'Go to the Bathroom'

"I have to go to the bathroom." You lie. You don't want to worry her for no reason. Maybe those sounds you heard were magnified by paranoia and imagination? Perhaps it really was just the neighbors coming home.

But as you head for the bathroom, a feeling of dread sucks the life out of you. A faint yellow light glows from the stair way. At first you just stand in the hallway, not wanting to have to face the inevitable.

It must be a burglar. Some stranger, intruding. An enemy human being. Probably stronger than you. Probably much more experienced at fighting. You can't remember a time you've experienced something like this.

Life threatening.

The idea of a life threatening situation has hardly ever even crossed your mind. You've never even considered it. And now, all too suddenly, there isn't time to consider anything. This is happening. Now.

Before you can freak your self out anymore, you approach the steps. Your heart suddenly feels like steel. Your body feels like a tool, or a machine. Unfalteringly, you peer down the stairs. But there's nothing see. Just more stairs. Brighter stairs.

You listen.

There are sounds of clinking glass jars and thunking plastic bottles.

Someone's in the fridge.

At first you find that comically odd. But then you remember hearing a story about a burglar getting caught because he stopped to make a sandwich in someone else's home.

And that seems even more comical, so you chuckle.

You chuckle at yourself for chuckling in such a situation, and then try to seriously remind yourself to take this seriously.

Steadily, you descend the steps. One at time. Crouching so you can see the lower floor sooner. Eyes laser locked on downward channel.

But when you see what's there, you almost fall down the rest of the steps.

There, with a cute, round butt facing you, and the long, sleekness of her red locks practically touching it, is a body you think you know all to well.

Your mind screams, "Kelly?!"

But you know it's not her. No, Kelly is even thicker. This a Kelly without the maternal, bodacious hips. The Kelly look-alike before your is slender. Full, plump curves confined to a tight, fit frame. Same creamy skin. Same fiery hair. Same glowing-green eyes.

Andrew's older sister.

Kelly's daughter.

Eva.