Dog will bark

The Perkin's house was protected by an alarm service with a special panic button that I could carry around the cavernous space at night. The very first night I slept there alone, I was awoken by strange sounds in the walls. Was I hearing things? What was buried in the walls? I immediately got out of bed, grabbed the panic button, ran down the stairs with three dogs in tow, and began turning all the lights on. I went from room to room keeping Blondie, Charlie and Gregory close by my side, scared half to death. This was, after all, the home of the man who starred as Norman Bates.

I walked down the long hall towards the master bedroom. The floor squeaked and I jumped, which made the dogs bark like crazy. Immediately, I ran toward the front door and hid under the stair case that led to my room. I kept pushing that button until a security person arrived. When I heard the door bell ring, I almost jumped out of my skin, making the three amigos sound the bark alarm.

"Who is it?" I asked sheepishly over the dogs.

“What seems to be the problem miss,” he asked as I opened the door, the dogs still barking.

“I’m hearing strange sounds. They’re coming from inside the walls,” I lead him up the stairs where I first heard the strange sounds.

He put his ear up to the wall to listen over the loud snarling that continued.

“Those are the rats. They’re all over the canyon. Nothin’ we can do ‘bout ‘em. You’re lucky. Sometimes they trick off the alarm.”

I didn't feel lucky. I felt tired but my heart was pounding too hard to sleep. Finally, the dogs settled down and within moments, were sound asleep. I lay awake all night as the dogs' barks were replaced by snoring. Ahhhh, to be a dog.