Katelen awoke at 9:00 am, still feeling fatigued, having repeatedly been disturbed by nightmares involving the figures seen by Adam and Jeffrey. Upon checking her email, she discovered a compilation of stories Adam had forwarded for her upcoming article. She chose to focus on the cold case of the five-year-old Sunny Marlow, who had been abducted from her front yard in 2002 and later found deceased in a cornfield, having suffered assault and strangulation. After feeding Beau and Grizz, and enjoying a bowl of cereal, she opted to take a shower. Feeling apprehensive about ascending the stairs alone, she called for Beau and Grizz to accompany her. While rinsing the soap from her hair in the shower, she briefly glimpsed a man's face staring back at her, causing her to jump slightly; she attributed it to the water in her eyes. As she brushed her hair, she heard what seemed to be footsteps again. Beau and Grizz growled at the sound, yet Katelen resisted the notion of ghosts, convincing herself it was merely the house settling. Exiting the bathroom, she passed one of the spare bedrooms, which she kept closed. A fleeting glance into the room revealed a young woman, and she was able to discern the woman's features before she disappeared: brown hair, green eyes, a floral dress, and red shoes. Stunned, Katelen thought to herself, "I have seen something twice now, but it must be my imagination." After completing her article, she resolved to invite Travis over for some much-needed human interaction.
Travis arrived at precisely 8:30 p.m., carrying a box of pizza and a case of beer. After making themselves comfortable on the couch, they consumed the pizza and beer while watching an episode of "Scooby-Doo." Meanwhile, Beau and Grizz feasted on a combination of dry dog food and canned beef. As they were engrossed in the television show, both of them heard the unsettling sound of creaking floorboards from upstairs. Concerned, Travis inquired, "Is someone else here?" Katelen, her voice trembling slightly, replied, "No, it's just the house making noises." Seizing the moment, Katelen decided to confide in Travis about the strange occurrences she had been experiencing. She recounted, "The day after I moved in, I returned from the store to find the kitchen light on, despite having turned it off before leaving. That night, the dogs reacted to something outside the door. Subsequently, my bowl inexplicably moved from the center of the coffee table to the edge. I also heard what seemed like footsteps when I went to bed. The next day, during a Zoom call with my boss Adam, he mentioned seeing a figure walk past my bedroom doorway, although he later attributed it to a trick of the eyes. When I came back from having lunch with you and Tate, my neighbor Jeffrey said he saw someone standing on my porch, assuming it was me. Upon realizing it wasn't, he got alarmed and checked my entire house. I've been having nightmares about these figures, and today, while taking a shower, I saw a man's face staring at me. I heard footsteps again and saw a woman in one of the spare bedrooms who vanished almost immediately. I think I'm losing my mind." Moved by her distress, Travis embraced Katelen and offered reassurance, "It's alright. I can stay the night if you want." Grateful, Katelen nodded. They stored the leftover pizza and beer in the refrigerator and then ascended the stairs to her room, accompanied by Beau and Grizz. After closing the bedroom door behind them, the dogs settled into their beds on the floor. Katelen expressed her gratitude, "Thank you for staying the night." Travis responded warmly, "No problem." They exchanged a lingering gaze before Travis gently brushed her hair away from her face and they shared a deep, passionate kiss. As Travis began to lift her shirt, Katelen gently stopped him and said, "Can we wait a while before we have sex? It hasn't been that long since I left my ex, and I don't want to rush." Travis replied with understanding, "Yes, of course, whenever you're ready." They then cuddled up in bed and drifted off to sleep. Katelen felt a sense of comfort and security, knowing that Travis's presence offered an additional layer of protection.