My Sister Called at Midnight and Told Me to Hide in the Attic — What I Saw Through the Floorboards Changed Everything

and the faint holiday-ghost of artificial pine from the Christmas decorations stored in the corner. I pulled the door shut behind me. The latch was a small hook-and-eye thing, the kind that wouldn’t stop anyone determined but would buy a few seconds of sound.

I locked it.

“Done,” I whispered.

“Stay away from the window.”

“Mara, what is — ”

“I can’t explain continue reading …