She did not recognize him.

It surely was not her Daddy.

She pulled back around the corner, again and pushed herself against the wall.

"Who is that?" she wondered.

She could hear him walking the stairs toward her.

"Who are you?" she yelled, terror in her voice.

There was no answer.

The footsteps stopped, but only for a moment.

She took the opportunity and quickly began running down the hallway.

"Who are you?" she yelled behind her.

The man did not answer and she did not turn, to see if he was following.

She turned the corner of the hallway and pushed herself against the wall.

She was more afraid than she had ever been in her life.

Her tiny body trembling, as though some cold had overtook her.

~~~~~

I stopped at the top of the stairs that led from the foyer to the dining room area.

I could have sworn I heard a voice.

I stood silently.

The only sound I could hear was the wind blowing gently across my garden, from the ocean beyond.

I started walking again, but suddenly stopped.

"There it is again," I whispered, to myself.

Again, I listened intently, but could hear nothing, only the wind.

I shrugged my shoulders.

"Maybe just the house settling."

The answer seemed to satisfy me.

I turned the corner and looked down the hallway and through the archways.

A huge smile came to my face.

"It's perfect," I said aloud.

It had taken nearly two years, but finally my dream house was complete and as I stood, admiring it, I suddenly became more excited than I ever had.

Finally, I had something that was truly mine and perhaps, for the first time in my life, I could feel at home.

But the smile left my face as once again, a strange feeling overtook me.

I looked back down toward the end of the hallway, that led to the bedrooms.

"Is someone there?"

I don't know why I asked the question.

It was just a feeling. As though there was something, as though I was not alone.

I started walking down the hallway, toward the bedrooms.

"Hello?"

~~~~~

"Please go away," she said quietly, the fear overwhelming her.

Tears building in her eyes.

She quickly looked around the corner.

He was walking down the hallway toward her.

She panicked.

"Go away. I will scream. I mean it."

~~~~~

I stopped again. Again, I was sure I had heard something.

A voice. A child's voice.

I couldn't determine if it was a boy's or girl's.

"You are hearing things, Will," I said aloud, smiling at my paranoia.

There was nothing, but still, there was this feeling.

"Hello," I repeated.

~~~~~

"I'm going to scream," she threatened.

"I mean it."

She tried as best she could, but there was nothing.

Her mouth was open and she could feel the rush of air from inside her, but there was no sound, that she could hear.

"Why can't I scream?"

She tried again. Still nothing.

She could hear him continue walking down the hall.

She slid down the wall and sat on the floor, pulling her legs up to her chest.

She began rocking.

"Please don't hurt me."

She continued to rock.

"I want my Mommy."

She started crying.

~~~~~

I was nearly to the end of the hall, when I heard it.

"That was not the wind," I whispered.

It sounded like a young child crying.

A little girl.

I crouched down in the hallway. I was about five feet from the end of the hall way, where it turned toward the master bedroom.

Again I heard the soft whimper of a child.

"Is anyone there?"

"Go away," she yelled, still rocking, turning toward the hallway.

"Please. Don't hurt me."

"Please come out," I said gently.

"I won't hurt you."

She stopped rocking.

"He heard me."

She jumped to her feet and ran into the nearest room.

I stayed crouched in the hallway for about ten minutes. I even tried to breathe quietly, so I would not miss anything.

There was no more sounds.

Slowly I got up, shaking my head.

"Must be the wind."

It was an excuse, but one that even I did not accept. I had heard ... something.

But, I had no time to reflect on what I thought I heard. I had things to do.

I took my time and walked around my house, room by room. Everything was exactly as I had envisioned it.

My design had come to life perfectly.

I took a deep breath and walked into the living room.

I looked out the huge bay style, living room window. The view was simply breathtaking.

"Welcome home, Will."