But the growls weren’t the only odd sounds. The baby monitor started picking up other noises too—unfamiliar ones that accompanied Whiskers’ defensive growls. But what were these sounds? Night after night, they found themselves reviewing the footage, trying to figure out the strange sounds that accompanied the cat’s growls. The sense of security they had hoped the baby monitor would provide was slowly replaced by a growing sense of unease.

The following night, a disconcerting noise joined the chorus of Whiskers’ persistent growls, barely audible but enough to catch Jennifer’s attention. She hastily woke up Julian, their hearts racing as they strained their ears to identify the mysterious sound. It lingered in the air, its origin as enigmatic as Whiskers’ perplexing behavior.