The peace was shattered at exactly 12:45 AM by a sharp, sudden knock on Chloe’s bedroom door that made both teenagers jump in terror. “Chloe, are you awake? I heard a noise,” her mother’s voice called out, sounding much closer than it should have been. Panic seized Chloe as she desperately pointed Leo toward the small, cramped closet filled with winter coats and old boxes. Leo scrambled inside just as the door handle began to turn, clicking with a sound that felt as loud as a gunshot in the quiet room. Chloe threw herself back onto her pillows, pretending to be half-asleep, her heart racing so fast she was sure her mother could see it beating through her pajamas. Her mother walked in, her eyes scanning the room with a suspicious, analytical intensity that she usually reserved for the courtroom. She approached the window, noticed it was slightly unlatched, and frowned, her hand hovering near the very closet where Leo was holding his breath in the dark.
