<div style="text-align: justify;">"You are not going out, are you?", someone asked the girl who was standing up near a coat hanger. The girl - a brunette whose green eyes rolled at the question - sighed. "No, I'm putting on a coat to stay home", she replied to her younger sister.<br/><br/>"Father told us to stay home!", the girl protested.<br/><br/>"I know", the young woman replied, putting her coat on. "I won't go far, I'm only going to get some fresh air and then right back home".<br/><br/>Getting fresh was just an excuse, to be honest. The women of that family had been really secluded for months, and that girl - Mary Ann - was going insane locked up in that house with her  mother's constant complaining.<br/><br/>"There is nobody dangerous in town, you know that. They are battling elsewhere, not in here", she carried on, annoyed at her sister. "Don't tell mother I have left the house, or else. I will be back before you even know it".<br/><br/>With a sigh, the girl stepped out of her house. Being outside alone made her feel like the air was lighter. Taking a deep breath, she looked around. The town looked so empty... everyone was probably locked up inside, just like her and her family had been for the past few weeks. The other girls seemed to be fine with being home, and she was not. She had always been a free spirit, and it had sometimes gotten her in trouble.<br/><br/>Wondering if she should find someone to escort her, the girl turned around, but she ended up deciding not to go back home right away. If she did go back and ask one of the men to escort her, Mary Ann was sure that they would tell her mother, and she would not be allowed to go anywhere.<br/><br/>Deciding a five minute walk to the local church - which wasn't far from her home - and back would not present any risk, the young woman turned left and went that way, paying attention to her surroundings.<br/><br/>Since there wasn't anyone she could see around, the girl walked in and sighed. Empty. Awesome, she could have some time alone outside the house. <br/><br/>Despite not being really religious, the girl felt comfortable there, and enjoyed being in the silent environment. The peace and quiet were so...<br/><br/>A sound just outside the door made the girl freeze and interrupted her thoughts. What was it? Was someone out there? Or maybe a dog, or something? Standing up, the girl felt her heart race. Should she try and hide, or should she...<br/><br/>"Who is there?", she asked, before even thinking about what she was doing.<br/><br/>Hopefully, it would be someone friendly.</div>