ଭାଗିଦାରୀ ଧ୍ୱନି

Listening. I held my breath… And it copied me. Every inhale. Every tiny sound. Then I whispered, “Hello?” And it whispered back— “Hello?” Almost my voice. Almost. The wall began to stretch. A face pressed outward from inside. My face. Smiling wrong. Its mouth opened. “Don’t knock back,” it said. I ran. I thought I was safe. But the next night, at 2:17… Knock. Knock. Knock. Not from the wall. From behind me.