Riya had just moved into a new house with her parents. It was old, quiet, and stood alone at the end of a narrow road. Everyone in the neighborhood said the place had "history," but her parents laughed it off.
On the first night, nothing happened.
On the second night, she heard it.
A faint whisper.
"Riya…"
She sat up in bed, heart pounding. The room was dark, except for the dim streetlight leaking through the curtains.
"Mom?" she called softly.
No answer.
She lay back down, pulling the blanket up to her chin. It was just her imagination, she told herself.
Then it came again.
"Riya… I'm under the bed."
Her body froze.
Slowly, very slowly, she turned her head toward the edge of the bed. The darkness underneath looked thicker than usual… like it was hiding something.
She didn't dare move.
After what felt like hours, she gathered courage, leaned down, and quickly peeked under the bed.
Nothing.
Just empty space.
She let out a shaky breath and climbed back into bed.
Suddenly—
Tap… tap… tap…
From under the bed.
Then the whisper returned, closer this time:
"Good… you checked…"
Her blood ran cold.
"Now look behind you."
Riya's eyes widened. She didn't want to turn around. Every instinct told her not to.
But slowly… she did.
And there, standing in the corner of her room—
Was herself.
Same face. Same clothes.
But smiling.
A wide, unnatural smile.
From behind her, under the bed, something grabbed her ankle.
And the last thing she heard was both voices whispering together:
"Now… we can switch."