Then It Happened Every Night
Thursday.
2:17 a.m.
Friday.
2:17 a.m.
Saturday.
2:17 a.m.
The porch light switched on.
By 2:30, it was always off again.
Claire mentioned it to Mr. Patterson.
He laughed.
“Probably a timer.”
“At exactly 2:17?”
“Timers can be programmed for anything.”
That explanation made sense.
Except Claire had lived there for three weeks before the light started.
She asked whether someone had recently visited the house.
Mr. Patterson said no.
Claire decided she was overthinking it.
Then her doorbell camera recorded something.
Someone Came Out of the House
Sunday morning, Claire received a motion alert from approximately 2:20 a.m.
She opened the recording.
The image was grainy because the person was across the street.
But someone was clearly standing on the porch of Number 417.
A figure wearing dark clothing.
They remained perfectly still for several seconds.
Then they walked down the driveway.
Claire zoomed in.
The person crossed the yard.
Instead of walking toward the sidewalk, they disappeared behind the house.
Claire watched the clip three times.
Someone was inside.
