I had only received the keys to the home 2 days ago, and after making rash plans with a nearby removals company, I had moved into my brand new home close to other Majorca villas inside forty-eight hours. The other day had already been mayhem, with me directing the position of my few furniture pieces to their numerous new destinations, and finally my bedroom being left with an assortment of containers to be unloaded.

Sleeping in an unusual house is usually a daunting task for most people, however somehow I had been successful in falling into a slight slumber. The sound that had awakened me from my mild slumber was disturbing unsurprisingly. I dismissed the concept that it was caused by a few little containers falling over due to some unbalancing, for the noise had been that of a large piece of furniture being pushed across the ground, and then of cupboard entrance doors being flung open in the kitchen space.

My first thoughts were to telephone the Police immediately, but then I recalled that I had left my mobile phone in the car, which was now securely located in the car port below. You always chuckle if you notice these things occurring on movies how can they forget the cell phone. But this was real life, and it was happening to me.

I quietly opened up the bedroom window and looked down on a deserted avenue. Exactly what else had I wished to see at 4 o’clock in the morning, an avenue thronged with people. I played with the thought of creeping downstairs and dealing with the intruder, but I’m a bit of a coward, so I settled on securely locking the bedroom door and placing a stout chair below the handle.

There right now, I had only to await daylight, or at least the appearance of someone in the avenue down below whom I could enlist in calling the cops. As things ended up I had virtually no time to wait for help, the door to my bedroom was being forcibly forced. Something on the other side was grunting with the effort of trying to move the strong chair which was the one thing between me personally and whatever it was on the other side. I admit, I had been filled up with dread and scared witless at the thought of what might be there on my bedroom landing. I was undecided as to whether to remain quiet, or to scream my mouth off in the hope of waking others in the path. Certainly someone would hear my cries.

My tonsils was dried up and I realised that I had not inhaled for a long time. My cardiovascular system was beating like a drum within my chest area. Please someone, please make it disappear completely. My vibrant imagination was conjuring all manner of images for what was frantically trying to get into my master bedroom. I felt faint and powerless rather like a little child when faced with a sizable ferocious canine. What could I do. What could I use to fight such an testing foe. Everything in the bedroom was worthless as a means of defence, and I could not imagine a pillow case being considered as a high risk weapon.

An abrupt noisy beat on the entry way brought me abruptly to reality. I opened my eyes to find it was broad daylight. I looked at the bedroom entrance the desk chair was still there serving as a defence against the unidentified dread of earlier. Again came the banging at the front entrance, so I quickly donned my dressing gown and stumbled down the stairs. I was shocked to find two police officers standing there. They were making inquiries about a captive who was at large after escaping from a nearby mental institution. Had I heard any disturbances throughout the night. Must i relate my evening of terror directly to them, or perhaps forget it. I made a decision to do just that. I made a cup of steaming fresh espresso and ambled into the garage to retrieve my mobile phone from the front chair of my vehicle. As I did so I became aware of a sudden movement behind me, and a big pair of flea-bitten hands closed firmly around my neck.

If perhaps I’d never left my mobile phone in the vehicle.