Matt was traveling for work.  I was home alone after dark sitting in the living room when I heard a noise.  A noise I can’t quite describe, but it is the sound of horror films—a metallic scratching and thudding.  My heart jumped to my throat because I knew I was going to die.  This was definitely the sound from the movies right before someone gets it, and I was hearing it in real life.  Who would do this to torture me?  Had I locked all the doors?  I was pretty sure I had.

I followed the noise, not knowing whether that was the right move.  I tiptoed through the house in a terror trance.  The noise pulled me through the kitchen […]