Pāhonoa te oro

The handle slowly turned. Not by me. By something on the other side. I jumped back. My heart felt like it was going to explode. The door creaked open slightly. Just enough for darkness to spill out. But it wasn’t normal darkness. It looked… alive. Like it was moving. Shifting. Breathing. I couldn’t see inside. But I could feel it. Something was there. Watching me. Then— A voice. Soft. Whispering. “Come in.”