It was quiet inside the house, but someone was walking outside. Each step was slow and deliberate, like they knew exactly where we were. Every muscle in my body was tense, and my heart was beating fast. The only thing that kept me in the present was Ethan's hand on my shoulder, which reminded me that I wasn't the only one going through this.
He looked at me with quiet determination in his eyes. "Remain close." We'll have to be ready to move quickly if they come in.
While nodding, I forced back the fear that was trying to take over. I wanted to trust him, to believe that we could somehow get out of this together. But it felt like we had no way out right now—like we were squished and stuck.
The steps stopped just outside the door, and there was silence for a moment. Then a loud, heavy knock broke the quiet, the sound booming through the small house.
