Going Under Cover

Chapter 7

7

The smell was the first thing that hit me as I stepped reluctantly inside. I almost gagged at the horrid stench as it filled my nostrils. It was like something was rotting, like a gone-off butcher's shop.

Like a dead animal.

I gulped.

Maybe it was just Gale's new perfume?

I highly doubted it.

Closing my eyes for a second, I tried to regain my courage. I didn't want to go in, I wanted to run away screaming 'Mommy' at the top of my lungs. But I couldn't leave not knowing what exactly was going on. I had to find out, whether or not I liked the truth. I had to do this. It wasn't an option anymore.

I ordered my legs to move again and shockingly, they complied, even though they were shaking like they were in an earthquake or something of the such. I didn't want to admit it but I was scared, more terrified than I have ever been in my life. I will even say that I was more scared than the time I had a bad dream and caught my parents in the act. And that was pretty bad for a ten year old.

I checked the downstairs hall and the sitting room. I didn't want to open my mouth, that smell would get down my throat and stick there. I wasn't a vegetarian or anything but that smell would put me off meat any day of the week. It was horrendous.

The bathroom was empty too, even though the shower was running still. Why it was, I don't know but honestly, I didn't want to find out. Maybe she had gone upstairs for a towel? Maybe the house was getting too hot with the running water so she decided to open the door?

Even I couldn't manage to convince myself.

I stepped back out into the hallway and eyed the stairs warily. Did I really want to go up? No, I didn't. But I had come this far and couldn't back down now. Gale had to be found, even if she was naked and searching for a towel. I would feel better knowing that she was fine and safe, even though in the long-run I would probably be scarred for life if I seen every part of her womanhood. Now that was something to have nightmares to.

A bang from upstairs drew me from my thoughts on a wrinkled, old woman.

I swallowed.

Please let that be Gale just getting a towel.

Another thud followed and then a third. By now, I found that I should have called the police up. It would have been the intelligent thing to do. They should be informed so that they could do their job. What if this was another break-in after all? What if the outcome was a bad as the first?

I shook my head, begging myself not to imagine what could have been happening when I was just downstairs.

I decided to just take the leap and I ran up as fast as I could before I could back out of it. Only one door was open, I noticed as I reached the landing, the second door on the right. That was where I should go first, I knew that. All I could do was hope that my adrenaline would kick in anytime now.

And it did.

I skulked closer to the door, hearing another bang. I ducked and covered my head with my hands.

Like no one would see you, I chided myself as I slowly removed my hands. My reflexes had just come into play and my thoughts had immediately went to the cartoon 'Lilo and Stitch'. It had thought me the 'Duck, cover and scream' technique and although I didn't scream, I figured I executed the other two steps pretty well. A tap on the shoulder was in order when I got out of this place.