When the door slammed, I had to run. I knew it, but my body just wouldn't obey.
The light tapping of shoes across the cement floor of my basement sent a chill down my spine. I covered my mouth with my hands and held my breath, trying to make myself invisible as I huddled in the dark with my back against the door. The footsteps grew steadily louder, approaching tantalizingly slow, taunting me and my racing heart.
"Elena?" His voice called out as sweetly as ever, and my heart leapt into my throat. I couldn't stop the tears. "Elena, sweetheart, where are you?"
The pounding of my heart became overwhelmingly loud, drowning out every other sound. I knew he could hear it. What would he do if he found me?
The footsteps stopped outside the door as a small whimper escaped my throat. I knew that he heard me.
"Elena, my dear, it's alright," he lied, fiddling with the locked door handle.
He tried the lock more violently, and I scurried away from the door. It was pitch black, and I tried to calm my mind and remember the layout of the room. Pool table in the middle, big television on a cabinet in the back. A couch stretched across the back corner. Plenty of places to hide, but which should I chose?
Not caring about remaining quiet anymore, I crawled on the hands and knees over to where I expected the couch to be. The rough carpet hurt my knees as I dragged them across it.
"Elena, please open the door."
I pushed the couch away from the corner, the eerie scraping of it being dragged sound echoing around the room. He knocked on the door harder. "Elena? Let me in!"
I jumped behind the couch, using it as a shield against the banging on the door and the angry desperation in his voice. I brought my knees up close to my chest as my heart threatened to burst out of my chest. I covered my ears with my hands and shut my eyes tightly, trying to drown everything out.
I heard him swear as the footsteps retreated away. The room grew silent except for my pounding heart and a faint ringing in my ears. Maybe he gave up?
I cried in relief. He wouldn't find me. I didn't try to hold back my sobs any more, and tears flowed freely down my cheeks, making my collar wet.
The footsteps returned suddenly, though, walking fast towards the door. I heard the loud whirring of a drill. He was taking the door off it's hinges!
My tears of relief became tears of terror. He was coming. There was nowhere to run. Nowhere to hide.
I could hear his voice cut through the sound of the drill. "Elena? What's going on? Are you hurt?" I stayed huddled behind the couch and listened to the sound of the drill's spinning.
It seemed like I had been crying there for hours when I heard the door fall against it's frame. Light flooded into the room, and I squinted against it. I heard him drop the door down on the ground gently and stepped over it into the room.
"Elena?"
I couldn't stop my sniffling sobs, and he found my hiding spot quickly.
I heard his footsteps approach, slightly muffled by the carpet in the middle of the room.
"Elena? What's wrong?"
I closed my eyes tight in fear and pretended I was somewhere far away. Anywhere away from here. I didn't want him to find me.
But he did. I heard him drag the couch out farther from the wall, and I dared not open my bloodshot eyes.
I felt him near me, reaching out.
I took in one last breath.
He grabbed my shoulders and dragged me into a tight but gentle hug.
I relaxed into him and cried into his chest, ashamed that he had seen me like this, ashamed he had found me in the middle of a panic attack.
Word count: 682. Hope you enjoyed!680Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIutRS4Uhk9
