Consciousness

Chapter thirteen - The bookstore part two

* Bang bang *

"What was that?" I exclaimed as I backed up behind Matt.

"Do you think it's Micah?" he asked his face turning red.

"There's only one way to find out" I shrugged nervously.

He picked up a lamp that sat on the old table near the back door. I'm pretty sure it was already broken.
He grasped it in his hand and began to approach the front door.

* Bang bang *

We inched closer slowly as the bangs got louder. There was a small window next to the door. With the lamp clutched tightly in his hand, Matt lifted it above his head ready to swing. I drew back the curtain and peered out the window. Nobody was there.

Matt lowered the lamp.

"Nobody's there" I said quietly, confused.

"Well somebody had to have knocked?" he whispered as he locked the door slowly. "There it's locked, we're safe."

I exhaled calmly. Thank god.

* Bang bang *

We both jumped back and we looked at one another with worried glances. Except this time, it wasn't the front door. It was the back door, and as we looked back to the source of the noise, we could see clear as day that the door was unlocked.

The door creaked open slowly.

It was so quiet. Why was it so quiet?

*clunk...clunk...clunk*

The footsteps sounded steadily from the doorway.

"This way!" Matt whispered quietly as he grabbed my hand and pulled me behind a bookshelf and out of sight.

"Do you think it's Micah?" I asked, shaking a little.

Matt breathed hard and wiped his sweaty forehead. "Yes.."

I stared at him desperately.

"Please run Olive" he begged.

"No" I cried. "We can locked ourselves in here!" I pointed quickly to the storage closet a few feet away.

He hesitated. "Okay come on quick"

We hurried into the small room and locked the door.
We waited.

*clunk clunk clunk*

The footsteps got closer and closer.

"I know you're in here!" a low voice yelled.

We jumped at the sound.

I held my breathe the best that I could. I could feel Matt's hand shaking next to me. I grabbed it tightly.
I couldn't see his face but I knew he was terrified. So was I.

"Why are you hiding? Come out!" The voice called again.

We said nothing.

"Where are you Matt?" It yelled.

The footsteps were getting closer. Step by step I could hear it get closer to the door that was our only hope at the moment.

The steps stopped outside the door. The doorknob wiggled.

* knock *

"Unlock the door" the voice said.

We stayed quiet and still.

The door knob wiggled again. We heard a click. The door crept slowly open.

Micah stood in the door way with the strangest expression on his face.

"Please just don't hurt Olive" Matt begged slowly as he began to get up slowly.

"Why would I ever hurt her?" Micah asked, puzzled.

"Don't hurt him either Micah please!" I yelled as I stepped in front of Matt to try and protect him the best I could.

"Wait. What? Why would I hurt anyone?" he asked quickly as he back away from us a few feet.

"You tried to kill me!" Matt yelled hysterically.

"No I didn't! That's why I came looking for you. I wanted to apologize for the misunderstanding. I know I stole your keys but I wouldn't hurt you!" he cried, an embarrassed look sitting on his face.

"You had a knife just now in the park! Why would you steal my keys? " Matt asked firmly as he grabbed my hand again.

I squeezed it.

"I had a pocket knife to help open the letters I was trying to show you! I stole your keys just to make you angry, I was jealous." Micah answered weakly as he looked from Matt to me and then back to Matt.

"What letters?" I questioned as I adjusted my body next to Matt.

"I got a bunch a letters from someone threatening me" he said, his face turning red.

Matt's face went white. "I got those too"

"Who are they from?" Micah asked puzzled.

"No idea" Matt shrugged. " I thought they were from you"

"No way" Micah started...

The back door creaked again, except it wasn't any of us this time. Who could it be?

"Get in here! Quick!" Matt shouted at us as we piled back into the tiny room and he shut the door behind us.

"Who is it?" Micah asked quietly.

"Probably the person who really sent the letters" I answered slowly as I stood in the darkness, my heart pounding louder than ever.