I think long and hard about escape, frantically coming up with new plans and then discarding each one as too dangerous, too complicated or too likely to fail. I think about climbing out a window and then hiding out somewhere. I even try to pry the window open, but I'm stopped when a contraction hits and doubles me over. The cramping is even worse with the added physical strain of trying to find a way out.

Even if I somehow manage to escape the house, I would be walking so slow ...