You wake a minute before your alarm.

3:17 AM.

Your room is dark. No light is on, yet something is casting a clear shadow on the wall beside your bed.

At first, you think your eyes are playing tricks on you.

Then you notice it.

The shadow does not follow your breathing. It does not move when you do.

From the other side of your bedroom door, something knocks once.

Then again.

The shadow on the wall slowly turns its head toward the door, then back to you. It raises one finger to its lips.

A voice comes from the darkness—low, cold, and unnaturally close.

“Don’t look at the handle.”

“Whatever is outside… it has not noticed you yet.”