I have no clue who the man is or why he’s sitting in the dark room, but the way my body reacts to the stranger I’ve yet to see is concerning on all levels.
“What are you doing in here?”
The man chuckles. “I could ask you the same thing, love. Except, I know why you’re here.”
I turn around to face him despite the fact I can’t see even an inch in front of me. “Is that so? Why, pray tell, am I in this pitch-black shoebox with a strange man?”
He huffs. “Strange man? Don’t play coy. You followed me here.”
A choked laugh bursts from my chest. He’s insane.
“I did no such thing.” My voice pitches. “Follow you? I don’t even know whoyouare.”
“Well then, my mistake.” The humor in his voice puts me at ease.
He doesn’t sound like a psycho. Then again, what does a psycho actually sound like?
I watch too much true crime and way too many Netflix documentaries on serial killers. My overactive imagination is getting the better of me.
This is just a man. In a dark room. Alone.
There has to be a reasonable explanation, just like I have. I’ll tell him I was still looking for the bathrooms. “I was told this is a private VIP restroom. What’s your excuse for hiding in the dark?”
The man does something akin to a snort. “This is hardly the toilet,” he says. “You’ve found yourself locked in a cloakroom, love. We’re stuck.”
“A cloakroom?” The words are barely a whisper. “Locked?”
I can’t see anything, and that fact causes anxiety to surface.
“Locked,” he repeats.
I spin around, hands fumbling to locate the doorknob, but when I finally find it, the air whooshes from my chest.
He’s right. It won’t open.
The heady feeling from moments ago is gone, and fear is taking root.
“Where are you going? I told you... we’re stuck.”
I turn slowly, back pressing against the door.
Calm down, Raven.
No such luck. Fear has me in its clutches and has effectively cut off my air supply. I’m not sure if it’s the man’s proximity or my slight claustrophobia kicking in, but I’m losing my cool.
My hands ball into fists, and my eyes slam shut as I work on my breathing.
The chair screeches across the tile floor as it sounds like the man stands.
Here I am, alone in this tight space, with a guy I haven’t even seen. What if he hurts me? What if I’m left for dead? Body convulsing and breathing ragged, I try my best to calm myself, but it’s no use.
The man comes closer until his body is practically hovering over me.
“Damn,” he says into my neck.
“W-What are you doing?”
“Looking for a switch. There has to be—” His words are cut off when a light overhead beams down on us. “There we go.”