crazy. “What happened?” He looks at me with the most grave expression. I try to respond, but before I get the words out of my mouth his gaze moves to the mirror. She was here. My makeup drawer is open, and in red lipstick she wrote on the mirror: Mine. My heart warps into a painful ball, and my lips part in horror. Michael’s voice drops as he says, “I need you to dress quickly.” He releases me and points the gun at the door. I do as he says. Moving out of his direct sight, I quickly put on my clothes. I’m so shaky that it takes longer than it should. My heart beats loudly in my ears, but not so loud that I can’t hear the sound of a door down the hall opening and closing. The study? The guest room? I feel like I'm going to be sick. I feel the side of my head. It’s sore, but not bleeding. I move to look in the mirror, but then refrain. I don’t want to see. I return to Michael’s side and nod with tears in my eyes. We have to pass all of those doors, and she's behind one of them. I panic with fear. Before I can object, Michael picks me up by my waist, carrying me on his hip. I'm as still as I can be. As we pass the doors, my heart stops. My body tenses, and the overwhelming dread makes me shudder. There are doors on both sides of us, and I expect one to open at any moment. Michael can’t shield me from all of them. I just pray that we can make it down the hall before she shows herself. Michael moves me quickly and silently past the doors. I release a breath I didn’t know I was holding as we pass the last door. My heart is beating so fast and loud I can’t hear anything else. I just hope she’s unaware of where we are. We get to the stairs and he turns, facing the hall with his gun firmly pointed in that direction. He releases me