eld my breath, waiting for the knock or the soun

h the peephole, and my heart skipped a beat. The stranger was standing o

ence seeming to fill the entire porch. I felt a chill

I felt a jolt of electricity run through my body as I realized he

is gesture. The wood between us seemed to vibrate with tensio

disappearing into the darkness. I was left standing th

floor. A small piece of paper, left behind by the stranger. I open

ck.I stared at the words, my mind racing with fear and uncertainty.

phone ringing again. I hesitated for a moment, wondering i

my voice barely

the line. But I knew he was there, lis

manded, trying to k

moment, I thought he'd hung up. But t

e window, Em

that's when I saw him, standing in the shadows, watching me. H

there, my heart pounding in my chest. What w

d to take action. I had to protect myself from this my

was getting closer, and I had to be ready. But for what?I stood there, frozen in fear, as the darkness seem

ft at first, but it grew louder and more insistent. I felt a shiver run d

d out into the darkness, I saw a figure standing in the shadows. The scratching soun

was trying to communicate with me. But what

revealing his face in the moonlight. It was the stranger

ly sound the heavy silence between us. And then, w

read wash over me. What did he mean?

s than answers. When I came to, I was lying on the couch, my head throbbing with pain. I had no idea how I had gotten

rying to piece together what had happened. The stranger, the scratching on the w

that lingered. Everything seemed normal, but I knew it wasn't. The s

picked it up, and my heart sank. On the paper was a single

was still out there, watching me, waiting for his next move. An

repare myself for what was to come. But as I stood there, listening

e.I stood frozen, my heart pounding in my chest. The knocking was soft and deliberate, as if th

pressive, and I felt like I was holding my breath. And then, I heard t

d the sound of footsteps again, this time coming from the back of the house.

y hands shaking as I tried to stay calm. As I waited for someo

ncy?" a voice said on th

s inside the house, and I was running out of time."Hello? Hello?" t

ak, my voice barely above a whisper.

efficiency. "Okay, stay on the line. Help i

m. Where was he? Was he watching me? I tried to focu

from the hallway. It sounded like footsteps, light and deliberate.

I could sense the urgency beneath. "Help is on the

ould hide. And the stranger was getting closer.I gripped the phone tightly, my heart racing as the footsteps g

behind it, my eyes fixed on the hallway. The operator's voic

ispered. "Help is almost there.

topped at the entrance to the living room. I peeked around the edge of the couch, my

ning the room as if he knew exactly where I was hiding. And then

ore insistent. The stranger's eyes flicked towards the sound,

. I was left staring at the empty doorway, my heart pounding