Only His

18. Nothing Matters

Elizabeth Meyer

The dust is almost settled. It might have been left unused for years by now. I hesitated for a sec to make a rational decision.

' I am all alone... should I do this.'

I made a plan. First of all I should check how door is closed or if you can open it from inside. Before that I must know it won't  get closed immediately after entering into it. Yes I can't take that risk. I took the chair and threw it inside and the vase also...what if I need a metal for my protection inside.... Either ways nothing happened. Then I tried it with myself. Again nothing happened. I prayed to God and got inside. Then I checked the wall. Here it wasn't concealed like it was outside. Everything visible. I closed it and opened it and again closed it. I did it for almost 5 times. There was ofcourse some difficulty involved because of not using it for long time. For once I went out to remove a bulb from the basement to insert it in the light point inside the hidden room with proper care.

Phase 3.... Now it's time for me to search... It was rather clean. The air wasn't suffocating at all. Might there be any air vent. No time wasting for searching any air vent.I am not staying here for the night. There was a couch covered with white cloth, a table with candle holder on it. Someone used to come here and had spent time in here. There were other things that are covered fully in white clothes except these are fine soft white clothes. There were three and were in a slanting position. I think it's a stand. Very carefully I removed the long cloth that covered one of it......

What should I say. The euphoric sensation I felt at that moment was undescribable. Never in my life I felt my emotional level rise up like this for any material thing. Never....

This is insane. I wanted to cry and jump in joy. No... I think I will die now.. At the least I may pass out. Oh God... Oh my god. Before I could think anymore.... I felt like sneezing. I took the tissue I stuffed inside my cross bag to cover my noses. There was a train of sneezing.... ofcourse it made me come back to senses. Yes I was standing in the basement... no a well hidden basement room. Even then I couldn't help myself from admiring the thing before me.

I could hear some shuffling from outside. They were sounds of foot steps coming closer. It was a basement having a big room for echoes. I am convinced my phone is off because it didn't beep at all or I didn't hear it while I was involved in this great escapade all alone. I was informed earlier that it may rain. I cleared my ear to hear any pitter patter.

All my senses went numb. Ny must be freaking out.  For the first time over the entire day I felt a new sensation. I felt that same odd sensation that refrained me from sparing a glance at my watch..... Fear.....

I can't go back. I think the foot steps are going back. I need to take action. No one is going to assume about a hidden place over here. Well the place is closed so I have to open it from inside. I went near the wooden door that exactly looked like the stone wall from the other side. The craftmanship was amazing and the mechanism matched the working version of those we see in hollywood movies. When you push the wooden button which is placed in the wall just adjacent to the door...a pedal comes out of the door from nowhere. You have to turn the pedal down then it's easy we can use it as a handle to slide it open. Aah.... It's difficult..... The fear almost consumed all of my energy. I wonder what will happen once the pedal breaks. You will be trapped inside it. If you have phone handy then no worries. Someone will come to help you for sure at least you can call 911 right.

If you don't open the door fully it will close by itself. With great effort I slide it open. It wasn't Ny....but a shell shocked Neil standing in front of me. I made an attempt to smile. His response was a heavy sigh. In a swift movement he caught my hand and before I could think he pulled me into a hug. My ear caught his heart beats. It was pounding. I wanted to take a look at his face. But he pressed me further more into his body like He wanted to feel me to convince himself that I was really there. His breathing felt abnormal like it just got restarted. I could feel his concern.