Chapter 3 Episode 3

The footsteps stopped outside my front door. I held my breath, waiting for the knock or the sound of the door opening. But there was only silence.

I crept towards the door, my heart pounding in my chest. I peered through the peephole, and my heart skipped a beat. The stranger was standing on my porch, his eyes fixed on the door as if he knew I was watching him.

He didn't move or knock. He just stood there, his presence seeming to fill the entire porch. I felt a chill run down my spine as our eyes met through the peephole.

Suddenly, he raised his hand and pressed his palm against the door. I felt a jolt of electricity run through my body as I realized he was trying to communicate with me, to convey a message without words.

I stood frozen, my palm pressed against the door, mirroring his gesture. The wood between us seemed to vibrate with tension, and I felt a strange connection to this mysterious stranger.

And then, without warning, he turned and walked away, disappearing into the darkness. I was left standing there, my heart racing, wondering what had just happened.

As I stepped back from the door, I noticed something on the porch floor. A small piece of paper, left behind by the stranger. I opened the door and picked it up, my heart pounding with anticipation.

On the paper was a single sentence, scrawled in red ink: "I'll be back.I stared at the words, my mind racing with fear and uncertainty. What did he want from me? Why was he playing this cat-and-mouse game?

As I stood there, frozen in fear, I heard the sound of my phone ringing again. I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should answer it. But something compelled me to pick up.

"Hello?" I said, my voice barely above a whisper.

There was silence on the other end of the line. But I knew he was there, listening to me, breathing into the phone.

"Who is this?" I demanded, trying to keep my voice steady.

The silence stretched out, and for a moment, I thought he'd hung up. But then, I heard his voice, low and husky.

"Look out the window, Emily," he said.

My heart skipped a beat as I turned to look out the window. And that's when I saw him, standing in the shadows, watching me. His eyes locked onto mine, and I felt a chill run down my spine.

The line went dead, and I was left standing there, my heart pounding in my chest. What was he planning? And what did he want from me?

As I stood there, frozen in fear, I realized that I had to take action. I had to protect myself from this mysterious stranger. But how? And what was he capable of?

The darkness outside seemed to press in around me, and I knew that I was running out of time. The stranger was getting closer, and I had to be ready. But for what?I stood there, frozen in fear, as the darkness seemed to close in around me. The silence was oppressive, and I felt like I was waiting for something to happen.

Suddenly, I heard a faint scratching sound coming from outside. It was soft at first, but it grew louder and more insistent. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized that the scratching was coming from the window.

I slowly got up and approached the window, my heart pounding in my chest. As I looked out into the darkness, I saw a figure standing in the shadows. The scratching sound was coming from his fingers, which he was using to tap out a message on the glass.

My heart skipped a beat as I realized that he was trying to communicate with me. But what did he want? And why was he being so cryptic?

The scratching stopped, and the figure stepped forward, revealing his face in the moonlight. It was the stranger, his eyes locked onto mine with an unnerving intensity.

For a moment, we just stared at each other, the only sound the heavy silence between us. And then, without warning, he mouthed a single word: "Tonight."

My heart racing, I felt a sense of dread wash over me. What did he mean? And what was going to happen tonight?

As I stood there, frozen in fear, the stranger turned and disappeared into the darkness, leaving me with more questions than answers. When I came to, I was lying on the couch, my head throbbing with pain. I had no idea how I had gotten there or how long I had been unconscious. The room was dark and silent, except for the sound of my own ragged breathing.

As I sat up, I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me. I waited for it to pass, trying to piece together what had happened. The stranger, the scratching on the window, the word "tonight" - it all seemed like a dream now, but I knew it wasn't.

I looked around the room, trying to shake off the feeling of unease that lingered. Everything seemed normal, but I knew it wasn't. The stranger had been here, watching me, and I had no idea what he wanted.

As I stood up, I noticed a piece of paper on the floor. I picked it up, and my heart sank. On the paper was a single sentence, written in red ink: "The night has just begun."

I felt a chill run down my spine as I realized that the stranger was still out there, watching me, waiting for his next move. And I had a feeling that tonight was going to be a very long night.

I locked all the doors and windows, my hands shaking as I tried to prepare myself for what was to come. But as I stood there, listening to the silence, I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched.

And then, I heard it. A faint knock at the door. One, two, three knocks. It was him. He was here.I stood frozen, my heart pounding in my chest. The knocking was soft and deliberate, as if the stranger was savoring the moment. I didn't know what to do, whether to answer the door or hide.

As I hesitated, the knocking stopped. The silence that followed was oppressive, and I felt like I was holding my breath. And then, I heard the sound of footsteps, light and deliberate, walking away from the door.

I let out a sigh of relief, thinking that maybe it was over. But then, I heard the sound of footsteps again, this time coming from the back of the house. My heart racing, I realized that the stranger had gone around to the back door.

I knew I had to act fast. I grabbed my phone and dialed 911, my hands shaking as I tried to stay calm. As I waited for someone to answer, I heard the sound of the back door creaking open.

"911, what's your emergency?" a voice said on the other end of the line.

I tried to speak, but my voice caught in my throat. The stranger was inside the house, and I was running out of time."Hello? Hello?" the 911 operator's voice came through the phone, urgent and concerned.

I took a deep breath and tried to speak, my voice barely above a whisper. "Please...help. Someone's in my house."

The operator's tone changed to one of calm efficiency. "Okay, stay on the line. Help is on the way. Can you tell me your address?"

I hesitated, my eyes darting around the darkened room. Where was he? Was he watching me? I tried to focus on the operator's questions, but my mind was racing.

As I stammered out my address, I heard a faint creaking sound coming from the hallway. It sounded like footsteps, light and deliberate. My heart skipped a beat as I realized the stranger was getting closer.

The operator's voice was calm and reassuring, but I could sense the urgency beneath. "Help is on the way, Emily. Just stay on the line and stay safe."

I nodded, even though she couldn't see me. But as I looked around the room, I realized I wasn't sure where I could hide. And the stranger was getting closer.I gripped the phone tightly, my heart racing as the footsteps grew louder. I could feel his presence, sense his eyes on me. I knew I had to move, to find a safe place to hide.

Without making a sound, I slipped off the couch and crawled behind it, my eyes fixed on the hallway. The operator's voice was still calm, reassuring, but I knew time was running out.

"Emily, can you hear me?" she whispered. "Help is almost there. Just stay hidden and stay safe."

I nodded again, even though she couldn't see me. I held my breath as the footsteps stopped at the entrance to the living room. I peeked around the edge of the couch, my heart skipping a beat as I saw the stranger's shadowy figure standing in the doorway.

He didn't move, didn't speak. He just stood there, his eyes scanning the room as if he knew exactly where I was hiding. And then, his gaze locked onto mine, and I felt a chill run down my spine.

The sirens were getting closer, the sound growing louder and more insistent. The stranger's eyes flicked towards the sound, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flash of anger in his eyes.

But then, in an instant, he was gone. Vanished into thin air. I was left staring at the empty doorway, my heart pounding in my chest. What had just happened? And was it really over?