The Second Knock

*A Knock on the Door*

The eldest daughter heard it again. This time, however, the sound didn’t come from the front door but from inside her own room. She put down her book, her brow slightly furrowed.

"Could it be Mother stopping by? Or…"

She remembered how she had recently opened the door to a guest herself. Since then, he had lingered nearby—footsteps in the hallway, barely audible voices. And now, this knock. It was unlikely her mother came for no reason.

She stood up and quickly scanned the room—was everything in its place? Her gaze lingered on the book she had left on the bed, as though it could somehow protect her from the unexpected visit.

Adjusting her hair and steadying herself, she reached for the handle. Her heart began to race as she slowly cracked the door open, sensing that something important—or dangerous—awaited her on the other side...