My sister woke me up in the middle of the night. 3 AM.

“Hey… I can’t sleep. Can you?” she whispered.

My heart was already pounding. The cat hadn’t stopped crying. And now she was shaking me awake?

“I can’t…” I murmured.

“Can you come sleep with me?” she asked, voice trembling. “I… I feel like someone touches me every night.”

I froze. My family believes in spirits. If there was one in her room, it meant someone brought it—or it followed. Even though I was scared, I felt bad.

“Okay,” I said.

I followed her to her room. She lay on one bed, and I lay on the other. I tried to sleep.

The cat was still crying. Not near her window. Not outside. Still at the door.

My heart shook, but my mind whispered, "You’re safe for now…"

I had to choose: the crying cat outside the door... or the spirit inside her room.