Chapter 2
Arman woke suddenly.
At first, he did not know why. The room was dark and silent. No sounds. No movement. Only the slow ticking of the clock on the wall.
Then he felt it.
That strange feeling again.
Like someone was watching.
He sat up in bed and looked around. Moonlight came through the window, painting thin lines across the floor. Everything looked normal, but his chest felt tight.
Beside him, Leena was asleep, her breathing soft and steady. Arman did not want to wake her, but the feeling would not go away.
He stood quietly and walked to the window.
Outside, the backyard was covered in silver light. The grass moved gently in the night breeze. The trees stood dark and tall at the edge of the forest.
Nothing moved.
Yet the silence felt heavy.
Too heavy.
Arman stepped back from the window and turned toward the hallway. He decided to check on the kids.
Mira's door was half open. She was lying on her side, her phone glowing faintly in her hand. She looked awake.
"Can't sleep?" Arman whispered.
She shook her head. "I heard something outside."
His stomach tightened. "What kind of something?"
"I don't know. Just… a sound. Like something walking in the grass."
Arman forced a calm smile. "Probably an animal. We are in the forest."
Mira did not look convinced.
Across the hall, Rian's door was open too. He was sitting on his bed, staring at the window.
"You too?" Arman asked.
Rian nodded. "I thought I was imagining it."
Arman was about to speak when a soft sound came from down the hallway.
Tap.
Tap.
Like tiny feet on the floor.
They all turned.
Liam stood there in his pajamas, holding his stuffed tiger tightly.
"Daddy," he whispered, his eyes wide. "Something outside."
Arman picked him up. "You had a bad dream, buddy."
Liam shook his head quickly. "No dream. I saw it."
Mira's heart began to beat faster. "Saw what?"
Liam pointed toward the stairs that led down to the living room. "The tiger."
The word hung in the air.
Arman carried Liam downstairs. Mira and Rian followed quietly.
The living room was dark except for the pale moonlight coming through the glass doors. The house looked peaceful, just as it had during the day.
Arman walked slowly toward the door.
Leena appeared behind them, worried. "What's going on?"
"Liam thinks he saw something," Arman said softly.
"I did see it," Liam insisted.
Arman lowered him and looked outside.
At first, he saw nothing.
Only shadows.
Trees.
Grass.
Then something moved near the forest.
Not fast.
Not loud.
Slow.
Controlled.
A shape stepped forward.
Orange.
Black.
Massive.
Arman froze.
The moonlight touched its face.
A tiger.
Real.
Alive.
Its eyes glowed like fire in the dark.
For a moment, no one breathed.
Then Leena gasped.
Mira grabbed Rian's arm.
The tiger took one step closer.
Arman whispered sharply, "Inside. Now."
They moved.
Not running yet—moving carefully, as if any sudden motion would make it attack.
Arman pushed the glass door shut and locked it. Then the second lock. Then the metal bar across the handle.
Rian ran to the windows and closed the curtains. Mira locked the side door. Leena picked Liam up, holding him tight against her chest.
The tiger walked into the open space of the yard.
Slow.
Powerful.
It stopped in front of the glass door.
And stared at them.
Its eyes were calm.
Cold.
Like it was studying them.
Like they were… prey.
Liam began to cry.
Leena covered his mouth gently. "Shh… it's okay… it's okay…"
But her voice shook.
The tiger lifted its head and sniffed the air. Its breath fogged the glass.
Rian whispered, "Why isn't it attacking?"
Arman swallowed. "Predators don't rush. They wait."
The tiger raised one paw and placed it against the glass.
Not hitting.
Not scratching.
Just touching.
Testing.
Mira felt her legs go weak. "It knows we're here."
"Yes," Arman said. "It does."
Leena's voice trembled. "What do we do?"
Arman pulled out his phone. "We call the owner. We call the police. Someone has to help."
No signal.
He moved closer to the window.
Still nothing.
"Try again," Leena said.
He did.
Nothing.
Mira checked her phone. "No service."
Rian tried his. "Mine too."
The tiger stepped back from the door and slowly walked along the front of the house, passing each window.
Watching.
Waiting.
Arman locked every door again. Then every window. He pulled the curtains tight, but he knew it did not matter.
They could still feel it.
Outside.
Leena whispered, "How did it get here?"
Mira remembered Liam's words from the morning. Tiger. Outside.
Her throat tightened.
The tiger returned to the glass door.
Closer than before.
Its eyes locked onto theirs.
The lights suddenly flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Then the house went dark.
"Dad—" Rian started.
"It's okay," Arman said quickly. "Stay together."
The moon was their only light now.
And in that pale glow…
…the tiger's eyes burned brighter.
Right in front of them.
So close they could see the lines on its face.
The slow movement of its chest.
The long teeth behind slightly opened jaws.
It lowered its body, crouching.
Not attacking.
Not leaving.
Waiting.
Like the night itself had brought it here.
Like this was not an accident.
The family stood frozen in the darkness, hearts pounding, breaths shallow.
Trapped inside.
And outside the glass…
…the tiger waited.