Stay Inside

At 3:17 a.m., the emergency alert buzzed: STAY INSIDE. THEY HEAR BREATHING. I locked the door

and held my breath. Outside, something scraped the walls—slow, patient.

My phone lit again. Another alert. IF YOU ARE ALONE, DO NOT ANSWER KNOCKING. A knock came anyway.

Soft. Familiar. My mother’s voice whispered, “Sweetheart,

I’m cold.” Behind me, the closet door creaked open—and something exhaled.