She pressed her back against the sofa, paralyzed by indecision. Her phone was on the coffee table, just out of reach. Should she lunge for it and dial 911? Or should she make a run for the front door? Before she could decide, a heavy, muffled thud echoed from the kitchen—the distinct sound of a heavy weight dropping from the high counter onto the linoleum floor. It was instantly followed by the sharp, agonizing shatter of a ceramic plate.
There was no denying the reality anymore. An intruder was mere feet away from her. Summoning every ounce of courage she possessed, Sarah began to crawl slowly along the floorboards. She needed to get to the hallway, to the stairs, where she could lock herself in the master bedroom. As she moved, the chaotic noise from the kitchen resumed with a bizarre intensity. It was an aggressive clattering of pots and a frantic rummaging of her pantry drawers.