The knocking strikes up a typhoon of anxiety and dread. The promise of a sudden, uncontrollable change is overwhelming within this fractured psyche.
Do not move the chain. Shy away from the deadbolt. There’s nothing out there for you. If I never move aside the curtains, this would be a certainty.
Give them nothing they want. Splatter black over the peephole. Let them wonder. Let them envy. Make them wish they knew your thoughts.