The Recording That Heard Me Awake

I started hearing noises in my apartment at night. Not loud… just soft footsteps,

like someone walking slowly from room to room. I thought it was the neighbors.

Last week, I set up my phone to record audio while I slept, just to prove to

myself I was imagining things. The next morning, the recording was over six hours long.

For the first two hours, it was normal. Then around 2:14 AM,

I heard my bedroom door open. I never heard it open in real life. Then… footsteps.

Slow. Careful. Getting closer to my bed. At 2:16 AM,

something whispered: “You’re awake. I know you are.” But I wasn’t. I slept through