As if an alarm had been set, something woke Sam up just past midnight again. He listened with his eyes closed and his sheet pulled up to his chin. There were no screams, or running footsteps. Eyelids spread open a crack. The light under his door was unbroken. But something had woken him, and in the darkness of the room, his imagination began to run wild.

When a distinct thud entered his ears, he was not entirely sure if he had actually heard anything. The light flickered just a little as he was staring at it, and he became sure he had not imagined it. Crawling across the floor, he put his eye to the gap, as he had done so many times since arriving at the manor. There was nobody there, and he was just pulling away when he realized that something looked off. His eye went back, and he could just make out that the door across the hall was slightly crooked. No, not crooked, but ajar. There was no light shining out of the room, and he strained his eyes to see something through the tiny opening. The door swung open suddenly, and Sam threw himself backward, scuttling across the floor until his back hit his dresser. His heart raced in his chest, and his breathing stopped entirely when the light under his door disappeared.

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A sound so quiet, yet it went straight into his ears and pounded behind his eyes. Whatever was blocking the light moved, and a sharp scraping sound led away from his door and down the hall, heading toward the stairs. Sam didn't move the rest of the night. He hugged his knees tightly and stared at the little strip of light, trying not to blink in case he missed something.

When the light from the windows brightened, signaling the coming of the morning, Sam let his eyes close. Knowing that the light was fake didn't stop it from being comforting. Hunched on the bare floor, back against the unforgiving sides of the dresser, Sam fell asleep.

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The sound of the door unlocking came what felt like seconds later. The room was much brighter, though, so Sam knew he had slept a little. He did not move until he heard the familiar shuffling of many feet outside. He groaned loudly. Staying in that position all night was a bad idea. His back was screaming.

Sam was concentrating so hard on moving gingerly to ease the strain on his stiff muscles that he did not hear a lone set of footsteps stop outside his door. When a firm knock sounded, he jumped, and a squeal slipped out when his back seized.

"Sam? Are you okay? I'm coming in!"

He recognized Chiro's voice and calmed down enough to walk the two steps to his bed and slowly lower himself down to the edge of the mattress.

"Are you alright? What happened?" Chiro let himself in, his nose scrunched up. "That cleaner is so ready strong. Did you clean your door?"

"I didn't," Sam said with a groan. Sitting was not relieving the pain in his back. He explained how he ended up on the floor all night and the things he saw and heard. Chiro pinched his lips together and looked through Sam's open door to the closed door across the hall.

"I didn't see Manus walk past while waiting for you."

"Manus?" Even as he said the name, Sam knew it was the dour man who lived in that room. The only one who talked to him was Chiro, so that was the only name he knew. "Oh, him. I don't know."

Sam tried to rise, but didn't get past leaning forward before giving up. He could hear Chiro step into the hall, but his eyes were focused on the floor, a scowl twisting his face and pain tightening the skin around his eyes.

Chiro scurried back in, hissing, "Butler is coming," seconds before another voice spoke from the doorway.

"Why are you both here and not at meal?"

Chiro quickly explained that Sam had slept funny and hurt his back. Butler's indifferent voice told him to leave, and Chiro argued but was sent on his way.

Sam tried to answer the questions. No, he didn't lift anything heavy while working the day before. Yes, it was just his lower back. No, he just had a nightmare and must have twisted himself or something. Butler left and came back a few minutes later with a fresh glass of water and two square-shaped white pills. He was not gentle as he helped Sam lay down on the mattress, but he was patient. The pills must have been for more than just pain because Sam was asleep before the door closed behind Butler.