Grace heard the noise coming from upstairs and muted the television. She sat frozen, breath locked inside her chest. The noise sounded heavy and hollow. Like a footstep. The hackers had come. It was the people who had broken into Mom’s phone. Now they were here. They were upstairs. Thump! Grace jumped in her skin. It was a footstep, and it came from the room directly above her. Jessie’s room. She called her sister, but Jess didn’t answer. “Come home,” she texted. “Someone’s in the house.” She clicked on her mom’s number but didn’t call. Not yet. Jess would kill her. Grace rose from the couch and as quietly as possible walked to the base of the stairs. She stood there looking up, heart pounding. The hall lights were on. She thought she saw a shadow up there. She called Jess again. Again there was no answer. The hackers were blocking her calls. Grace began to tremble. She reasoned that she had three choices. Call Mom. Run to the Kramers’. Or go upstairs and confront whoever was there.
