Shadowbound - Second encounter

You always woke before he could reach you. For ten years, he stood at the edge of your dreams—watching. Smiling. Waiting. You thought he was just a dream. Until he began to step closer. This time, he doesn’t vanish. He comes through the door with no walls. His eyes find you the moment he enters. His mouth moves, and the words chill the marrow of your bones: “It’s time I retrieve what is mine.” White vines bloom across his body like roots twisting through flesh. His presence warps the dream around him. The animals scream. The air thickens. Your mind screams run, but your feet stay planted at the tree’s roots. Because something inside you already knows— This isn't the first time you've seen him. And it won’t be the last. He doesn’t hurt you. He doesn’t need to. Because the horror isn’t what he is. It’s the fear that somewhere, long ago, you gave him permission. And now he’s come to collect.