Chapter 1 - THE THREE knocks at midnight

I didn't believe in anything paranormal—until last winter. It was around 11:40 PM, and I was alone at home. My parents had gone to attend a wedding in another town, and I had stayed back because of school. Everything felt normal at first. I was watching videos, scrolling on my phone, just like any other night. Then the power went out. At first, I thought it was just a regular outage. It happens sometimes. I turned on my phone flashlight and went to check the main switch. Everything seemed fine. But as I walked back to my room, I heard something—a soft knock. Three taps. Slow and clear. I froze. It came from the front door. I checked the time—11:52 PM. No one was supposed to come. Still, I slowly walked toward the door and asked, "Who is it?" No reply. I looked through the small gap near the curtain. There was no one outside. The street was empty. As I turned to go back, the knocking came again. This time louder. Three taps. My heart started racing. I didn't open the door. Instead, I stepped back quietly. That's when I heard something else—a whisper. Not from outside—from inside the house. Right behind me. I turned around instantly, but no one was there. The room felt colder suddenly. My phone flashlight flickered for a second. Then, very clearly, I heard my name. I ran to my room and locked the door. I didn't sleep that night. I just sat there, staring at the door, waiting for morning. When my parents returned the next day, I told them everything. They said it was probably my imagination. But even now, sometimes late at night, I still hear those three knocks. Slow. Patient. Waiting.