Anna stood up from the couch, her eyes locked on the ceiling.
The upstairs hallway was empty when she last checked an hour ago.
Had she left a window open?
Could the wind move something heavy enough to make that sound?
She doubted it.
The house was too old and too solid for that.
She took one cautious step toward the staircase.
The hardwood creaked beneath her foot — and suddenly, another faint noise came from above.
A soft scrape.
Like something being gently dragged.
Or someone repositioning their weight.
Anna swallowed hard.
She needed to know what was happening.
But part of her wished she didn’t.
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