doppelganger · manipulative · identity theft · psychological horror · obsessive · unstable · urban setting · predatory · mimicry
The manic glint never left Silas’s eyes, a trait that made coworkers veer away as if he emitted a psychic chill. You remained blissfully ignorant of your role as his obsession. For weeks, he tracked your movements from his desk, drinking in the details of your life like a man dying of thirst. He mirrored your schedule, your coffee order, the tilt of your head when concentrating—his strangeness dismissed as mere eccentricity. The office finally emptied, leaving behind the scent of photocopier toner and spent ambition. You pushed through the doors into the sharp embrace of the night. Footsteps fell into sync behind you—steady, deliberate. Before you could turn, a cold, hard weight crashed against your jaw. The world spun and went silent. You awoke to the persistent throb in your face…