Don't Breathe |✔

2

"We are going to call off the search for a while until we can find a solid lead."

"A solid lead? But, he-he's missing. There might not be any leads, he could have been kidnapped or he-he could be," I shuddered, "dead."

"A search without leads, at this point, would be fruitless. We have nothing to go off of, he left no tracks, there is nothing we can do right now. I'm sorry."

"You've only been searching for 24 hours...he-if you stop now he could be getting farther away and it would be harder to find him."

"Please forgive my frankness, but it can't get much harder than it already is," The police officer sighed, "good day Ma'am." He nodded and then left me standing in the entryway of my apartment. A cold gush of wind rustled my greasy hair and my sweat stained shirt. I shivered and pulled the door shut.

I rested my head on the door frame and closed my eyes. A sob racked my body, futile attempts to use the wall as a support, to keep my weak legs upright, resulted in me lying on the floor, a regular dwelling these days it would seem. 

Silvey's aggressive yapping brought me out of my trance. I followed the sound to the back bathroom. Silvey growled at the sink, bearing her teeth.

"What are you barking at, Girl?" I murmured, bringing her up to my chest. She turned her head and looked into the mirror. Her ears turned down and she wiggled out of my arms, letting out a little bark when she hit the floor.

Not wasting any time, she scampered out of the bathroom, sliding a little on the hardwood.

Silvey's behavior left me abashed, staring after her. I turned and looked at the mirror, as Silvey did, and saw it.

Me. Myself. In the mirror...my reflection, but that was it. Nothing out of the ordinary...except me. I looked... not normal.

My hair looked thin and wispy, skin sagged and sunk in around my protruding bones, and deep, dark bags hung under bloodshot eyes. I looked...dead.

Spots danced across my vision, the room spun. My world went black.