[ENG]Shoto Todoroki : Modern-day Terrorist

Chapter 25

He took a step forward.

The floor creaked.

From where I was hiding, I could only see his legs.

I heard the door creak and slam shut. He didn't move.

I imagined him staring at the lump under my blanket with his dead eyes. His face must have been empty, devoid of emotion.

Was he expecting me to wake up ? To ask him what he was doing there ? To beg ?

He moved forward. Slowly.

I wondered if he'd like it. If he'd be pleased.

He rounded the bed to the left. I spun noiselessly on the wooden floor, slipping on my T-shirt to keep him in sight.

The bed creaked. The slats sagged under his weight.

I looked down at his ankles. They were there, right in front of me. If I breathed too hard, he would feel the warm breeze on his skin.

My chakra flowed into my hands. I reached for his foot. My nail grazed the rough surface of his jeans.

I could break his ankle.

Leap from my hiding place and silence him before he could make a sound.

Crush his windpipe with the palm of my hand.

Smash his skull with my elbow.

Four seconds.

It would only take me four seconds to never be afraid again. To be happy.

The bed creaked again. His feet moved back.

I quickly pulled my hand away. The sole of his shoe followed me, pushing me further under the bed. The smell of ashes filled my nostrils. My bare feet hit the baseboard. Sweat cushioned the impact and prevented them from making a sound. The sole continued to advance. I bent my knees, twisting in half to keep moving backwards. And then it stopped.

There couldn't have been a hair between the tip of my nose and the sole of his shoe.

My heart was doing a rodeo in my chest. Good thing I hadn't jumped up this time.

His feet were spread wide. Only the front of his sole touched the ground.

This time I didn't try to touch him.

I was content with observing. Waiting.

Hoping.

He crossed his ankles. My eyes followed the movement.

Something shiny, in the shadow of a dresser, caught my eye above his legs.

There were two white shiny circles and little dots that looked like-

My breath caught in my throat.

I saw the expression on my own face fall as I realized.

The mirror. I'd forgotten to take the damn mirror off.

My blood ran cold. My eyes flew to his face.

A few oblique moonbeams entered the room through the poorly drawn curtains. The rays spread out in ovals on the ceiling, trapping the bed behind silver bars.

He sat in profile, leaning slightly over the rag doll wrapped in blankets.

He hadn't seen me.

But he was still leaning over the decoy.

And he didn't move.

I was petrified.

Did he notice that the hair was synthetic ? That the red and white were reversed ?