00:00I used to sleep with the door cracked, just enough to let the hallway breathe.
00:06The house had a way of inhaling when the wind changed, a wet, patient draw through vents and
00:12keyholes. On the nights my mother worked late and my brother's room stayed empty,
00:18the stairwell clicked in a rhythm like a throat swallowing. I told myself it was pipes. I told
00:25myself the dog. Somewhere between those explanations, the humming began, low and warm,
00:33as if someone loved me. It was a sound that sparked my curiosity, a wonder that kept me awake.
00:42You'd be surprised what comforts you when you're five and the stairs keep counting.
00:48I learned the tune before I learned the words. I never knew the words or the source of the humming.
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