Vacation Gone Wrong(2)

I woke to the sound of boots thudding on the wooden floorboards, the kind of heavy steps that echoed through the thin walls. Sunlight filtered through a grimy window, casting pale stripes across the bed.

My body ached from the damp chill of the night, and for a moment, I forgot where I was. Then it hit me….the strangers, the storm, the broken-down car. I sat up quickly, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, and glanced at the door. It stood ajar, just as I'd left it, but the murmur of voices from the main room had grown loudery.

Swinging my legs over the edge of the bed, I pulled on my still-damp sweater and boots. The air in the small room smelled musty, like old wood and forgotten winters. I cracked the door wider and peered out.

Josh stood by the stove, stirring a pot of what looked like oatmeal, while Rick leaned against the counter, sharpening a knife with deliberate strokes. Ben and Carl were at the table, poring over a crumpled map spread out before them. They didn't notice me at f