Chapter 4 - The Girl in the Wall
Daniel did not think. He ran.
The corridor was too narrow for speed, but he shoved past insulation and pipes, scraping his shoulder against a beam.
"Stop!"
The shadow disappeared around another turn.
Behind him, Claire shouted his name.
Then Lily screamed.
Daniel spun and nearly fell.
"Lily!"
He fought his way back. Claire had pulled Lily out of the opening and was holding her by both shoulders.
Too tightly.
"Let go of her."
"She was trying to follow you!"
Daniel took Lily into his arms. "Are you okay?"
She nodded.
Claire stared at the secret opening like it was a grave.
"We need to leave the house," Daniel said.
"No."
He looked at her.
"No?"
"We don't know who is out there. Walking outside could be worse."
"Then we're calling the police."
Claire grabbed his wrist.
"Don't."
There it was again.
The same panic she had shown when he touched the camera.
Daniel stared at her fingers on his skin.
"Explain that. Right now."
Claire released him.
"I can't."
"Then move."
He pulled out his phone.
No signal.
The Wi-Fi icon vanished a second later.
The bedroom lights flickered.
From somewhere downstairs came the heavy clunk of the front-door deadbolt locking by itself.
Lily buried her face in Daniel's chest.
"She's scared," she whispered.
"Who?"
"The girl."
A faint scratching came from the closet.
Daniel set Lily down behind him and approached the opening.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he called. "Come out."
Nothing.
Then a small hand appeared from the darkness.
It held a folded piece of paper.
Daniel took it.
The hand vanished.
He unfolded the note.
The writing was shaky, printed in blue crayon.
PLEASE DON'T CALL THEM.
Below it were four words that made Claire sit down hard on the edge of the bed.
THEY TOOK MY MOM.
Daniel looked at her.
"Who is 'they'?"
Claire's eyes filled with tears.
May you like
"My family."
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