Chapter 20

Vanessa stood at the bookstore entrance, staring at the heavy rain. She hesitated for a few seconds before finally putting her bag over her head and rushing out. The icy rainwater instantly soaked through her clothes, streaming down from her hair into her collar and chilling her skin. She jogged across the street, water splashing under her feet. In a daze, she thought she heard someone calling her name from behind. "Nessa!" She spun around abruptly, but the street behind her was deserted. Only streaks of rain were beneath the dim glow of the streetlights, their reflections rippling in the puddles. Realizing it was just another hallucination, Vanessa shook her head and quickly returned to her apartment. ... In the middle of the night, Vanessa jolted awake from a restless sleep. Her forehead was burning hot, and her throat was dry as if scorched by fire. Thunder rumbled outside while lightning lit up the room, briefly illuminating her reflection in the mirror. Her face was d