SHADOW IN THE HALL
250 Words
The clock in the hallway struck two.
The sound seemed louder than usual, echoing off the walls like a warning.
I slipped out of bed slowly, careful not to disturb the steady rise and fall of Ryan’s breathing. His hand, heavy and possessive, rested across my waist. I held my breath as I eased it off and slid to the edge of the mattress.
The photograph was still hidden inside the drawer in his study — I was sure of it. The question was whether I had the courage to get it now, in the dead of night, with him only a few rooms away.
Barefoot, I stepped into the dark hallway, the wooden floor cool against my skin. The air was still, too still, as if the house itself was holding its breath.
The study door creaked when I pushed it open. I froze.
Nothing. Just silence.
Inside, the scent of leather and old books clung to the air. My eyes darted to the mahogany desk. The bottom drawer was locked — but I remembered Nathaniel’s key burning a hole in my nightgown pocket.
I crouched down, heart hammering, and slid the key in.
Click.
The drawer opened. And there it was — the photograph. But it wasn’t alone.
There were more. Dozens of photos.
Different faces. Different bundles. The same van.
A chill swept over me, raising the hairs on my arms.
“Elena,” a voice murmured from the shadows.
I spun around.
And dropped the photograph.
- Writer
