Anna returned home from the Halloween party, her costume slightly disheveled, her steps heavy from the long evening. The chill of the late October air followed her inside, mixing with the eerie silence of her house. "I need rest," she murmured, her voice barely audible as she dropped her bag near the door and shuffled toward the living room.

As she sank into her favorite armchair, a strange unease settled over her. The faint sound of whispers floated through the air, indistinct but unmistakable. She froze, her eyes darting toward the darkened hallway. Then came a soft, rhythmic creaking, like footsteps on wooden planks.

"Hello?" Anna called out, her voice trembling. No answer. Telling herself it was just her imagination, she leaned back and closed her eyes. Exhaustion overtook her almost instantly, and she drifted into nap.

But her rest was short-lived. Moments later, Anna jolted awake, her heart pounding. Something was wrong. She gasped as she realized she was no longer in her costume—or anything at all. Bandages wrapped tightly around her arms, legs, and torso, binding her to the chair. She struggled, the coarse fabric digging into her skin.

"What the hell?!" she shouted, her voice echoing in the empty room. "Who did this?!" Panic swelled in her chest, but she push herself to breathe, to think. "Okay, Anna, calm down. There's got to be an explanation."

She yanked at the bindings, twisting her wrists until they b*rned, but the bandages held firm. Tears welled in her eyes as frustration and fear took over. "Why? Why would anyone do this to me?" she whispered, her voice breaking.

Hours seemed to p*ss as Anna squirmed and pulled against her restraints. The struggle drained her, and eventually, despair set in. With a heavy sigh, she slumped in the chair, deciding there was nothing left to do but wait for morning. Exhaustion crept over her once more, and she fell into a fitful rest.

When she awoke, sunlight streamed through the windows. She blinked groggily, then gasped—her bindings were gone. She was free. She rubbed her wrists, her skin tender where the bandages had bitten into it.

"What... happened?" she muttered, scanning the room. Everything was as she had left it the night before, as though nothing had happened. Had it all been some cruel prank? Or a nightmare?

Anna stand from the chair and walk to the bed. She and finally found the rest she so desperately needed.

This Halloween would be one she'd never forget.

Bound by the Unknown: A Halloween Nightmare