Blair Bathory

She burst through the door, slammed it shut, and rammed the deadbolt across. For good measure, she clicked the chain lock in place. Then she stood there for a moment, heart pounding in her ears. She wasn't done. She rushed through the house, locking the back door, checking every window latch, yanking them to make sure they were shut tight.

She burst through the door, slammed it shut, and rammed the deadbolt across. For good measure, she clicked the chain lock in place. Then she stood there for a moment, heart pounding in her ears. She wasn't done. She rushed through the house, locking the back door, checking every window latch, yanking them to make sure they were shut tight.

She burst through the door, slammed it shut, and rammed the deadbolt across. For good measure, she clicked the chain lock in place. Then she stood there for a moment, heart pounding in her ears. She wasn't done. She rushed through the house, locking the back door, checking every window latch, yanking them to make sure they were shut tight.

In the living room, the curtain stirred, just a faint ripple as if something had moved them. But all the windows were locked. Her throat went dry. She didn't stop moving. By the time she got back to the front of the house, her hands were shaking. She sank into the chair at the dining table, gasping for breath. Home. Safe. Then her phone rang again.

In the living room, the curtain stirred, just a faint ripple as if something had moved them. But all the windows were locked. Her throat went dry. She didn't stop moving. By the time she got back to the front of the house, her hands were shaking. She sank into the chair at the dining table, gasping for breath. Home. Safe. Then her phone rang again.

In the living room, the curtain stirred, just a faint ripple as if something had moved them. But all the windows were locked. Her throat went dry. She didn't stop moving. By the time she got back to the front of the house, her hands were shaking. She sank into the chair at the dining table, gasping for breath. Home. Safe. Then her phone rang again.

She flinched, then picked it up, forcing steel into her voice. This isn't funny, she snapped. I'm calling the cops. The line was quiet for too long, then the voice returned low and close. I'm in your house. Maya froze. No, it wasn't from the phone, but from right behind her. A breath brushed against her ear, warm and wet. She screamed and whipped around, nothing.

She flinched, then picked it up, forcing steel into her voice. This isn't funny, she snapped. I'm calling the cops. The line was quiet for too long, then the voice returned low and close. I'm in your house. Maya froze. No, it wasn't from the phone, but from right behind her. A breath brushed against her ear, warm and wet. She screamed and whipped around, nothing.

She flinched, then picked it up, forcing steel into her voice. This isn't funny, she snapped. I'm calling the cops. The line was quiet for too long, then the voice returned low and close. I'm in your house. Maya froze. No, it wasn't from the phone, but from right behind her. A breath brushed against her ear, warm and wet. She screamed and whipped around, nothing.

Whatever this haunting monster was, it moved quickly. She shot out of the chair, sprinting for the stairs. Two at a time, she climbed, hard in her throat. She reached her room, slammed the door shut, locked it, and shoved her desk against it. She pressed her back to the wall, breathing in ragged gasps. Her phone buzzed again.

Whatever this haunting monster was, it moved quickly. She shot out of the chair, sprinting for the stairs. Two at a time, she climbed, hard in her throat. She reached her room, slammed the door shut, locked it, and shoved her desk against it. She pressed her back to the wall, breathing in ragged gasps. Her phone buzzed again.

Whatever this haunting monster was, it moved quickly. She shot out of the chair, sprinting for the stairs. Two at a time, she climbed, hard in her throat. She reached her room, slammed the door shut, locked it, and shoved her desk against it. She pressed her back to the wall, breathing in ragged gasps. Her phone buzzed again.

She threw the phone against the room. It hit the carpet with a dull thud and kept ringing, again and again. Then it stopped. The silence was worse. She held her breath, and then she heard it. Not from the phone, from under the bed. A slow, wet breath, shallow, measured. Then the voice whispered, closer now. I'm under your bed. Her limbs locked up. She couldn't move. She couldn't think.

She threw the phone against the room. It hit the carpet with a dull thud and kept ringing, again and again. Then it stopped. The silence was worse. She held her breath, and then she heard it. Not from the phone, from under the bed. A slow, wet breath, shallow, measured. Then the voice whispered, closer now. I'm under your bed. Her limbs locked up. She couldn't move. She couldn't think.

She threw the phone against the room. It hit the carpet with a dull thud and kept ringing, again and again. Then it stopped. The silence was worse. She held her breath, and then she heard it. Not from the phone, from under the bed. A slow, wet breath, shallow, measured. Then the voice whispered, closer now. I'm under your bed. Her limbs locked up. She couldn't move. She couldn't think.

Something scraped softly against the floorboards. She didn't dare look, but her body betrayed her. Her head turned and her eyes dragged to the shadowed gap between her bed. Fingers emerged first, tiny and pale. The nails were dark and cracked, bending the wrong way as they chewed at the floor. Then the hand. Small but wrong. Veins wriggled under translucent skin like worms. Another hand.

Something scraped softly against the floorboards. She didn't dare look, but her body betrayed her. Her head turned and her eyes dragged to the shadowed gap between her bed. Fingers emerged first, tiny and pale. The nails were dark and cracked, bending the wrong way as they chewed at the floor. Then the hand. Small but wrong. Veins wriggled under translucent skin like worms. Another hand.

Something scraped softly against the floorboards. She didn't dare look, but her body betrayed her. Her head turned and her eyes dragged to the shadowed gap between her bed. Fingers emerged first, tiny and pale. The nails were dark and cracked, bending the wrong way as they chewed at the floor. Then the hand. Small but wrong. Veins wriggled under translucent skin like worms. Another hand.

Then it started to pull itself out. Maya pushed herself further against the wall, legs trembling. The thing rose up, its head tilted at an unnatural angle. Where its mouth should have been was a seam, twitching, smiling. It had no eyes, just two hollows in its face that somehow looked at her. It crept closer on jerking limbs. Her phone buzzed again.

Then it started to pull itself out. Maya pushed herself further against the wall, legs trembling. The thing rose up, its head tilted at an unnatural angle. Where its mouth should have been was a seam, twitching, smiling. It had no eyes, just two hollows in its face that somehow looked at her. It crept closer on jerking limbs. Her phone buzzed again.