Until it was dim outside the window.

I came to the door again.

I must find out the truth.

I gently opened the door.

The living room was eerily quiet.

I was afraid of alerting anyone, so I didn't turn on the ceiling light.

Using the light from a flashlight, I scanned the living room.

I saw water droplets dripping on the floor.

The trail of water started from the security door and continued all the way to my parents' bedroom.

They really went out for a swim.

I continued to search for clues.

On the shoe rack, I saw my parents' travel shoes.

The soles were covered in damp sand.

I deduced that they didn't go to the swimming pool; otherwise, their shoes wouldn't be so dirty.

By analyzing the composition of the soil, I could roughly determine where they had been.

Lost in thought, I secretly took out a plastic bag, squatted on the ground, and used a ruler to scrape off the sand from the shoe soles.

"Xiao Mei!"

Mom's angry shout suddenly appeared in my ears.

I was so frightened that my legs went weak, and I fell to the ground.

"What are you doing?"

Mom approached me step by step.

With one hand behind my back, I anxiously grabbed the plastic bag and stuffed it into the pocket of my pajamas.

"M-Mom... I-I'm looking for my phone."

I shook the flashlight, illuminating Mom.

I was stunned.

Mom's body didn't move.

She didn't walk towards me.

Her neck kept elongating.

Twisted and eerily long, like a slippery poisonous snake.

Her head got closer and closer to me.

Her wet, long hair covered half of her face.

Her skin swelled, as if soaked in water for days, showing a slight gigantism.

A blood-red eyeball filled her entire eye socket.

"Xiao Mei, what's wrong with you?"

Mom's terrifying and distorted face was already close to my forehead.

Cold sweat broke out on my spine.

I forced a faint smile.

"Mom, I'm really looking for my phone. Unfortunately, Dad hid it too well, and I couldn't find it."

"Go back to sleep quickly, good child. Early to bed, early to rise."

"Okay, I understand."

I tried to keep my voice calm, without any flaws.

I held the flashlight tightly with one hand and kept the other hand in my pocket.

I stood up.

Mom's head also floated upward.

"Goodnight, Mom."

I forced a smile.

Mom's neck started to retract, getting shorter and shorter.

She watched me walk back to the bedroom.

When I closed the door, I glanced at her secretly.

Her head returned to its original state.

Her neck was intact.

No signs of twisting or deformation.

She really wasn't my mom.