The Mimic’s Invitation

After that night, she started researching mimics. And what she found made things worse.

Mimics don’t attack right away. They study you. They listen to the voices you trust

the most— parents, partners, siblings. That’s why they

whisper first. They want curiosity before fear. Rule number one: They need you to

respond. A word. A question. Even a gasp. Rule number two:

They never force their way in. They ask you to come closer. To open the door.

To let them in. That’s why it copied her mother’s voice. And the text. Mimics can’t enter

unless they’re invited. She says after that night, she stopped answering voices in the house—