Chapter 1

In the dead of night, I was jolted awake by the vibration of my phone, my body burning with fever.

The voice on the other end was one I'd never forget - it was my daughter calling!

But that was impossible. My daughter had died three years ago!

Receiving a call from my daughter, I suddenly sat up in bed, my bare feet touching the cold floor.

"Lily, is it really you? It's Mom."

The phone crackled with static, but soon my daughter's voice became clearer.

"Mom, didn't we just pay the electricity bill yesterday? Why is there suddenly a power outage? I'm so scared. Mom, where are you? Please come back quickly."

It was my daughter's voice! There was no mistake!

Wait a minute!

A power outage?

My heart suddenly contracted, and my breathing became rapid.

Three years ago, on the day my daughter passed away, there was an unexplained power outage in our apartment building.

My daughter was killed at home, waiting for me to return until her last breath.

But I couldn't go back because I was working overtime on a crucial project.

I told her to use a flashlight and wait at home, and I called my husband to go back.

Lily was only twelve, enjoying her perfect vacation.

I had promised to take her to Disneyland, but all that awaited was her cold body.

I pinched myself hard, feeling the pain distinctly.

I didn't know what was happening, and I couldn't believe I was dreaming.

I didn't care who was on the other end of the phone, but I couldn't let her get hurt.

"Lily, lock the front door and hide in Mom's bedroom. Get under the bed, cover yourself with the panel, and don't open the door for anyone!"

The master bedroom's bed was custom-designed. The space underneath was hollow for easy cleaning, with a panel to cover it. From the outside, it looked like a solid bed touching the floor.

I heard rustling sounds on the other end, and after a while, my daughter asked in a low voice,

"Should I not open the door even if it's you or Dad knocking?"

I couldn't take any chances. I had to nip any evil in the bud.

"Dad and I have keys, Lily. Don't worry. Mom will find a way to get back soon."

"Okay, Mom. I'll wait for you to come back."

Lily told me the time on her end was ten minutes to 3 AM.

I remembered that my daughter's autopsy report showed her time of death as 3 AM.

I instructed Lily not to speak and to dim her phone's screen.

I felt my forehead, which was burning like a small furnace.

However, my palms and back were covered in cold sweat.

I fumbled around the nightstand for fever and pain medication while thinking about how to resolve this crisis.

If my daughter from three years ago could call me, could I also call myself from three years ago?

But Lily's smartwatch was set to only make calls and send text messages.

If I hung up now and called back later, it would make a sound!

Communicating via text would be too slow!

So, I could only try to text my past self and my husband from three years ago, urging them to rush home and save our daughter.

In the silent air, only the intermittent breathing of my daughter and me could be heard.

One minute, two minutes...

Ding!

Incredibly, I received a reply!

I received a text from myself to myself.

And three consecutive SnapChat messages from my husband.

[Our daughter died three years ago!]

[What are you going crazy about now!?]

[Don't run around, stay at home. I'll be back soon.]

The SnapChat message alerts went "ding ding ding."

I felt my head throbbing, the pain intensifying.

What should I do? I had no way to contact my husband and myself from three years ago.

How could I save my daughter?

In my anxiety, I accidentally knocked over the medicine bottle on the nightstand. Instinctively reaching to catch it, I bumped the water glass.

The glass tumbler crashed to the floor, making a piercing sound.

Shards scattered everywhere, water dripping from the edge of the nightstand.

The back of my hand was cut by flying glass fragments.

But I couldn't even feel the pain.

I quickly covered the phone's microphone, praying that nothing had been heard on the other end.

But it was too late!

From the other end of the phone came a man's sinister and triumphant laugh.

"Hehe, I've found you!"

My head buzzed as if hit by a bomb!

"No! Please, spare Lily!"

I shouted frantically into the phone.

But what came next was a sound of despair.

My daughter's screams of agony, mixed with the man's eerie, excited laughter.

Then, abruptly, both laughters ceased.

The phone emitted a devastating sound.

"Bzz bzz bzz..."