Brian did not hesitate for another single second as panic took over his body.
He grabbed the edge of the weak drywall with both of his bare hands.
He pulled with all his strength until the plaster began to crack loudly.
Dust poured out onto the shiny marble floor like a dark gray cloud.
He slammed his heavy fist into the drywall frame to enlarge the opening.
The wood splinters flew in every direction as the structure crumbled under his pressure.
Heavy footfalls echoed down the hallway behind him from the upper floor staircase.
His wife Sarah ran around the corner in her beige satin pajama shirt and pants.
Her eyes were wide with terror as she saw her husband breaking the wall.
Sarah: Brian! Stop it! What are you doing to the house right now?
Brian: There is someone trapped inside this wall, Sarah!
Sarah: No, Brian, don't look in there! Stop breaking the wall right now!
Sarah rushed forward and grabbed Brian's strong shoulders with all her weight.
She tried desperately to pull him away from the opening in the hallway plaster.
Brian shoved her arms off his back with fierce determination in his heart.
Brian: Get off me, Sarah! Someone is inside this space right now!
Sarah: Please, Brian, step away! You don't know what you are doing!
Brian slammed his foot into the weakened wooden frame with a loud crash.
A huge section of drywall collapsed inward, exposing a large hidden room cavity.
The hidden space was five feet wide and stretched behind the formal coat closet.
Brian grabbed a bright flashlight from the nearby hallway console table quickly.
He clicked the switch and pointed the intense beam of light into darkness.
The light cut through thick floating dust and illuminated a small huddled figure.
Sitting in the corner on an old dirty blanket was a little girl.
She had matted blonde curly hair that was covered in gray drywall dust.
Her white dress was tattered, stained, and torn around the hem line.
She held a worn dirty teddy bear tightly against her small thin chest.
Scattered all around her were stale bread crusts, water bottles, and empty wrappers.
Brian's eyes widened in total horror as tears flooded into his eyes instantly.
The little girl blinked against the bright beam of the strong flashlight light.
She raised her small thin arm to shield her tear-stained dusty face.
A single clear tear rolled down her dirty cheek in the bright light beam.
Dirty Girl: Dad?
The whisper was quiet, raspy, and filled with deep heartbreak and pain.
Brian felt his breath catch in his throat as his whole body shook.
Brian: Why did she call me Dad? Sarah, who is this child?
Sarah stood frozen against the hallway wall with a pale face of terror.
She could not speak as her mouth opened and closed without a sound.
Brian: Answer me right now, Sarah! Who is this girl in our wall?
The little girl in the wall held up her dirty old teddy bear.
It was identical to the teddy bear that Lily kept in her bed.
Brian stared at the two identical stuffed animals with overwhelming shock and dread.
His mind struggled to piece together the unbelievable puzzle in front of him.
Brian: This cannot be happening. This is impossible!