115

The house felt unusually quiet. Maybe because she was the only one around. Leila moved slowly through the living room, adjusting pillows and tidying the coffee table. The warmth from earlier had faded, leaving a slight chill that seeped into her skin. She rubbed her hand, which still tingled faintly, as if to shake off the strange feeling. It had mostly faded, but a hint of worry stayed.

Lucas was out for a bit, meeting with a business associate, and Leila had insisted she'd be fine on her own. Yet, as the house settled around her, shadows stretching long across the floor, a strange unease bubbled up.

Leila sighed, shaking her head. "You're fine," she muttered to herself, heading to the kitchen to make some tea. The silence was something she used to treasure, time to think, to clear her mind. Now, it just felt... heavy. She couldn't shake the idea that something wasn't right, that this numbness was only the start of something bigger.

As she filled the kettle, her phone buzzed on the counter, jolting her from her thoughts. It was a message from Hayley.

Hayley: "Hey, feeling okay? Call me if you need anything!"

Leila managed a small smile and quickly typed a reply. "Thanks, Hayley. All good here."

She set the phone down and poured hot water into her mug, watching the steam curl up. Just as she reached for the tea bag, a faint sound came from the front door. She paused, the tea bag forgotten, her eyes fixed on the entryway.

"Hello?" she called, frowning. Lucas wasn't due back for another hour at least. Her heart beat a little faster.

A muffled sound answered, barely there, like something, or someone, outside the door. She took a slow step forward, feeling the floor cool beneath her bare feet. Her hand moved to her phone instinctively, fingers hovering over it as she tried to listen.

Then, a shadow flickered outside the window near the door. Her breath caught, and she froze, feeling the odd tingling return to her hand. This time, it wasn't just numbness, it was a sharp, prickling sensation. The phone nearly slipped from her hand, and she had to grip it hard to keep it steady.

Gathering her courage, she edged toward the door, pressing her ear to it, holding her breath. She heard nothing but the faint hum of the air outside.

"Just… nerves," she told herself, stepping back. But as she did, the door rattled softly, as if someone was testing the handle from the other side. Her heart pounded, and she backed away, clutching her phone tightly.

In an instant, she dialed Lucas. The phone rang once, twice, then finally connected.

"Lucas!" she whispered, her voice tight.

"Leila? What's wrong?" His voice was immediately concerned.

"I… I think someone's outside," she stammered, glancing back toward the door, her pulse racing.

There was a pause, then Lucas's voice came through, calm but firm. "Lock the doors. Don't open it for anyone. I'm on my way. Ten minutes."

Leila nodded, even though he couldn't see her. "Hurry, Lucas."

"Stay calm, okay? Just stay on the phone with me."

She stepped back, feeling the walls press in, her hand tingling again. She tried to ignore it, focusing on his voice. "I locked the door," she whispered, moving away from the front.

"Good. Do you hear anything else?" he asked, his voice steady but tense.

Leila took a deep breath, straining to hear. For a few moments, everything was silent. Then, a soft knock sounded at the door, slow and deliberate.

Her hand flew to her mouth to stifle a gasp. "Someone's knocking."

Lucas's tone shifted, his voice low. "Don't answer. Go to the back room, lock yourself in, and wait for me."

Leila's feet moved on instinct as she backed away from the front, eyes still glued to the door as she retreated down the hallway. Every creak of the floor seemed loud in the quiet house. She reached the back room, shutting the door and sliding the lock into place.

"Alright… I'm in the room," she whispered, barely able to keep her voice steady.

"Good," Lucas replied. "I'm almost there. Keep the line open."

She nodded, though her throat felt tight, her hand trembling. The knocking stopped, leaving an eerie silence that filled the house. Leila pressed her ear to the door, hoping she'd just imagined it. Maybe no one was there. Maybe she was overreacting.

But then came a new sound, a faint, scratching noise, like someone was trying to pick the lock. Her heart thudded faster, and her breath came in quick, shallow gulps.

"Lucas," she whispered, her voice cracking. "They're… trying to get in."

His tone sharpened, filled with worry. "I'm close. Just hang on, Leila. I'm almost there."

Leila clutched her phone like a lifeline, her hand numb again. She bit her lip, holding back tears as she tried to stay calm. Every second felt like an eternity, the scratching noise relentless, echoing in the silence.

Finally, after what felt like forever, she heard the familiar sound of a car pulling into the driveway. Relief washed over her, her body sagging against the door.

"I hear you!" she whispered into the phone, hope flooding her voice.

"Stay put. I'll handle this," Lucas said firmly.

She listened as he approached the house, his footsteps heavy and sure. A tense silence fell, and she waited, barely daring to breathe. Then came a loud thud, followed by muffled voices. She couldn't make out the words, but the tone was unmistakably angry.

A few moments later, the front door opened, and she heard Lucas's voice call out, "Leila? It's safe. You can come out now."

She hesitated for a second, her hand still trembling, before unlocking the door and stepping out into the hall. Lucas was there, his face tight with worry. He pulled her into his arms without a word, holding her close.

"It's okay," he murmured, his voice soothing. "They're gone."

Leila looked up at him, her heart still racing. "Who… who was it?"

Lucas's expression hardened, but he shook his head. "Just someone who shouldn't have been here." He pulled back, keeping a steady hand on her shoulder. "But you're safe. That's what matters."

She nodded, leaning into him for support. "Thank you." She muttered, grateful for his presence.

He gave her a faint smile, but his eyes stayed tense, scanning the house as if expecting another threat.

Later that night, after they'd locked every window and door, Leila lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling, her mind spinning. She tried to sleep, but her thoughts kept drifting to the strange figure outside, the sound of that lock-pick scratching at her door.

And then, just as she was starting to drift off, a low buzz from her phone cut through the darkness. She reached over, frowning as she picked it up.

A message flashed on the screen from an unknown number.

Unknown: "You were lucky this time. Next time, he might not be there to help." The message read.

Leila's heart stopped, and she sat up, staring at the message. Her fingers hovered over the screen, a cold chill racing down her spine.

"Lucas…" she whispered into the darkness, her voice barely audible.

But she didn't wake him. Instead, she lay back down, clutching her phone to her chest as fear crept into her mind.