Emily

my mother tried to do all the usual things cooking our favorite dish humming our favorite tunes cracking jokes that would make us smile but there was a tautness in her smile a tightness in her voice that told me she was just as scared as the rest of us We never talked about that night again. It was as if the words would make it real all over again, bring him back.

But it was always there, just beneath the surface, a shadow following us wherever we went. And even now, all these years later, I can still see his face. I can still hear the tapping, and I still wonder if one day he'll come back. I thought I had buried that part of my life for good. Ethan was nothing more than a distant, unpleasant memory. A relic of my past that I had firmly locked away.

But it was always there, just beneath the surface, a shadow following us wherever we went. And even now, all these years later, I can still see his face. I can still hear the tapping, and I still wonder if one day he'll come back. I thought I had buried that part of my life for good. Ethan was nothing more than a distant, unpleasant memory. A relic of my past that I had firmly locked away.

But that afternoon, as I stood in the kitchen, my phone buzzed with a text message that would drag everything back to the surface. It was just a simple, unfamiliar number and a question. Is this Emily? My instinct was to ignore it. I got plenty of spam messages, and this seemed no different.

But that afternoon, as I stood in the kitchen, my phone buzzed with a text message that would drag everything back to the surface. It was just a simple, unfamiliar number and a question. Is this Emily? My instinct was to ignore it. I got plenty of spam messages, and this seemed no different.

but something in me hesitated maybe it was the formality of it maybe the odd curiosity but against my better judgment i replied yes who is this seconds later my phone buzzed again it's ethan how are you i felt the air rush out of my lungs and for a moment the kitchen spun around me my hand went cold trembling slightly as i held the phone ethan

but something in me hesitated maybe it was the formality of it maybe the odd curiosity but against my better judgment i replied yes who is this seconds later my phone buzzed again it's ethan how are you i felt the air rush out of my lungs and for a moment the kitchen spun around me my hand went cold trembling slightly as i held the phone ethan

the name alone brought back a tidal wave of memories the screaming fights the tears his dark angry eyes glaring down at me the nights i'd lain awake terrified of the next argument the next threat for a moment i considered not responding My gut told me to put the phone down, to block the number and forget this had ever happened. But I couldn't. I typed back, my fingers shaking. I'm fine.

the name alone brought back a tidal wave of memories the screaming fights the tears his dark angry eyes glaring down at me the nights i'd lain awake terrified of the next argument the next threat for a moment i considered not responding My gut told me to put the phone down, to block the number and forget this had ever happened. But I couldn't. I typed back, my fingers shaking. I'm fine.

I hope you're well too. It was polite, neutral, final. Everything I hoped would keep this encounter brief. What are you doing these days? Do you ever think about us? His response came quickly, almost too quickly, and the hair on my arms stood on end. I tried to keep my breathing even, but my heart hammered in my chest. I didn't want to talk about us. There wasn't even an us to speak of.

I hope you're well too. It was polite, neutral, final. Everything I hoped would keep this encounter brief. What are you doing these days? Do you ever think about us? His response came quickly, almost too quickly, and the hair on my arms stood on end. I tried to keep my breathing even, but my heart hammered in my chest. I didn't want to talk about us. There wasn't even an us to speak of.

Just a twisted relationship that had left me bruised and broken, both physically and emotionally. I typed slowly, carefully. I'm married now, Ethan. I have a family. I think it's best if we don't communicate. There was a long pause.

Just a twisted relationship that had left me bruised and broken, both physically and emotionally. I typed slowly, carefully. I'm married now, Ethan. I have a family. I think it's best if we don't communicate. There was a long pause.

my phone remained silent and i hoped prayed that this would be enough to put an end to it maybe he would see that i had moved on and leave me alone but then one final message appeared okay sorry i sighed relieved maybe this was it Maybe he had just wanted closure, a way to confirm that I had moved on. I placed my phone down on the counter, my hands still unsteady.

my phone remained silent and i hoped prayed that this would be enough to put an end to it maybe he would see that i had moved on and leave me alone but then one final message appeared okay sorry i sighed relieved maybe this was it Maybe he had just wanted closure, a way to confirm that I had moved on. I placed my phone down on the counter, my hands still unsteady.

But the sense of relief was fleeting, replaced by a gnawing feeling in my stomach. A fear I couldn't quite shake. Days went by and the message faded into the background of my busy life. Work, taking care of my toddler, preparing for the new baby. But the gnawing feeling didn't disappear. It was as if a shadow had re-entered my life, lingering in the corners of my mind.

But the sense of relief was fleeting, replaced by a gnawing feeling in my stomach. A fear I couldn't quite shake. Days went by and the message faded into the background of my busy life. Work, taking care of my toddler, preparing for the new baby. But the gnawing feeling didn't disappear. It was as if a shadow had re-entered my life, lingering in the corners of my mind.

And then, the visit from Ethan's mother. She appeared at the office unannounced, her face gaunt, her eyes glassy. She asked after me, her voice soft, her smile brittle. We exchanged pleasantries, though I couldn't help but feel the unease return, growing stronger with every passing second. "'Did you hear about Ethan?' she asked, her eyes never quite meeting mine.

And then, the visit from Ethan's mother. She appeared at the office unannounced, her face gaunt, her eyes glassy. She asked after me, her voice soft, her smile brittle. We exchanged pleasantries, though I couldn't help but feel the unease return, growing stronger with every passing second. "'Did you hear about Ethan?' she asked, her eyes never quite meeting mine.

They put him in an institution for a while. I swallowed hard, a lump forming in my throat. "'I heard,' I replied." My voice barely above a whisper. I'm sorry to hear that. She leaned in closer, her eyes dark, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. He was killing animals. That's why they took him away. She paused, studying my reaction.