Within the walls – Part 2

I don’t know what I felt first, my stomach sink to my feet like I was riding a roller coaster  or my heart pounding so loud that I could feel the pounding of blood being pumped through my veins up into my brain. I could feel my pulse on top of my skin as I struggled to breathe for fear they would hear me. I didn’t know where to run as suggested. I didn’t even know if I could move at all. I stood there looking around me for some sign of where the writing in the dust came from. Every sense was heightened so much that it drowned out all common sense. All rational thinking of what I should do next. I was frozen incapable of anything.

I had to snap myself from this state and closed my eyes for the briefest second.

Maddie, calm down, breathe, think, think

But no solution became my savior! I became paralyzed by my own fear. My mouth was so dry it felt like it was full of sand yet I could feel beads of sweat running down my face. . Again, for the briefest moment I closed my eyes. Not two seconds later I heard the footsteps on the verandah, heavy footsteps like they were running. I turned to see who was coming but there was nothing there. It was clear there was someone inside after my things were taken and I had no idea where they were but I was clueless as to where they were now. Was that who was running behind me outside the homestead. I knew there was more than one as I had heard the whispers?

I stood there and looked around and saw the front yard outside the house was like a ghost town with nothing but dying hedges and dusty grounds. The sun was disappearing behind the silhouettes of the tall half dead gum trees and I struggled to see past them from the sun in my eyes. I turned my head back to the inside of the house. It too, was void of movement. My attempt to hear anything was muted by the sound of my heartbeat still thundering through my ears. Anxiety was at its peak by now and I was still at a loss as to my next move.

Again I walked into the sitting area and sat on top of the dusty sheet. I needed to let my heart rate settle and come to some decision. Should I leave and walk to a nearest pay phone or house without any knowledge of where I was headed or should I stay and wait for the girls knowing someone was here. I didn’t know if there was someone still outside after the footsteps on the stairs that I had just heard. It was in a terrifying position with no idea what to do.

After a few moments, my heart rate had settled. I decided I would never be able to stay so I decided to look for a phone by walking. The thing was my head was saying leave but my body wouldn’t move.

You can do this Maddie, Just walk!

I took a deep breath and began my way towards the front door. Again my heart stopped when I saw a shadow run behind the window leading through to the veranda. I stopped dead in my tracks. I had no choice but to stay! Someone was out there and I was trapped. My fingertips found my temples as my head began to throb. I bowed my head and again I noticed writing written in the dirty dust on the floorboards just inside the door. Two words this time. They read,

‘TOO LATE!’