Lila

I heard it again—that deep, guttural groan echoing from below, vibrating through the floorboards like a secret summons, pulling me from the haze of my own restless thoughts. My room felt quiet and still, with curiosity clawing at me, insistent as a lover's hand.

Ever since I unpacked in this room, I’d been aware of the small hole in the floorboards. It hid beneath the chair in the corner, a subtle defect in the aged wood that had been half-heartedly patched over, as if silence could erase its existence.

But tonight, with that sound slithering up like smoke, I couldn't resist. With my heart pounding, I slid the chair...