It was cold. my flesh prickled with a sensation close to painful as a violent shiver ran down my hunched back. I shook quietly, taking deep breathes. Clouds formed as I forced shaky, quiet breaths through my parted lips. I was trying not to make any noise in such a quiet room. A claustrophobic shake followed my chill induced shiver. The six cardboard walls closely surrounding my shivering form causing my breathes to come out louder and shakier as I kept quietly panting. I could feel the small particles of dust tickling the insides of my nostrils. It felt as if tiny feathers were being caressingly stroked along the inside lining of my nose.
I wanted to sneezed, I practically needed to sneeze so bad I was afraid I might burst. But the fear I felt at being heard helped me stifle the urge. I couldn’t afford to be heard. I didn’t want to be found. A strong hand painfully squeezed my heart at the thought of being found. No, I couldn’t be found yet. So I let the hand continue to painfully pump my heart along. Never allowing the fear to subside. If I allowed it to I knew I would make a noise in relief.
I couldn’t allow that to happen. As I sat quietly in the box I slowly allowed my small hands to flatten themselves along the floor of the box. I had nowhere else to place my hands that didn’t bring me discomfort. There were shouts below me. I wanted to block the sounds out but I knew I couldn’t nor should I let myself ignore the presence of others around me. I needed to know where everyone was. I needed to follow what was happening around me. If I knew then not being found would be easier on myself.
I wouldn’t allow myself to be caught first. Maybe they would forget I was even here after awhile and they would move on. My blood prickled with an icy sensation at the thought of being first. No I wouldn’t be first. I would not be found at all. I could get away. I just needed to wait, let time run away. The dust surrounding me began to thicken and my head clouded in an oncoming headache. This was not helping with the loudness of my breathing.
I felt a strange cold breeze blow past my box before I heard the slight noise of the door squealing open. This stranger obviously hadn’t opened that door before because the squeal only happened if you opened the door wrong. I knew the tricks to stealthily open the door. The soft thuds of several pairs of feet began to filter into the room as muffled voices pierced their way into the box. They were here for me. They knew I was in here because they had already swept the rest of the house.
I hated that they were correct. I rested my head on my knees I had pulled to my chest. Why couldn’t they have forgotten about me? If I stayed quiet long enough maybe they would move on and begin searching else where. If they left the room I could safely leave this box behind. I could climb out the window and force them to search outside. Then I’d be free, it’d be safe for me to leave my hiding spot.
The movement outside grew louder as I heard other boxes being poked and prodded. Goosebumps flooded my skin as my chest caved. Fear and adrenaline kicking in as the foot fall came closer, and closer. No. No. No, too close, the feet were far to close for my liking. Go. Leave. Go away. Please, go away. A cold shocked racked my heart as the feet continued past me. O let a sigh of relief pass my lips only for the clawed hand to clench my heart again.
All movement stopped. They’d heard me. Thump. The feet shuffled along the wooden floor. Thump. Closer. Thump. Thump. They were so much closer now. Thump. Thump, thump. Thump. A felt the box flex as a small set of hand quickly pried the flaps open. My heart neat skipped and skittered to an almost halt. Heavy but slow thuds resounding in my ear as a small squawky voice squealed,
“Found you!” letting me know it was the end. I was found.
