The concept of things like days and weeks felt foreign and distant while pangs of hunger filled Tim’s belly. Darkness shrouded the world turning discarded clothing into sprawling murky mountains. As Tim scurried across the uneven floor, free for the time being.
The wood floors of the old home groaned as heavy rhythmic footfalls beat against the floor, creating a melody of dread that welled inside of him. As the gigantic door swung open, Tim saw Noami standing briefly in the doorway.
Tim thought he would have had more time before she realized he was gone. However, her eyes fell upon his empty cage in the still-dark room. The stomp of the young girl’s foot caused the floor to reverberate, nearly causing Tim to tumble to the floor.
In an instant, a counterfeit sun dimly bathed the expansive bedroom. Tim looked up at Noami one last time before dashing towards the bedpost. He was sure it was too far away. That she would have seen him running from her position of omnipotence. Somehow he had made it.
“Come out now, and maybe I will show you a shred of grace by choosing to forget about this.” Noami taunted as her voice filled the room as if it were the air he breathed.
Tim rested his hand against the massive bedpost hoping this would be enough to allude to her. If he could just escape this room, perhaps he could find salvation. He had come here with his girlfriend Rachel over Christmas break. He had gotten into it with her little sister when she had pulled out some kind of wand that looked to be straight out of Harry Potter.
“How long ago was that? When was Christmas?” Tim briefly thought before pushing such wonder from his mind. The stomp of Noami’s footfall reminded him of his station. He could hear a drawer swing open, followed by rustling.
“I was nothing but merciful until now to you, Bean.” Noami bellowed as Tim watched her scan the floor. A click followed by a bright beam of light shot out of from the flashlight she had pulled from the drawer. The light swept across the floor like a searchlight. In her opposite hand, he could see that infernal wand gripped in her hand.
Tim pressed his back against the wooden bedpost and held his breath, hoping this would be enough when the bright light shone on him as a large metallic flashlight rolled beneath the bed. The white light burned his eyes. A loud thud told him Noami had sprawled out on the floor.
“Please, god, no!”
“Found you; it’s too late to pray to me now, Bean,” Noami said as her hand curled around him, dragging Tim out from beneath her bed while tears dripped from his eyes like water from a faucet.
