Chapter 1

Phone buzzed on nightstand. Blue glow hit ceiling. I stared at notification and felt hallway go cold before I moved.

Lock log said EMMA unlocked front door at 2:26 AM. Emma was seven. Emma was supposed to be asleep upstairs with Sophie. Daniel worked night shift at plant, not home to explain contradiction. Small detail burned: bare feet on cold wood floor already, cream bathrobe belt loose in my hand, and that blue lock glow waiting at end of narrow hall like eye open in dark.

My name is Maya and I was barefoot in the hallway at 2:26 AM telling myself Emma had not touched that door.

Hallway stretched narrow and long, wood floor creaking under each step, warm ceiling flush-mount spilling yellow over white panel door at far end. Coat hooks on left wall held Daniel's work jacket and Emma's pink backpack. Shoe rack underneath. Framed photo collage on right showed Emma and Sophie in pink dresses, grinning with missing teeth. Smart lock glowed blue on door, brighter as I got closer. Chain latch at top edge still looked horizontal, engaged. I walked slow. Breath shallow. Hand tight on phone. Notification preview stuck on screen: UNLOCKED BY: EMMA 2:26 AM.

I stopped two feet from door. Close enough to see brushed nickel lever handle and blue backlit display. Display read UNLOCKED BY: EMMA 2:26 AM in white text on blue. My hand hovered. Didn't touch handle yet. Hesitated. Skin goosebumped. Air felt thinner near door. Then display flickered. Text changed while I watched. UNLOCKED FROM INSIDE 2:26 AM. Same timestamp. Different words. My fingers pulled back inch. Stomach dropped. Inside meant someone inside house had turned lever, not code, not phone. Emma couldn't reach chain, I thought. Chain looked different now. I glanced up.

Chain latch hung vertical and loose. Chain dangled, swaying slight. No longer spanning door to frame. Disengaged. I hadn't heard it slide. I hadn't touched it.

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Small voice whispered behind cracked door. "Do it?"

I recoiled. Breath caught. Eyes widened. Mouth opened without sound. Display changed again. DOOR OPENED FROM INSIDE 2:29 AM. Door cracked few inches to dark exterior, night air bleeding in, blue light washing hallway cool now, warm yellow gone gray-blue. Through crack, partial small figure in pink clothing stood outside on dark porch, still, facing in. Barely visible. Too small for adult. Too still for wind. I froze two feet from door, hand still raised, bare feet rooted to wood, staring at pink shape and loose chain and glowing log, before handle moved again.