Secret Lives

Chapter 29, New Start

Chapter 29

Time froze around us as the midday sun led me closer to the cabin.

Walking slowly, I was alert for anymore traps figuring bombs would not be placed so close to the structure.

Pausing at the foot of the stairs which led to the makeshift veranda, I hesitated.  The uncertainty held me back, both men had let me do this alone; their bodies still stood a few metres away.

Taking the first step with a shaky step, the loud creak had me jumping up the rest; the few steps being no effort.

Standing on the porch, the tension was building.  The moment reflecting that of a movie as I approached the wooden door, surprised when I could simply push it open.

Giving it a gentle nudge, I stepped back expecting something bad to happen.

The weight of the door caused it to creak open, the darkness itself on the other side was not promising, the feeling of another trap waiting, haunting me.

 ‘Go inside, we’ll be here’.

Giving me a reassuring nod, when I looked back Mitch looked certain that I should do this alone.

The few scents that wafted out gave me small hope, the stale one of Chris still lingering in the air.

Slinking through the open doorway, I popped my head in and looked around to see the room empty.

Feeling the hope in my stomach disappear, I took another few steps until I was all the way inside.  Each floor board creaked under my light weight, my eyes catching the small window which let in sunlight in the corner.

Reaching the centre of the room, a small couch was pressed against the front wall, a mini television sitting on a small table nearby.

Looking to my right was a makeshift kitchen with another small door I assumed led to a bathroom.

Following the familiar scents behind the small counter into the kitchen, I caught sight of a small wooden frame on the floor, the faded picture being of Chris and I many years ago.

The picture was taken only a few hours before I had shifted for the first time, I now understood why Chris had been so persistent to get that picture of my birthday; he had known what was coming.

The darkness of the house was certainly unsettling the more I explored, now turning to go back into the main part, movement there caught my attention.

Turning quickly and letting out a throaty growl, I knew Mitch and Brad had not followed me in, which only meant someone was in here with me.

With better light it would have been easier to see exactly what caught my attention but I was lucky not to trip on the various items left on the floor as I headed back to the centre of the room.

‘Is everything okay Sonya’?

Mitch sounded concerned like he’d felt my heart rate pick up with uncertainty.

‘Someone is here with me; I’m searching for them now’.

To say I was afraid was an understatement, I didn’t know what to expect.  Would Chris hide in the shadows like this?

Surely whoever this was had heard my warning and would back off.

The moment I was at the centre of the room again, my nose picked up a very strong scent of something, the smell alluring me further towards the couch,

I must have been distracted for only that few seconds, my nose following the trail until the thump behind me told me I had let my guard down too long.