An Echo in the Night

A Door pounded.

The still of the night was erased, and the sound was eeriely echoed in the empty hallway.

A single shout began as the door was pounded harder and harder, the small home vibrating from the force.

The voice was small and high-pitched, terror and desperation showed by the croaky shrieks.

A woman walked quickly towards the door, utter confusion on her face,and a sickened shiver down her spine. Goosebumps run up her skin like a sickened breeze.

 No one had ever come to her  before in this situation, what could have happened? What on earth was she to do about it? Was SHE in danger?

The woman had been so desolate and detatched from the world for so many years that she was even surprised to have someone come anywhere near her bare and badly kept house. Over the long years the beautiful flowers that once grew there had withered, and the well kept and bright family home  the previous owners had trerished had turned into a bare and empty place. Many people in the town didn’t even know anyone lived in the house, the winding flowers that had once clung to the homes brick walls, had become extint on the property and replaced by a think thorny ivy that strangled the previous warmth.

She swung open the door to a little girl, her whole body in a blanket of moonlight, her eyes big and brown and long red locks twirled down her back.

“You must help me” she pleaded, gripping the womans long dark sleeve“I’m being chased....” she gulped, her brown eyes shining  back tears“By a man” she was on the verge of tears and pushed past the frozen woman, running down the long hallway and into the depths of the small home.

The woman watched in confusion at the girl. She was small and wore an olden lacy white dress, the hem was coated with a thick layer of fresh mud.  Her boots were big brown looking things that reached up her legs far enough that you couldn’t see the end.

She softly closed the door, her hands quivering slightly when her hand touched the cold wood of the door. Closing her eyes for a split second she thought of an outcome.

Call the police? Well that didn’t wasn’t even a question. What did this mean? Was she safe in this house or was he following the girl to her home?

“Does your mother know where you are?Can i call her?” the woman called sweetly, not quite realizing the words coming out of her mouth, turning quickly  towards the front of the long hallway.

No answer, only a light creaking. A back door banged angrily and the night became ghostly silent.

The little girl was nowhere in sight, not even the sign of muddy footprints were visible on her polished wood floor.

She opened the door once again, taking a peek into the foggy night, wondering what on earth had just happened.  Her gaze was level with the thick fog rising up into the crisp night air, her fingers quivering violently on the cool wooden door frame.  None of this made any sense. The little girl was just here, she had felt the lace from her dress brush past her arm, and her long red hair was unmistakable when she ran past her. She was not crazy. This girl WAS just here dispite the lack of evidence.

Then from the corner of her eyes she spied apon an old news article she had Printed from the library earlier that week.  She had become interested in the previous families from the neighbourhood, there was definalty a past, but she never thought any of it had MEANT anything.  Sitting atop a table by the door was a certain article that made her go over and pick up; The heading was in large bold writing from one of the old newspapers in the mid 1800’s. The words “MISSING GIRL” grabbing her full attention, picking up the article from the awkward stack.

The picture to the right confused her the most. There in the framed black and white photo of a little girl. Big dark innocent eyes and long red locks blanketing her back.  

The article read:

 

12-year old Annalese Brown went missing last week, no further information on her abduction is available apart from the fact that she was taken from her room sometime on the night of Friday. If anyone has any information on the disappearance of the young girl, contact the police immediately.

2/December/1845