The Strange Sounds
It started as a quiet, ordinary afternoon. Edduin, my three-year-old son, was in his room, having just been put down for his afternoon nap. The house was calm, the hum of the refrigerator and the soft whirr of the ceiling fan the only sounds breaking the silence. I went about my usual routine, tidying up the living room and folding laundry. The peace was exactly what I needed. Life had been hectic lately with work, errands, and everything in between, and I cherished these quiet moments when I could relax.

But then, I heard it.

At first, I thought it was the sound of Edduin talking to himself, maybe making up a little game in his crib. But as I listened more closely, I realized that the sound wasn’t coming from him at all. It was laughter. Soft giggles, like someone was in the room with him.

A cold shiver ran down my spine as I froze, standing still in the middle of the hallway. The laughter continued, innocent and playful, but it didn’t make sense. No one else was supposed to be here. The only other person who lived with us was my husband, Mark, and he was out running errands.