Who’s There?

“Eli, are you awake?”“Not anymore, Sophie. What is it?”“There’s… something outside the window.”

Eli groaned, rubbing his eyes. “It’s probably the wind. Go back to sleep.”

“No, it’s not the wind. It’s… tapping.”

Eli sat up, his annoyance turning into mild concern. “Tapping?”

Sophie nodded, clutching the blanket tightly. “Like someone’s trying to get in.”

Five minutes later, Eli found himself standing by the window, flashlight in hand. Sophie hovered behind him, whispering, “Be careful.”

He pulled back the curtain. Nothing. Just their small backyard and the swaying trees.

“See? It’s the wind.”

“I swear I heard it,” Sophie insisted.

As if to prove her point, a sharp tap-tap-tap sounded against the glass.

Eli froze. “Okay, that’s weird.”

They both stared at the window. The tapping stopped, replaced by a faint scratching noise, like nails dragging across the surface.

“Maybe it’s a branch?” Sophie suggested weakly.

Eli shook his head. “The nearest tree is six feet away.”

“Then what is it?”

The scratching stopped. Silence.

“Probably a raccoon,” Eli said, though his voice wavered. “Let’s go back to bed.”

By 3 a.m., the sound returned—louder this time.

Sophie shook Eli awake again. “It’s not a raccoon.”

“I swear to—”

BANG!

Both of them jumped as something heavy hit the window.

“Okay, now I’m freaked out,” Eli admitted.

“Go check it!” Sophie whispered.

“Why me?”

“Because you’re the one with the flashlight!”

Grumbling, Eli grabbed the flashlight and headed to the living room, where the largest window faced the backyard.

As he approached, the tapping returned. Faster. Louder.

He flicked on the flashlight, its beam cutting through the darkness.

At first, there was nothing. Just their patio furniture and the shadow of the fence. But then—

Two glowing eyes stared back at him from the window.

Eli stumbled backward. “Sophie!”

“What is it?!”

“There’s… someone out there!”

Sophie joined him, clutching a frying pan she’d grabbed from the kitchen.

“Where?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“There!” Eli pointed.

But the eyes were gone.

“Are you sure?”

“I know what I saw!”

Suddenly, the back door creaked open.

“Did you lock that?” Sophie asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

“Yes!”

The door swung fully open, revealing… nothing.

Eli shone the flashlight into the yard. Still nothing.

“I don’t like this,” Sophie said, stepping back.

As they turned to go back inside, a shadow darted past the doorway.

“Did you see that?!” Eli hissed.

“Yes! Close the door!”

But before they could move, the door slammed shut on its own.

Click.

The lock engaged.

Eli tried the handle. It wouldn’t budge.

“What’s happening?” Sophie whispered.

The scratching sound returned, now coming from inside the house.

“Upstairs,” Eli said.

They both turned toward the staircase. Something heavy was moving, thumping slowly down step by step.

“Do we run?” Sophie asked.

“Where? The door’s locked!”

The thumping stopped. The house went silent again.

Then, from the darkness above: “Who’s there?”

Sophie’s grip on the frying pan tightened. “That’s… not you?”

Eli shook his head.

The voice came again, closer this time: “I’m in your house…”

“RUN!” Sophie screamed.

They bolted for the front door, yanking at the lock until it finally gave way. They stumbled into the night, panting and terrified.

From the street, they looked back at their house.

A shadow stood at the upstairs window, watching them.

Sophie grabbed Eli’s arm. “We’re never going back in there.”

He nodded. “Agreed.”

As they backed away, the figure at the window raised a hand and waved.

And then the light in the room went out.