Between Footsteps| p.jm

SIXTEEN| - --- --. . - .... . .-.

79's fear of the dark is a play on words of the term, "being left in the dark," defined as: to be kept uninformed; to be excluded from full knowledge or disclosure.

~~~

You were hurtling over the side of the couch after untangling yourself from the blanket, fear blurring your already altered vision as your ankle painfully caught the edge of the trampoline in the dark room.

The scream you had released still seemed to echo through the consuming hotel room as your heart beat so loudly that it made your ears ring.

You wanted to run out of the hotel room and even the entire building after spotting the figure, but upon Jimin's bedroom door abruptly opening you suddenly changed destinations. He was hard to see, but he was there. 

Eyes wide and hair messy, he had clearly jumped out of bed upon hearing your scream and had the door wide enough so that you could barrel past him faster than he could question your scream.

"What's wro-" Jimin began to say, looking equally as terrified as you after hearing the sound you had made, but you quickly interrupted by pulling the male further in the room and fumbling against the wall in attempts to find the light switch. Your hand caught it and the room was soon illuminated, Jimin blinking in surprise at the sudden light before you were slamming the door shut and locking it. "Peanut," he spoke urgently, worried about your state of panic as you paced about.

You didn't stop at just locking the door. Seeing a desk against the wall, you firmly clasped onto the side of the wood with your shaking hands and used a strength you didn't even know you had possessed to pull the object as a sort of barricade in front of the door.

Only when you felt Jimin's hand on your arm did you freeze.

"Peanut," he repeated, pulling your trembling body away from the object and forcing you to face him as panic refused to leave your body. "Calm down, use your words. What's wrong?"

At first your lips didn't know how to speak, but after hearing his calming tone all the words came tumbling out.

"I swear to God," you hissed, voice hoarse and eyes wavering as your heart beat thudded through his tight grip. "I saw something Jimin. Or someone. I don't know, but it's out there." 

Your eyes traveled back to the door, and you watched as his expression slowly turned firm and serious. 

"What did it look like?" He questioned, a bit of anger laced in his voice that confused you. You swallowed hard and tried to think back, but the moment still held panic as you continued to shake and shook your head while tears threatened to perk against your eyes.

"I-I don't know, like a silhouette. A man's maybe? I don't know!" Your voice was wavering as you were in danger of crying in front of him, and you watched in panic as he released you and moved towards the door. "W-Wait, Jimin-"

"Just stay here," he spoke over his shoulder, huffing in the strain of pushing the desk back and to your horror unlocking the door. You wanted to stop him, but he was already turning the knob and pushing it open; cool air from the more open area touching your face as you swallowed hard.

Not listening to his instructions and fearing for him, you instead followed closely behind as he flicked on the light and you peeked from behind his back to see... nothing.

The area in front of the window was empty and held nothing but a few stray feathers on the floor. The rest of the room was still, lifeless, and a bit haunting even as the realization of emptiness hit you.

There was nothing and no one there.

This sight made you choke up once more, and Jimin turned around to face you as he heard your light sound. Vision blurry, you barely even noticed when he wrapped him arms around you comfortingly.