Then I heard it—a soft whimper, barely audible. Not the sound of an intruder or a malevolent creature, but of something… someone who was afraid.

I glanced back at Murphy, who was still intensely focused on the space under the bed but showed no signs of aggression or alarm. This gave me a sliver of courage. If Murphy wasn’t barking or growling, maybe whatever—or whoever—was under there wasn’t a threat.

Steeling myself, I lowered my voice to a calm, soothing tone. “Hello? Who’s there?”