Pāhonoa te oro

The sound wasn’t from the front door. It was… behind me. From the wall. I live on the top floor. No neighbors above, none behind that wall—just open air and the alley six stories below. So I did what any rational person would do. I ignored it. I laid back down, pulled the blanket over my head, and told myself it was pipes… or the building settling… or anything that didn’t involve something being where it shouldn’t be. Minutes passed. Silence. I almost fell asleep again.