Pāhonoa te oro

The knocking started at 2:17 a.m. [pause 1.5s] Three slow taps. [pause 1s] Not at the door. [pause 1s] From inside the wall. [pause 2s] I froze. Listening. [pause 1.5s] Knock… knock… knock. [pause 1.5s] Same spot. Right behind my bed. [pause 2s] I told myself it was pipes. Old house. Nothing else. [pause 1.5s] Then it knocked again. Louder. [pause 1.5s] And this time… [pause 1s] it scratched. [pause 2s] Slow. Dragging. [pause 1.5s] Like fingernails. [pause 2s]