The Basement Incident
Carol offered to babysit while I ran errands. Ryan was working late. Max followed me to the door, whining.
“She’s their grandmother,” I whispered, stroking his head. “It’s okay.”
But it wasn’t.
Halfway through my grocery list, an unease crawled under my skin like static. I abandoned my cart and sped home. As I stepped onto the porch, I heard it—Max barking, wild and frantic.
The house was too quiet.
Then—scratching.
I flung open the basement door and froze.
There were my children, sitting in the dark, tear-streaked and scared. Carol stood beside them, startled, clutching a flashlight. “They just wanted to play hide-and-seek,” she said too quickly.
Max barreled past me and curled himself protectively around Lily.
That was the moment I knew.
