a woman in a white dress standing in a hallway

At midnight, Sarah heard her mother calling from the kitchen. Half-asleep, she stumbled downstairs and called out, “Mom?” The voice replied softly, “In here, sweetie.” But as Sarah entered, she froze--her real mother stood at the counter, wide-eyed and trembling. “I heard it too,” her mother whispered, gripping her arm tightly. “But that’s not me calling.” From the dark doorway, the voice called again, sharper now, “Sarah… come here.” The lights flickered, casting eerie shadows, and Sarah felt her blood run cold as the voice hissed, “I’m waiting…”