VERA’S POV

A sharp crash jolted me from sleep.

I blinked against the soft yellow glow of the bedside lamp, my hand fumbling for the phone. The time read 2:09 a.m. The house was silent, eerily so, but that sound I’d heard definitely wasn’t a dream.

Another crash echoed through the walls, louder this time. I froze. It was followed by a sharp clatter, then the door creaked and slammed repeatedly, like someone was forcing it open and shut again and again.

I turned to Jack and tapped him lightly.

He stirred. "What’s going on?" he asked groggily, then sat up when he caught the tension on my face.

"I’ve...