I came home from work and went into the bedroom.
My husband and sister were in bed, pulling the blanket up to their chins and staring at me.
I started to run away, but they shouted, “It’s not what you think!”
I looked back and realized they were…
watching a horror movie on my laptop, frozen in fear.

My sister peeked from under the blanket and said,
“Your speakers are so loud we didn’t hear you come in!”
My husband added, “We both got so scared we dove under the blanket.”

I stood there, heart pounding, half embarrassed, half relieved.
I glanced at the screen — it was The Conjuring.
Of course.

“Next time,” I said, “maybe text me before giving me a heart attack.”
We all burst out laughing, the tension gone.

Turns out, sometimes the scariest things…
are just really bad timing.