A Knock at Midnight
277 Words
Chapter 39: A Knock at Midnight
It was nearly midnight when the knock came—sharp, deliberate, and far too calm for someone visiting that late.
Lena jolted awake from the couch, still dressed in her sweater and jeans, the remnants of an unfinished dinner cold on the coffee table. The apartment was quiet, save for the ticking wall clock and the low hum of the refrigerator.
Another knock.
She sat up, heart pounding. Jay wasn’t home yet. He’d said he had something to take care of—again—but he’d promised to return before dark.
“Jay?” she called out instinctively, though she knew it couldn’t be him.
The knock came once more. Three slow raps.
Lena approached the door cautiously. She peeked through the peephole—and her breath caught.
A woman stood outside. Tall. Sleek black coat. Crimson lipstick that didn’t smudge, even under the porch light. Her eyes, when they lifted to the peephole, seemed to look through it as if she knew Lena was there.
“Hello?” the woman called, her voice smooth and chilling. “Is this where Jay lives now?”
Lena’s blood ran cold.
She didn’t answer. Didn’t move. She just pressed her back against the door, silent, heart racing.
“I don’t bite,” the woman said softly, almost amused. “But I do talk. I’d like to talk to you, Lena.”
How did she know her name?
“I’m Ava.”
The name struck like a slap across the face.
Jay’s past had just knocked on her door.
And it had a voice, a body, and a smile sharp enough to draw blood.
- Writer
