Emily

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.

I could feel my skin crawl, my body instinctively recoiling from her words. I didn't know what to say, the room suddenly feeling too small, the walls closing in around me. She went on almost casually. You know, you were always his favorite. He still talks about you, wonders what could have been. Would you ever be open to talking to him? I forced a smile, my heart pounding in my ears.

I could feel my skin crawl, my body instinctively recoiling from her words. I didn't know what to say, the room suddenly feeling too small, the walls closing in around me. She went on almost casually. You know, you were always his favorite. He still talks about you, wonders what could have been. Would you ever be open to talking to him? I forced a smile, my heart pounding in my ears.

I'm married now. I don't think that's a good idea. My voice cracked slightly, but I forced myself to stay composed, to get out of there as quickly as possible. It was nice seeing you, but I really have to get back to work. I turned and walked away, feeling her eyes on me the entire time.

I'm married now. I don't think that's a good idea. My voice cracked slightly, but I forced myself to stay composed, to get out of there as quickly as possible. It was nice seeing you, but I really have to get back to work. I turned and walked away, feeling her eyes on me the entire time.

As soon as I was out of sight, I ducked into the back room, breathing heavily, tears stinging the corners of my eyes. This wasn't supposed to be happening. I had moved on. I had built a life, a family. And yet, the past was clawing its way back, trying to drag me under once again."

As soon as I was out of sight, I ducked into the back room, breathing heavily, tears stinging the corners of my eyes. This wasn't supposed to be happening. I had moved on. I had built a life, a family. And yet, the past was clawing its way back, trying to drag me under once again."

After Ethan's mother left the office that day, the gnawing fear that had settled into my chest refused to loosen its grip. It was as if I could feel Ethan's presence again, that same dark energy hovering around the edges of my life, threatening to break through the fragile barrier I had built to keep him out.

After Ethan's mother left the office that day, the gnawing fear that had settled into my chest refused to loosen its grip. It was as if I could feel Ethan's presence again, that same dark energy hovering around the edges of my life, threatening to break through the fragile barrier I had built to keep him out.

i told myself i was being paranoid that the past was exactly where i had left it behind me but the nagging feeling that he wasn't done that he was somehow closer than i wanted to believe remained it was a wednesday night when the first strange noise came michael was working late and i was home alone with our son tommy i had just finished putting him to bed the house quiet save for the occasional creak of the floorboard settling

i told myself i was being paranoid that the past was exactly where i had left it behind me but the nagging feeling that he wasn't done that he was somehow closer than i wanted to believe remained it was a wednesday night when the first strange noise came michael was working late and i was home alone with our son tommy i had just finished putting him to bed the house quiet save for the occasional creak of the floorboard settling

i was washing dishes in the kitchen when i heard it-a faint tapping sound almost rhythmic i paused listening my heart skipping a beat the noise came again tapping against the window above the sink i forced myself to glance up trying to make out anything beyond the dark glass but all I saw was my own reflection staring back at me, wide-eyed and tense. It could have been a branch.

i was washing dishes in the kitchen when i heard it-a faint tapping sound almost rhythmic i paused listening my heart skipping a beat the noise came again tapping against the window above the sink i forced myself to glance up trying to make out anything beyond the dark glass but all I saw was my own reflection staring back at me, wide-eyed and tense. It could have been a branch.

It could have been anything. I convinced myself of that, taking a shaky breath and turning away, but the anxiety had already planted itself, a pit of dread slowly blooming in my stomach. I left the dishes in the sink and went to check the locks on the front door and then the back. Everything was secure. I told myself I was safe. But that night, sleep did not come easy.

It could have been anything. I convinced myself of that, taking a shaky breath and turning away, but the anxiety had already planted itself, a pit of dread slowly blooming in my stomach. I left the dishes in the sink and went to check the locks on the front door and then the back. Everything was secure. I told myself I was safe. But that night, sleep did not come easy.

I kept waking up certain I had heard something. A rustle. A creak. Each time I lay still in bed, straining to hear anything else, my eyes fixed on the shadows playing across the ceiling. Michael came home, and I pretended to be asleep. too afraid to speak and betray the fear that was choking me.

I kept waking up certain I had heard something. A rustle. A creak. Each time I lay still in bed, straining to hear anything else, my eyes fixed on the shadows playing across the ceiling. Michael came home, and I pretended to be asleep. too afraid to speak and betray the fear that was choking me.

It felt childish to be this scared, scared of a ghost from my past, scared of something that wasn't even there. The next morning, I went about my routine as usual, but I couldn't shake the exhaustion, the unease. I went to work, trying to focus, but my eyes kept drifting towards the front door of the office, expecting, dreading to see Ethan's mother standing there again or worse, Ethan himself.

It felt childish to be this scared, scared of a ghost from my past, scared of something that wasn't even there. The next morning, I went about my routine as usual, but I couldn't shake the exhaustion, the unease. I went to work, trying to focus, but my eyes kept drifting towards the front door of the office, expecting, dreading to see Ethan's mother standing there again or worse, Ethan himself.

I felt like a hunted animal, constantly glancing over my shoulder, heart racing at every small noise. Two days later, the blocked calls started. The first one came just after midnight. I had been dozing on the couch waiting for Michael to come home when the phone buzzed, the sound startling me awake. I fumbled for it, blinking at the screen. No caller ID.