Black Rose

Hiding place.

I legged it towards the front of the house but before I reached the door I hesitated.

It was always locked. What if it was locked again? I would waste time and be stranded. Blake was right behind me.

So I ran up the stairs instead.

It felt as though my heart was about to leap out of my chest. Hammering like a drill, pounding in such a way that I could feel it in my bones, the rest of my body aching.

I leaped up the stairs as I heard Blake cry out from the kitchen, "I'm going to fucking kill you, Ophelia."

I believed him. So I ran faster.

I reached the top of the stairs and scrambled down the hallway, my chest pounding. I tried to remember which door was which, but my brain was getting muddled. Was this Gwen's bedroom or the laundry? The office or Blake's room?

I tried a random door.

Gwen's room.

But I could hear Blake coming, crying out in pain and fury, so I ducked inside and shut the door.

I looked around, surveying my options. I could hide under the bed, but he would see me as soon as he walked in. The closet, but that seemed to obvious. Which left the bathroom.

I ran towards it, hoping and praying that it had a lock.

I slipped inside and quietly shut the door, and bingo. There was a lock on the door. I flicked it closed and stepped back, trying to steady my breathing. I was hyperventilating like a stray dog, so I worked to try quiet down and get my breath back. Then, I crawled back and climbed into the bath tub. There was a window beside the tub, a strip of the room that matched the exterior windows, that was somewhat disconcerting to sit beside.

I could see the landscape unfolding to the east, the mountains rising up above, and glistening in the afternoon sunlight, the snow shining on the jagged peaks.

From here, I could see the valley of these foothills, and the helicopter pad sitting down in  the base, a black bug amongst the white landscape. I could also see the outline of the road, still frozen over with ice, but not as snow-covered as I had anticipated. It looked like it had been salted recently, and the thought made me hopeful.

The rescue teams will be able to get through. If I wait, the girl from the rest stop would get her dad, they would storm in here and save me.

I glanced at the locked door, feeling relieved.

It would hold. I would be okay.

For a few moments, there was quiet. Then, I heard Blake moving outside. It sounded like he was coming up the stairs.

"Oh Ophelia," he called out. "Do you really think you can hide from me?"

Yes.

I heard him pulling open each door, s arching the room.

"Hmm, did Jackson show you his hiding place perhaps?" I heard him ponder loudly and I bit my lip. So he did know about that.

Thankfully I wasn't there. And he couldn't reach me from in here.

I kept my breathing even as he searched the other rooms until finally, I heard him come into Gwen's.

"You know, pet, I've never been a big fan of hide and seek. So I'll tell you what, if you come out, I promise I won't hurt you."

Yeah, as if.

I stayed where I was, listening as he moved around. Then he tried the door handle and I stilled. I heard him let out a dark chuckle.