Pretty Little Thing || PJM || ✔️

5.

The woman was not there when Jimin had opened the door. He put it down to him seeing things due to exhaustion, but it felt like he was lying to himself.

With a sigh, he pushed his earphones into his ears and stuffed his hands into his pockets, ready to take the short walk home. It was refreshing to be out in the cool, autumn air, but he felt too tired to admire the wonderful colours. Usually autumn was his favourite time of year, but he just couldn't find the energy to enjoy the crisp, clean air and the oranges and reds of the leaves around him. Halloween would be in a few weeks, and he hadn't even thought of a costume to wear to the huge parties they always held. 

In fact, he hadn't even thought about the huge party. He was just too tired.

He stopped in at a pharmacy on the way home to collect the little box of pills that Jin had prescribed him, and by the time he was home, it was already dark. It was only six thirty in the evening, but because of the time of year, the sun had set a while ago.

"Oh, Jimin, you're back!" Jimin looked up towards the kitchen when he heard Namjoons voice, and could see both his housemates waiting for him. They even had a mug of coffee in their hands.

He pushed his shoes from his feet and walked to them. Jungkook offered him the mug as he walked past, and he gratefully took it, bringing the ceramic to his lips as he took a seat at the old table.

"So," The pair sat down and Namjoon addressed him, "How did it go?"

Jimin swallowed the entire mug of coffee in a few gulps, "I'm stressed and anxious," He said, and Jungkook scoffed.

"I could have told you that," He said, "What else did he say?"

"I need to play games and go for a run in the mornings," He said simply.

Jungkook didn't look impressed, "Is that it?"

"I'm sure there's more to it than that," Namjoon sighed, "It was only his first session, Kook,"

Jimin ran his fingers through his hair. He didn't want to play games with his friends. He wasn't in the mood. He just wanted to rest, but he knew that if he went to sleep, he would dream again, and he was terrified that something would be different again.

"Well, I've got an appointment with Fortnite," Jungkook smiled, "Do you want to come and play, Jimin? Tae and Hobi said they're going to log on tonight, too,"

Jimin shrugged and Namjoon stared at the pair for a moment, "Why don't you play together in Jungkooks room, Jimin?"

"Okay," Jimin got to his feet numbly. He was surprised at this point that he could keep his eyes open but followed Jungkook up the stairs none the less. 

He grabbed his laptop, knowing that it wasn't as good as playing on a desktop or the PS, but he didn't have any other way of playing. Jungkook was already setting up his PlayStation by the time he got into his room, so he settled on his bed and waiting to be invited into the game.

He was surprised that he actually did enjoy playing with his friends, and when they finally called it quits, he was ready to pass out on Jungkooks bed.

Instead of kicking him out, Jungkook put Jimins laptop on the floor and just lay on the bed next to him, as he knew Jimin still wasn't keen on going to his own room.

Sleep met Jimin quickly, much to his relief. However, he slowly felt himself coming back to consciousness way too soon. He tried to grip onto the haze of sleep, but he no longer felt warm and comfortable. It was cold again. Too cold.

His eyes snapped open. He was in his bedroom, and the window was open, the curtains flowing gently in the wind.

"No," His voice was barely a whisper. He didn't remember coming back to his room. He had fallen asleep in Jungkooks room. Jungkook had even made him put his laptop on the floor.

He glanced over at his bedroom door when he heard a sound. It was closed, but the sound wasn't the normal knocking. It was footsteps.

Coming up the stairs. The sound of feet on the wooden floorboards outside in the hallway. He prayed that it was Namjoon getting a drink and that they would keep going, but they were too slow, too heavy; way too methodical.

They stopped outside his room, and he could already hear the ragged breathing of the person on the other side of the room. Then came the sounds he was so familiar with.

Knock. Knock. Knock. There was a pause, and he waited for the sound of the fingernails on the wood, but was met instead by more knocking. Louder, faster, more furious.

Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock.

The knocking stopped abruptly, and then he heard the slow, deliberate turn of his door handle. It was different to normal. This shouldn't be happening!

The door creaked open and Jimin yanked his covers up over his head, curling himself into a ball and clinging on to what felt like his only lifeline as hard as he could. His body was already trembling from the fear, and when the footsteps started again, he felt his breath catch in his throat.

They didn't stop at the foot of his bed. They didn't stop by his head. They were going back and forth from one side of the bed to the other.

The breathing was heavy and raspy and Jimin squeezed his eyes shut when he heard a scratch down his headboard. But the footsteps hadn't stopped circling him.

It was different.

It was way too different.

Something wasn't right.

He had to wake up!

The footsteps stopped. He felt a dip in the mattress at the end of his bed.

It was on the bed with him!

Wake up!

He felt small dips either side of his body as it made its way up towards him until it was hovering over him.

It was on the bed.

He had to wake up!

The breathing grew closer and closer, and he couldn't move. He was paralyzed with fear. He willed himself to move, to shove whatever was on his bed from him, but all he could do was whimper.

He felt the blankets move from his head.

He had to wake up.

The raspy breath grew closer, and then he heard a voice; deep and growly but undeniably female.

Wake up!

"Such a pretty little thing," Then, it took a deep, raspy breath and it began to scream.

The scream was bloodcurdling and made his blood run cold. It screamed and screamed until he felt himself being yanked into an upright position.

"Jimin! Stop screaming! Jimin wake up! It's us, wake up!"

The scream died at his lips when he opened his eyes to see the panicked faces of Namjoon and Jungkook at his bedside.

"Fuck, Jimin," Namjoon sighed as he sat down and wrapped his arms around his trembling body, "You're shaking!"

Jimin let out a choked sob. He didn't remember coming into his room. He didn't remember opening the window. 

And he most definitely did not leave a set of scratches on his bedroom door.