Shadow On The Shore

Chapter 3: The Beach House Escape

The next morning, Sarah awoke to the sound of seagulls and the soft, persistent crashing of waves against the shore. She rubbed her eyes and glanced around her small bedroom, momentarily forgetting the strange circumstances of their summer at the beach house. The room, with its old wooden furniture and faded curtains, felt like a relic from the past.

She dressed quickly and made her way to the kitchen, where John and Lisa were already sitting at the kitchen table, sipping on mugs of coffee. Their conversation ceased abruptly when Sarah entered the room, and an awkward silence settled over them.

"Good morning," Sarah muttered, trying to break the tension.

"Good morning, sweetheart," John replied, a hint of forced cheerfulness in his voice.

Lisa flashed a tight-lipped smile before diverting her gaze back to her coffee. As Sarah ate her breakfast in near silence, she couldn't help but wonder what her father and Lisa were planning for the summer. They had mentioned a surprise, and the suspense was gnawing at her. She was determined to find out more.

After breakfast, Sarah decided to explore the beach house. She roamed from room to room, taking in the eclectic decor and faded photographs on the walls. As she inspected the windows, she noticed something unsettling—they were all sealed shut with heavy bolts from the outside.

Her heart began to race as she realized that the only way to secure the windows like this was from the outside. Panic washed over her as she rushed to the front door, only to find it locked with a deadbolt that required a key from the inside. She tried the back door with the same result—locked from the inside.

Sarah's mind raced. She felt a growing sense of unease. Why would her father and Lisa lock all the doors and windows from the outside? It didn't make any sense. She hurried to her bedroom, searching for her cell phone to call for help, but it was nowhere to be found.

Panic turned to dread as Sarah realized the truth—she was trapped in the beach house. She dashed back to the kitchen, her heart pounding, and confronted her father and Lisa. "Why are all the doors and windows locked from the outside? What's going on here?"

John and Lisa exchanged uneasy glances, their expressions tense.

"It's just a safety precaution," John explained, his voice unconvincing. "We thought it would be best to keep the doors and windows secured, especially at night. There are somewild animals in the area."

Sarah's scepticism was evident. "Wild animals? Dad, this isn't a cabin in the middle of the wilderness. It's a beach house. And what about my phone? Why can't I find it?"

Lisa chimed in, "I'm sure your phone will turn up. It's probably just misplaced. Don't worry."

But Sarah wasn't reassured. She knew something was seriously wrong. She felt like a prisoner in her own family's vacation home.

Determined to uncover the truth, Sarah decided to investigate further. She would need to find a way to unlock the doors and windows from the outside. As she ventured back into the beach house's labyrinthine interior, she couldn't shake the feeling that something sinister was afoot.

Sarah began her search in the living room, hoping to find clues about the locks and any keys that might exist. She rifled through old books and magazines on the shelves, peered under couch cushions, and even checked inside drawers, but there was no sign of any keys.

Frustrated and growing more anxious by the minute, Sarah retraced her steps to the kitchen, where she noticed a small utility closet near the back door. She had overlooked it earlier, but now it seemed like a promising place to search for keys.

With trembling hands, she opened the closet door. Inside, she found an assortment of cleaning supplies, beach gear, and a toolbox. Her heart sank as she realized that the toolbox might hold the key—literally—to unlocking the doors and windows.

She picked up the toolbox, her hands trembling, and flipped open the lid. To her relief, she found a set of keys, each labeled with the names of the corresponding doors and windows. It was as if her father and Lisa had prepared for this scenario, knowing she would eventually try to escape.

Taking a deep breath, Sarah pocketed the keys and considered her options. She knew she couldn't confront her father and Lisa about her discovery. Instead, she needed to bide her time, gather more information, and find out what was really going on.

As she closed the utility closet door and walked back to her room, Sarah couldn't help but feel a newfound sense of determination. She was trapped in the beach house, but she was no longer helpless. The answers she sought were within her reach, and she was determined to uncover the truth.