6 February 2025, freewrite writing prompt, DAY 2639 "A nice illusion"

It’s funny how the mind plays tricks on you One moment, everything feels real solid, unquestionable And the next you’re not so sure That’s how it happened to me.

That’s how I learned that sometimes, reality is just a nice illusion, I was walking home that evening, the sun melting into the horizon, painting everything in warm golden light, The air smelled like rain, even though the skies were clear. It was one of those moments that felt almost too perfect, like a scene out of a movie The streets were quiet, the world wrapped in a strange stillness, like it was waiting for something to happen, And then I saw her
She was standing at the far end of the street, dressed in red, completely still Not checking her phone, not looking around just standing there, as if she had always been part of the scenery Something about her presence felt off Not threatening, not alarming, just wrong in a way I couldn’t explain I kept walking trying not to stare but with every step I took I felt this growing sense that she was watching me Not in a normal way there was no turning of the head no movement but I could feel it, Like her gaze was pressing against my skin And then it happened I blinked, and she was closer, Not walking, not moving just closer My breath caught in my throat My heart started hammering, but I told myself it was just my imagination A trick of the light, a glitch in my tired brain I kept walking I Blinked again at this point She was even closer, I swear for a split second I could see her face Or maybe I couldn’t It was blurred, indistinct, like looking at a reflection in water My hands felt cold My legs wanted to run but I didn’t infact I couldn’t, And then just like that she was gone, The street was empty Silent The world exhaled like it had been holding its breath I stood there for a long time staring at the space where she had been my heart still racing, Then I laughed a nervous, shaky kind of laugh, A nice illusion, I told myself.