Pāhonoa te oro

I ran. I didn’t think. I didn’t look back. I just ran straight into my room and slammed the door shut. Locked it. Pushed my desk against it. My hands were shaking so badly I could barely breathe. Then— Footsteps. In the hallway. Slow. Heavy. Dragging slightly. Like something learning how to walk. I backed away from the door. Every step those footsteps took… Got louder. Closer. Closer. Until— They stopped. Right outside my door. Silence. And then… A knock. Three slow knoc