Pāhonoa te oro

(very slow… whisper… tense) When I was a kid… I used to check under my bed every night. Just to make sure… nothing was there. (slight pause) Last night… I heard a voice. From under my bed. (silence) It sounded like… my mom. “Come here… there’s someone in your room.” (my breathing gets heavy) I froze. Because… my mom died… 3 years ago. (shaky whisper) Slowly… I leaned down… to look under the bed. (long pause) And I saw… myself. Curled up… shaking… whispering— “Don’t look at it… it already saw you