor. Fear held me still, avoiding looking down. Time stretched as I maintained my vigil.
After about an hour and a half, I deemed it gone, attempting to switch off the light. A grip on my arm halted my motion, accompanied by a nonsensical phrase echoing in my mind. The shadow persisted even after I closed my eyes, retreating only to reappear near the bookcase. Frustration led me to assert, “Go away, leave me be!” It obliged, shifting toward the door, inadvertently knocking over a perfume bottle.
As darkness enveloped the room, I nestled under the covers, only to feel an unnatural constriction, akin to air being sucked from a bag. Panic surged as my bed shook and the squeezing intensified. With immense effort, I freed myself and caught sight of the shadow, eyes darker than night, observing me. The bed shook violently as I screamed, an unsettling animal-like sound accompanying my terror. Finally, the bed stilled, the covers loosening. I fled, seeking refuge with a friend, recounting the harrowing experience.
A plea for help led to the prospect of an exorcism, but silence prevailed. A month passed, marked by daytime stays at home and nights at my friend’s. Sleep was impossible in my room after the ordeal, a ghostly shadow’s touch forever haunting my memory.