The Empty House

The house was unusually quiet that afternoon. Bethany had already noticed that nobody else seemed to be around. Brooke was nowhere to be seen, Sarah had apparently gone out, and the usual sounds of family members moving through the rooms were completely absent.

For once, the entire house seemed almost frozen in silence. Bethany knew that only she and Larry were there, and the strange quietness made the atmosphere feel different from normal.

Larry was sitting on the sofa, looking at his phone. He seemed completely comfortable, as if nothing unusual was happening. Bethany watched him for a few seconds before deciding to start a conversation.

Bethany’s Question

Bethany walked into the room and casually looked at Larry. She wanted to see whether she could get a reaction out of him.

Larry looked up from his phone. He paused for a moment, apparently unsure where the question was going.

Bethany raised an eyebrow.

Larry shrugged.

Bethany laughed quietly. She had expected a longer reaction, but Larry seemed determined not to give her one.

An Awkward Conversation

Bethany sat nearby and continued teasing him with questions. Larry tried to keep the conversation simple, but Bethany was clearly enjoying how uncomfortable the situation was becoming.

“Sure,” Bethany answered with a smile.

After a moment, her expression became more serious. She admitted that sometimes she worried about how much she had changed and whether people noticed those changes.

Bethany looked at him. She had expected another joke, but Larry’s answer sounded sincere. For several seconds, neither of them said anything.

The Unexpected Sound

Suddenly, a loud noise came from the front door.

Both Bethany and Larry immediately looked toward the hallway.

Another knock followed.

This time, the sound was much louder. The playful mood from a few moments earlier disappeared completely.

Larry stood up and walked toward the hallway. Bethany followed behind him, trying to figure out who could possibly be outside.

The Lights Go Out

Just as Larry reached the hallway, the lights suddenly went out.

Bethany froze.

“I’m here,” he answered.

A few seconds later, the lights came back on. Larry immediately checked his phone and looked toward the front door.

Bethany’s earlier confidence had disappeared. The house no longer felt quiet and peaceful. It felt as if someone outside was deliberately trying to get their attention.

Someone Knows They’re Inside

The two slowly approached the front door. Larry looked through the nearby window, but there was nobody clearly visible outside.

Bethany reached toward the door handle but stopped before opening it. She looked at Larry as if waiting for him to decide what they should do.

Then a voice came from the other side.

Bethany’s expression immediately changed.

Larry looked at her, and neither of them spoke.

There was only one question running through both their minds: Who was standing outside the door, and how did that person know that they were alone?