Something was glowing through them.

Eyes.

Was she being watched?

No, it was impossible. There was nothing in the vent. It wasn’t big enough. And what had green glowing eyes anyway?

As she told herself she was being stupid, the bars started to throb, almost like something was trying to get through them.

Lauren watched in horror. This wasn’t possible.

She squeezed her eyes shut, opened them again, relieved to see whatever was there had gone.

This wasn’t good. If she was hallucinating, perhaps she needed medical care. She should call for help.

She managed to roll over so she was on her side with one half of her face mashed into the pillow, but still she was too weak to raise her head. Instead, she blinked, trying to gain her focus.

Her phone should be on the bedside table. Where was it?

She must have drifted for a moment because when she gained consciousness again, she was no longer alone. Someone, something, had dipped the mattress behind her, the warmth of a body pressing against her back, one arm holding her in place as the other stroked her hair.

Lauren tried to turn again, but didn’t have the energy.

‘Help me.’

She wasn’t sure if she had said the words aloud or if they were just in her head.

‘Shh.’

Who was in bed with her?

And then she remembered.

The doorbell ringing and how she had opened it without checking the peephole. Oh, how she wished she had checked the peephole.

She had purposely picked a door with one because of the village location of her house, but time had made her lax with security. If she had checked the peephole, she perhaps wouldn’t have opened the door.

Instead her eyes had opened wide as she had stared at the face from her past.

‘You did this to me,’ she managed as she was rolled over so she was lying flat on her back. It was the drink. It had to be. She recalled it had a slightly odd taste.

A finger pressed against her lips, then that creepy ‘shh’ again.

Lauren started to cry, her vision swimming with tears as she tried to focus on the face looking down at her. She was being straddled now, could feel the weight pushing her down into the mattress. For the briefest of moments, the blur cleared and she could see the determination, the intent, as their eyes met. And she understood.

This was more than a warning. She was really in trouble.

And if she was in trouble, then so were the rest of her friends.

‘Please.’

She felt the mattress shift slightly, and for a moment wondered if she was actually getting through as her hair was smoothed back from her face, the cool hand caressing her cheek in what seemed to be a gesture of affection.