Clack.
Mom: "I'm home!"
I turned around immediately, a little startled because the voice came so suddenly. I ran out to greet her on tiptoe.
Me: "Mom's home!!"
Mom was still in her usual office clothes — a dark coat and a small crossbody bag. Her hair was a little messy, a bit wet — probably from the rain. I glanced at her and felt a strange light relief rise up inside me.
Mom: "Hm... it's still early. If you don't mind, I'll cook dinner for you, okay?" She gently ruffled my hair.
Me: "Yes!! Ah, Mom, I did the laundry and washed the dishes today!!"
Mom: "Oh, you're such a good kid."
I squeezed my eyes shut with happiness at her praise. Then I nudged her toward the kitchen with a playful, urging tone.
Me: "You cook, I've been craving your food!!"
The whole kitchen filled with the two of us laughing; Mom cooked while softly humming. The knife tapping the cutting board, the water running, the spoon clinking the pot — each small sound blended into a peaceful scene.
Mom: "Can you clear the dishes for me?"
Me: "Yes sir!"
A little while later we finished our meal; Mom went back to her study and I, not knowing what else to do, went into my room, flopped onto the bed and stared up at the ceiling.
Me: "I'm so sleepy..."
My eyelids grew heavy, my breathing steady. The wind brushed softly outside the window, rain shivered down. I drifted, hovering between wakefulness and dreams...
A faint light appeared in the dim space. I stood in a wide field; the sky was a pale purple, the breeze cool against my skin. Far away there was someone — a figure with their back turned to me.
I whispered, "A...who's over there?"
That person turned around—

I woke up, then glanced over at my computer. There was someone there using my computer.
Me: "Hey!! What are you doing!" I snapped.
Them: "Uh...uh, I'm just...using your computer a bit."
I didn't accept that excuse and strode straight to the computer. The screen was on, but the first thing that hit my eyes was — emptiness.
All my project files were gone.
Me: "What the hell... WHERE DID MY DATA GO!!"
Them: "I... I don't know, I only played some games, I swear I didn't touch your files!!"
I whipped around.
Me: "You're lying. I remember saving everything here. It couldn't all be gone. What did you do to my computer!?"
They kept trying to explain, their eyes brimming as if about to cry, but that didn't distract me.
Me: "GET OUT OF MY ROOM!"
They slipped out of the room silently, leaving a heavy, gloomy silence... I lowered my head and clenched my fists.
Me: "I... I will get revenge."
I remembered that person had a low test score; if I showed it to Mom, she'd scold them for sure, but I didn't know where they hid their tests.
The next day I quietly snuck into their room, rifled through every drawer, everywhere they could hide tests, and finally found them. I quickly handed them to Mom. Just as I expected, Mom was furious.
Mom: "How are you studying like this?!!"
Them: "I—"
Mom: "I'm really disappointed in you. I wish I had never given birth to you! Now go to your room and repent."
I was right outside my own room's threshold witnessing it all, but I couldn't see their face; they just quietly walked into the dark room.
Honestly, I felt a little guilty... Well, it wasn't my fault, it was theirs.
I got tired again and went to sleep... I don't know how much time passed, but suddenly a scream rang out. I jolted up and ran to check. In front of their room I only saw Mom sitting, hunched over, holding her face.
Me: "Mom! Mom, answer me!" I shook her but she didn't respond.
I nervously entered their room, but what I saw... was them hanging by the neck, having committed suicide. My eyes widened, pupils constricted, Mom's muffled sobs echoed as she held me.
After she helped Mom back to the bedroom, I went back to my own room. My eyes were hollow; a gray silence covered the room. I automatically sat at my desk, opened my folders on the computer...
Me: "No...no...no."
Me: "IT CAN'T BE!!"
Me: "WHY...WHY WOULD THIS HAPPEN!!"
I panicked, tears streaming down my face; all... all my work files hadn't been deleted after all — they had been saved somewhere else.
I had— I had killed that person.

Morning sunlight poured through the window and I snapped awake from the nightmare, sweat cold and streaming like rivers; fear and panic were still vivid in my eyes.

For anyone who found the long chunk confusing: that whole long part was a dream!!😔

😓 (I woke up, then...that person.)

that mysterious person I use the pronoun that person.