Part 4

Hey, guys! Sorry, I just woke up and I'm freaking out of here!!!

I don't even remember falling asleep. I remember the screaming and wishing it would stop and sitting on the couch trying to get the television to drown out the sound, but that's the last thing. My phone's almost dead, but I thought ahead and brought my charger. There's no sign of Gwendolyn anywhere. Nothing looks like it's changed since I fell asleep, but things have got to be seriously messed up now!

I didn't feed Abigail. A part of me wishes that she were dead, but I know that's not true because just as I wrote that I heard a thump coming from her bedroom. How long has it been since she ate?

I'm so hungry and I have to use the bathroom so bad! I can hold off on eating for a little while, but I don't know about the bathroom. I don't want to go downstairs, but I'm just as terrified to use the bathroom up here - not that there was any water in the toilet anyway.

I'm going to feed Abigail to get my mind off it and see if I can find the emergency number for Miss Yates to find out where the hell she is!

 

The feeding went fine. I could hear her snarfing down all the food on the tray even more than before, but as I was walking up there, I realized something. I don't think the music played last night. I was out, but I'm pretty sure I would have woken up to music, especially as loud as I was expecting it to be from the letters.

Oh, shit! The letters! I brought them. They were in my pocket, but they're not there anymore. I don't remember all the rules, but I think I've shattered a few now. I fell asleep and everything went to hell. Shit! I'm leaving without Abigail.

 

The door won't open. It won't fucking open! It's like it's locked from the outside. I can hear the metal clank on the other side like I'm working against a padlock. Someone locked me in.

Oh christ!

 

The windows all have steel bars on them. I think I remember seeing them before, but I'm not sure - my brain isn't working straight right now. I'm seeing things. I thought I saw someone standing in the kitchen, but nobody was there. Of course, there's nobody there. It's just me and Abigail.

 

I forgot about Teresa. She's supposed to show me the way to the bathroom, but how can an imaginary friend show me the way? I think that if I wasn't supposed to go, she would stop me. So I'm going to go and if I hear or see anything, I'll take that as a hint.

 

I'm in the bathroom now. The door is weird and big, like the door to an industrial freezer. I don't think there are any air vents in here. I'm glad I only have to pee because if I had to do anything else, I don't think the smell would ever leave.

On second thought - maybe that's the idea.

 

I was about to go upstairs when something caught my eye. This house has another level, except there's a gate blocking the way. It's got a lock on it, but the lock is open.

I think somebody is down there. I think I heard a whisper or a voice or something. It might be my imagination.

 

No, there's definitely somebody down there. I saw something move, I think.

I know it's a bad idea, but I need to go down there. I think there's maybe another kid or something, and if that's the case, I need to make sure that he/she is okay.

 

There's nobody down here, but I think someone was down here once at least. There's a strange collection of objects down here - it reminds me of a packrat nest. There are hairbrushes and clothes and papers and all sorts of other stuff on the floor. There are things on the wall too, like artwork.

The papers on the wall are all drawings from a little kid, except I don't think they're Abigail's work. They're done in crayon and they all have three big black splotches where people have been crossed out. I know they're people because they're all labeled: Mommy, Abby, Me.

I think Teresa drew these.

 

I'm going back up the stairs. I'm going to the room I heard the knocking in earlier; I think Teresa might be in there.

 

Didn't I say the room was locked before? I don't remember. The lock is hanging open now. I called Teresa's name, but nobody answers. The moaning in Abigail's room got a little louder, I think, but that might just be my imagination.

The room is empty. There's nothing at all in this room except for fresh paint and hardwood flooring.

I called Teresa's name again, but she still didn't answer. I thought she'd be the one knocking.

 

The door behind me just slammed shut.

 

Oh, god! The door won't open!

 

The knocking is getting louder. It's coming from everywhere. I can hear it in the ceiling and in the floor and on the door.

 

Abigail just started to scream again, and it's getting louder.

 

I can hear something outside in the hallway. It sounds like the shuffling that I heard in Abigail's room earlier, I think, but I can't be sure because the screaming just won't stop.

 

Oh, god, I just wet myself. Like a goddamn child! I'm scared.

 

Sorry for tHe scare evEryone! i Wanted tO let everyoNe know That i made it home safeLy. gwEndolyn goT hoMe and ExpLained Everything. i overreActed for sure. abigail is a normal little girl with an oVeractive imagination, and a rarE physical condition - nothing more.

tHank you so vEry much for Letting me keeP you posted on my newest job!

i love it here.