C337 Mother and Daughter

"Knock, knock, knock..."

The sound of knocking echoed, but the room remained silent.

A woman's lilting voice wafted through the door, off-key as if mimicking an opera singer: "My dear... why won't you open the door for me?"

In a corner of the bed, a mother and daughter clung to each other, shivering, too terrified to utter a sound.

"Yiya, curse it... My dear!"

The knocking resumed