Chapter 2,,,
The ringing wouldn't stop.
Each second it echoed louder inside my head. My hands felt numb as I slowly reached for the phone. My family sat perfectly still, their eyes fixed on me — not blinking… not moving.
That's when I noticed it.
They weren't breathing.
My chest tightened. My fingers trembled as I looked down at the screen.
Incoming call — Mom.
My blood ran cold.
My mother was sitting right in front of me… so who was calling?
The phone kept vibrating in my hand. I forced myself to answer.
"H-hello…?"
All I heard was heavy rain… and then my mother's voice, shaky and distant.
"Where are you? We're stuck on the road. The bridge is flooded… we can't come home tonight."
My vision blurred.
Slowly… I lifted my eyes.
The figures sitting in front of me were smiling now — wide, unnatural smiles stretching too far across their faces.
Their heads tilted at the same angle.
Together.
The voice on the phone continued, panicked:
"Listen to me… whatever happens — don't open the door for anyone tonight."
My heart nearly stopped.
Because at that exact moment…
someone knocked on the front door.
Three slow knocks.
Thok… thok… thok…
The smiling figures in front of me whispered in unison:
"Go open it."
The room felt smaller. The air grew heavy. My legs refused to move.
The knocking came again.
Louder this time.
And I realized…
whatever was outside…
wanted in.
And whatever was inside…
was waiting for me to let it happen.