I was hurrying up the grand imperial staircase when the sharp cry of the emergency alarm blared furiously from the ceiling speakers, shattering the peaceful stillness of the mansion. Shock jolted me from my deep, racing thoughts and abruptly whirled me back to reality.
I pulled to a stop in the middle of the staircase, my fingers tightly gripping the handrail for support. Reeling from shock, I took a deep breath to calm my jumpy nerves, then released it with a deep sigh. I repeated the inhale-and-exhale process until my pulse returned to normal.
Did a burglar enter the house? That was the first question popping into my mind as I pulled myself together. Alerted, my eyes sharpened at the thought as they surveyed the expanse of the house in search of a man I imagined wearing a black overall
