Chapter 5 - A Sleepless Night
The grandfather clock in the hallway chimed three times, signaling the darkest hour of the night. Arthur sat in his armchair with a loaded hunting rifle resting across his knees. He had locked every door and window, but he still felt horribly exposed. Every creak of the cabin’s wooden frame made his finger twitch toward the trigger. Upstairs, Lily was trapped in a restless sleep, tossing and turning under her heavy quilts. Suddenly, a soft scratching sound came from the front porch. Arthur stood up slowly, keeping his eyes fixed on the sturdy oak door. A voice whispered through the keyhole, sounding exactly like Mason. It begged Arthur to let him in, claiming it was cold outside. Arthur closed his eyes, remembering the broken spelling on the warning note. He knew the real Mason would never come back this easily. He ignored the voice until the scratching finally faded away into the dawn.
