Every night, the house grew louder. The settling sounds changed. They were no longer the creaks of wood contracting; they were scratching sounds. Tick. Scritch. Tap.
Not all cracks are created equal. You can generally categorize them by their "personality": cracks in walls around windows
Window frames (especially uPVC or metal) expand and contract with temperature changes. The surrounding wall materials do so at a different rate, leading to hairline cracks over time. Every night, the house grew louder
Windows represent a structural "gap" in your wall, making the surrounding area a natural concentration point for stress. " the voice giggled
"Run," the voice giggled, seemingly from the very air in the room. "Find a room with no windows."