The figure was halfway through, their bulk bent over the ledge and partially concealed by the curtains their body was bulging out. Were they wearing a cloak?

Maggie lunged for Penny. She scooped her out of her crib and clasped her tight as the figure’s weight landed on the carpet and shuddered the floorboards. As they stood, the hood of their dark blue poncho glistened from the rain.

Maggie yelled then. An incoherent warning that came from deep inside her. She hoped it would briefly startle them.

The figure froze, and Maggie saw blue surgical gloves clutching a carving knife. Her shoulder butted hard into the doorframe as she reversed from the nursery.

Get back to the bedroom. Lock the door, she thought.

Fingers seized her bob of dark hair. Maggie twisted her head, clutched Penny to her chest and crouched as she made for her open bedroom door.

But the hand was yanking her back.

Maggie could feel and hear the roots of her hair rip. She jerked her body sideways to escape and slammed into the banister slats.

She was on one knee, the carpet burning it as her attacker lurched with her. Their wet bulk was on her back, but the grip hadn’t loosened. Maggie cradled Penny with one arm and turned awkwardly to hit out at the face behind her.

Her fist connected with their throat, and she caught a glimpse of the features within the hood as they reacted to the pain. Maggie whipped her head away from the rubber fingers, grabbed one of the banister slats and used it to heave herself to her feet. She could see the knife on the carpet to the right of her but knocked it with her foot to the left. It slid through the banister and dropped down the stairs.

A hand grasped her ankle and tugged her back. She wrapped her arms around Penny as she fell and tried not to crush her.

‘Get off me!’ Rage crowded out her fear as she turned and kicked back at the figure with her free foot. Maggie’s bare sole connected with an arm reaching out to her.

Maggie kicked again, and this time caught their chin. As they grunted, she wrenched her ankle from their grip and slid away on her behind. She held Penny tight to her chest.

But they pounced at her again, crawling forward on all fours to intercept her before she could enter the bedroom. A hand tried to secure her leg once more, and Maggie kicked at it as she slammed her back against the wall beside the door.

Maggie turned and jammed her free elbow back as the figure tried to stop her getting inside. She heard the breath pushed out of them, smelt their sourness as she stood, grappled with the edge of the door and attempted to shut it.

The figure was blocking it, and Maggie pushed harder. But her weight was squashing Penny. If she repositioned herself, however, it would be the tiny release of pressure they needed to get in.

Maggie could hear Penny snuffling and starting to cry against her breast. Her bare feet slid on the carpet as the figure drove their weight against the panel.

‘You’re not coming in here!’ Maggie snarled through bared teeth and pedalled with her feet, trying to concentrate all of her energy into the shoulder blade that was above Penny.

Her attacker puffed air as they rammed themselves repeatedly against the wood.

Maggie waited for the gap between the blows to the door and turned swiftly, bashing her spine against it and digging her heels in. She now had Penny in a safer position.

Maggie could see her cell phone on the nightstand. It was only about four feet away, but there was no way she could pick it up. The figure threw itself at the door, and the impact juddered her chest and lifted her from the panel before she lodged herself in place again.

She leaned back harder and felt the door slide half into the frame. But the expanded wood wouldn’t close flush. The door cracked with another blow, and Maggie prepared for their next run up. She battered the side of her body against the door, crying out as it banged shut. Maggie quickly turned the key in the lock.

Their fists were against the panel now, banging repeatedly with frustration and almost splitting the wood.

Maggie backed away, unsure how long it would hold.

‘Ssshhh, ssshhh.’ Maggie tried to placate Penny, but her daughter’s mouth had widened, and the dry scrape of tears had turned into a howl.

The noise at the door didn’t abate.

Maggie sat on the edge of her bed with Penny and regarded her cell again. There was definitely no way she would use it.

She’d seen the face of her attacker and, even though Maggie hadn’t recognised it, knew she couldn’t call the police on her.

‘Ssshhh, ssshhh.’