Daniel's breath came fast and shallow. His pulse pounded in his ears as the walls of the hospital room seemed to close in. Lenny and Dale's concerned voices blurred, their words twisting in his mind. He needed to get out. Now.
He turned and bolted, shoving past them and into the bright hospital corridor. His footsteps echoed as he pushed forward, past nurses and patients, past the doubt clawing at his chest.
And then—he saw her.
Emily.
Standing at the end of the hallway, just beyond the exit doors. Sunlight streamed through the glass, casting a glow around her. She was watching him, waiting.
His heart nearly stopped.
"Emily!" His voice cracked as he sprinted toward her.
She didn't move.
He shoved through the doors, his breath ragged, his mind screaming that this was real. But the second he reached her—
His hand closed around her wrist, and everything shattered.
The woman turned, startled. She wasn't Emily.
Her face was wrong. Her eyes were the wrong color.
Daniel stumbled back, his stomach twisting. "No... I saw..."
Lenny and Dale caught up to him, grabbing his arms before he could fall.
"Daniel!" Lenny's voice was sharp with worry. "What the hell was that?"
Daniel's head snapped between them and the confused stranger standing before him.
"I saw her," he whispered. His throat felt tight, his chest heaving. "I know it was Emily."
Dale exhaled slowly, his grip firm. "Daniel... Emily's gone."
But Daniel barely heard him. His heart pounded with a single, terrifying certainty.
If Emily was truly gone—
Then what had he just seen? Is he truly losing his mind?
Daniel wrenched himself free from Lenny's grip, staggering back. His mind spun, his stomach twisting with something cold and nauseating.
He knew what he saw. He wasn't crazy. Emily had been there—standing in the sunlight, watching him. It wasn't a trick of the light, and it wasn't his imagination playing games.
The woman before him shifted uncomfortably. "Look, I don't know who Emily is, but you scared the hell out of me." Her voice was wary, her expression uneasy.
Daniel swallowed hard, his throat dry. "I—I'm sorry," he mumbled, stepping away.
Lenny ran a hand through his hair, frustration clear on his face. "Daniel, we need to talk. You're chasing ghosts, man."
Daniel clenched his jaw, shaking his head. "No. I'm not." His voice was steady now, calmer than he felt. He turned to Dale, his eyes burning with determination. "She was here. I saw her."
Dale hesitated, watching him closely, then exhaled. "Then prove it."
Something inside Daniel clicked into place. That was exactly what he intended to do.
Without another word, he turned and stormed toward the exit, his mind already racing through the possibilities.
Lenny and Dale refused to leave Daniel's side, their concern growing with every passing minute. They hovered, watching him like he was a ticking time bomb, afraid of what he might do next.
Daniel knew what they were thinking—that he was spiraling, losing himself to something they couldn't understand. And maybe… maybe a part of him feared the same.
So he forced himself to act normal.
He swallowed his frustration, steadied his breath, and plastered on a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "You're right," he finally said, forcing a chuckle. "Maybe I'm just exhausted. Running on no sleep will do that to you."
Lenny narrowed his eyes. "You sure?"
Daniel nodded. "Yeah. I'll get some rest."
It took another hour of convincing, but eventually, they relented. That night, they all went to their respective homes, though Daniel knew neither of them truly believed he was fine.
And he wasn't.
The second he stepped into his house, a cold chill settled in his bones.
He didn't look at the nursery.
He couldn't.
He moved quickly, heading straight for his room. His muscles were tense, his breath uneven. The day had drained him, and all he wanted was to collapse into bed and drown out the noise in his head.
But the moment he stepped inside, his heart stopped.
Someone was lying on his bed.
A woman.
Daniel froze, every muscle locking into place. His mind screamed at him to run, to move, but his feet remained planted.
Slowly, he forced himself forward, his breath shallow. "Who...?"
The woman shifted, turning toward him.
And Daniel turned pale.
His stomach dropped.
His vision blurred at the edges.
No. No, this wasn't possible.
But there she was.
Emily.
Lying on his bed, looking right at him.
Daniel's breath came in sharp, ragged gasps as he bolted to the bathroom. His hands trembled as he turned the faucet, splashing cold water onto his face, over and over, as if trying to scrub away the impossible.
"This isn't real," he muttered, gripping the edge of the sink. His reflection stared back at him, wide-eyed, pale. He looked like a man on the verge of breaking.
He squeezed his eyes shut. It's not real. It's not real.
Taking a shaky breath, he straightened up, forcing himself to regain some semblance of control. He needed sleep. That was all. Maybe he was exhausted. Maybe this was just his mind playing cruel tricks on him.
But when he stepped out of the bathroom, his blood turned to ice.
Emily was no longer lying on the bed.
She was sitting now, legs crossed, looking at him with that same warm, knowing gaze she used to have.
"Long day?" she asked casually, tilting her head.
Daniel's breath hitched. He didn't move. He didn't speak.
Emily sighed, running a hand through her dark hair. "You look terrible, you know that?" she chuckled softly. "Did you even eat today? Probably not, knowing you." She shook her head, smiling just like she used to when she nagged him about taking care of himself.
Daniel remained frozen. His mind couldn't keep up.
Why… why was she talking like nothing had happened? Like nothing had changed?
Emily's expression softened. "Why are you just standing there?" She got up from the bed, taking a small step toward him. "Come here."
His pulse slammed against his ribs.
Her arms opened slightly, her body leaning forward in invitation.
"Come give me a hug."
Daniel stepped back. His body acted before his brain could process it. His foot caught on the floor, and he stumbled, landing hard against the wall.
Emily stopped mid-step. Her face crumpled, her eyes glassy with unshed tears.
"Daniel..." her voice cracked.
He could only stare.
"Do you hate me that much?" Her voice was barely above a whisper. "Is that why you're running from me?"
His chest tightened, his lungs refusing to work.
Emily took another step forward, her gaze desperate. But when he flinched, when his fingers dug into the floor as if trying to push himself further away—
She broke.
A sob tore from her throat as she turned and ran out of the room, slamming the door against her.
Daniel didn't move.
Didn't blink.
He curled into the corner, his entire body locking up, his mind fracturing under the weight of it all.
His breath slowed, his eyes unblinking.