After months overseas, Sergeant Daniel Hayes finally returned home for Christmas, his duffel bag heavy with souvenirs and gifts for his family.
He kicked off his boots by the door, the familiar smell of pine and cinnamon filling his senses. Every corner of the house felt like a memory—soft, comforting, safe. He smiled, imagining his little sister tearing open presents and his mother fussing over the dinner table.
Then he went to the bedroom to change out of his uniform.
That’s when he saw it.
Hanging in the wardrobe, among his shirts and jackets, was a man’s jacket he didn’t recognize. Dark, leather, the kind of jacket no one in his family owned. His chest tightened, a cold knot forming in his stomach.
He reached out, fingers trembling, brushing against the fabric. His mind raced: Who had been in his home while he was away? Who did this jacket belong to?
A muffled sound from the kitchen—was that laughter? Or the TV? He wasn’t sure. The house, so familiar just moments ago, suddenly felt like a stranger’s place.
Daniel’s Christmas joy froze into a sharp, unshakable tension. The night was supposed to be warm, bright, and full of family cheer… but now it was full of questions, fear, and the unnerving certainty that something wasn’t right.
