2:57 am

Summer turned down the corridor and entered the first room that she saw, trying to find a place to escape. She was desperate for somewhere to hide.

The room was entered was broom closet. She shut the door, more loudly then she should have. She winched and waited for a bit. Then hearing no approaching noise, she crouched down and crawled underneath one of the large shelves. She hugged her bag tightly to her chest as she tried to slow down her heart and her breathing. They both sounded too loud to the girl. What if the monster could hear it? What could it hear? Feel or smell even?

A second later it walked down the corridor and closer to her room.

Her heart beat faster.

Please don’t find me, please don’t find me.

She could hear it on the outside, sniffing around. It’s claws were against the wall creating a grating sound that vibrated through the walls.

Then suddenly the lights in the room flicked on. The main lights. Summer flinched and shut her eyes to the blinding white brightness that flooded the room.

The thing in the corridor gave another loud screech. It didn’t like the lights too.

Then suddenly there was a loud grating noise and a large metal door crashed down from the top of the broom closet’s doorway.

She was safe.

She was trapped.

When the metallic noises settled down she pressed her ear against the metal door trying to hear the thing in the corridor, but she could not hear the breathing of the monster.

Did it find her? Was it just waiting for her to come out? Did it go away? Or did it… did it disappear?

She felt relief, but for how long would she be safe? And for how long would she be trapped behind this metal door?

She glanced around the broom closet. It was smaller than the filing closet that she was just in.

Daddy has a really big filing closet huh? But… it had a keypad and … a metal door that you could control.

She looked around the closet for a keypad but found no sign of one. Just brooms and various other cleaning implements. And also a very fancy looking vacuum cleaner. It had the company logo on it.

She sat on the floor and wondered what she should do. She would have to stay here until the door opened again. She thought again about the closet that her father put her in.

He knew it was there, I mean, obviously he did, he gave me the code to shut and open the door. Did he ever have to use it himself? Was it for him? It’s a panic room isn’t it? Why did daddy need a panic room? Why on earth would he need it in his office?

Her thoughts raced. Ranging from the safety of her father, to the absurdity of the situation, and then worrying about her was thinking about mother. Thoughts jumbled and raced through her head over and over. She felt tears enter her eyes, but she rushed them away. It was not time to cry yet.

How long will I be trapped in the closet? I don’t have food… no I have my leftover lunch… and my water bottle from football practice. Did this metal door thing happen the last time when I was in the room? Like a giant panic room blocking of the doors for every room? But then they opened eventuallly and the monster went out… The last time the lights went off. Would it happen again? I have to find… find…out… where are you daddy? Is it really gone? What is it? What … is…

She found her mind drifting off to nothingness. Sleepiness had hit her.

It is only when you are trying to fight off sleep that it’s siren’s call lures you in deeper. She felt her eyes flutter shut, but she fought to stay awake.

No, no, I can’t fall asleep… I… need to find out if daddy is okay… if mum knows what’s going on… the phone… where’s my… pocket…

She pulled out her phone.

The battery read 9% The time read: 

3:17 am

Did the doors shut at 3? Doesn’t matter now… calling…

She put her finger to the screen and unlocked her phone, but that was all she was able to do, before she drifted off to sleep.