That night, Louis's house was quiet except for the ticking clock and the faint hum of the wind outside. Alex sat alone in the living room with Lily lying curled by the door, her chest rising and falling in slow rhythm. The room felt strangely hollow without Louis's presence.
For the past few hours, Alex had been waiting—hoping his uncle would come to pick him up soon. After dinner time passed with no word, he managed to power on his half‑soaked phone. The screen flickered weakly but came to life. His first act was to send another message to Grey, including Louis's address and a short note: "I'm safe. Please come pick me up when you can."
But the message went unanswered. No missed calls, no replies, nothing. The silence began to press heavier around him.
To distract himself, Alex opened his class group chat. A few of his classmates were joking late into the night about homework and a canceled test. He typed a few replies—nothing deep, just casual banter—and though the brightness of the screen softened his nerves for a while, it couldn't completely soothe his thoughts.
Lily stirred once in her sleep, repositioning herself near the door, her ears twitching slightly as though listening to something. Alex noticed but brushed it off. He leaned back on the couch and sighed, fatigue finally beginning to catch up to him.
He closed the chat window, set the phone down beside the lamp, and stretched. His eyes began to feel heavy, the rhythm of the quiet room lulling him toward sleep.
Then, all at once, Lily's head shot up.
Her gaze fixed on the door.
A low growl rumbled from her chest before erupting into sudden, sharp barks that echoed through the small house.
Alex jolted up, the sound slicing through the still night. His heart pounded as he turned toward the door. Lily stood stiff, her fur bristling, barking louder and louder.
Something—or someone—was outside.
Alex limped toward Lily, trying to calm her while pain pulsed through his injured ankle. "Lily… what is it?" he whispered, his voice shaking. But Lily ignored him, her body stiff, tail pointed low, and barks echoing sharply through the small living room. She was staring straight at the front door, hackles raised
— a classic sign of canine alarm.
"Is anyone out there?" Alex called out, voice trembling. No one answered. The silence that followed was almost worse.
Then, the lights flickered once. Twice. And then went completely out, plunging the house into darkness.
Alex's breath caught in his throat. Only Lily's growls and the faint whisper of wind against the glass filled the stillness. With shaky fingers, Alex reached toward the sofa, feeling for his phone. The dim glow of the screen came alive as he found it, throwing a faint pool of light across the room.
That was when he saw it — a shadow.
It moved swiftly across the window, just at the edge of his vision. His heart pounded faster, his body freezing in place. Lily turned, barking furiously now, her attention darting between the door and the window as though warning him to stay away.
"Who's out there? What do you want?" Alex shouted, though his own voice sounded foreign in the dark. There was no reply — no voice, no footsteps.
Then, the silence broke — a sudden, violent sound of the doorknob twisting, rattling as though someone was forcing it open.
Alex backed away, clutching his phone tighter, its faint light trembling with his hand. Lily barked louder, snapping at the door, ready to defend. The noise continued, metal scraping against wood — and then, just as suddenly as it began, it stopped.
The light flickered back on.
Everything was still.
But when Alex looked toward the window again, the shadow was gone — and the night outside seemed darker than before.
Alex had barely gathered the courage to breathe again when he heard the door handle move. His stomach dropped; the noise came again—slow, deliberate, unmistakable.
He froze where he stood, terrified to see who it could be. The door then creaked open.
A rush of warm air and the familiar scent of rain-soaked clothes filled the space as Louis stepped inside, his coat damp and his expression alert. The instant Alex saw him, the tension holding his body upright gave out. His legs trembled violently, the adrenaline that had kept him standing draining away in an instant. He stumbled back and dropped to the floor, half in shock, half in relief.
Louis quickly closed the door behind him and rushed to Alex's side. "Hey, it's just me!" he said, his voice firm but gentle.
Alex, still breathing hard, gripped the floor for balance. The fright, his racing heart, and the sudden release of fear all hit him at once—a physical reaction to the fading panic. His breathing came in sharp bursts, chest rising and falling, his vision spinning slightly.
Louis knelt beside him, resting a steadying hand on his shoulder. "You're okay now. Deep breaths," he murmured.
Alex nodded weakly, forcing himself to inhale slowly, then exhale, just as Louis guided him. The trembling in his hands began to ease, the flush of anxiety slowly fading as his body shifted out of fight‑or‑flight mode.
Lily padded over and nuzzled her head against Alex's arm with a soft whine, sensing his distress. That small gesture grounded him.
"Someone was trying to open the door," Alex whispered, his voice still unsteady. "The lights went out… and I saw something outside…"
Louis's eyes sharpened with concern. "It's alright. You're safe now," he said quietly, glancing toward the door in thought. "We'll check everything. But first, sit down properly. You've been through enough tonight."
Alex leaned back against the couch as his breath finally steadied, his mind still replaying the moment in flashes—darkness, the sound of metal scraping, and the unknown shadow beyond the glass.
Outside, the wind continued to howl softly, but for now, Louis's voice and Lily's quiet presence were enough to keep him from breaking down completely.
Louis quietly poured a glass of water and handed it to Alex, whose trembling hands barely managed to hold it steady. "Here, drink," Louis said softly. His tone carried a calm firmness that cut through the thick air of fear still hanging in the room.
Alex brought the glass to his lips and took several small sips. The cool water felt grounding, washing down the dryness in his throat brought on by panic. His breathing started to slow, the sharp edge of anxiety easing with every swallow. The pounding of his heartbeat began to settle into a steadier rhythm. Louis stayed crouched beside him, watching closely but giving him space.
After a short silence, Louis asked, "You okay now?" His voice was low, gentle yet concerned.
Alex nodded, still catching his breath but managing a small, tired smile. The faint tremor in his hands lessened as he set the empty glass down on the table. His body relaxed slightly, the earlier surge of fear replaced by a sense of fragile relief.
Louis exhaled, visibly reassured. "Good," he murmured. "You gave me a scare."
Alex chuckled weakly, rubbing his arms for warmth. Lily settled against his leg, her head resting protectively on his knee. Between the soft lamplight, Louis's calm presence, and the loyal dog at his side, the night no longer felt quite so frightening.