“He’s trying to get in,” I whimpered.
Would Cody really be able to get into the house? Was there a way in that he’d be able to find without much force? Would he stop at nothing to get in? Did Cody do something to the gaurds that were stationed around the property?
“Go to the office, Avidya,” Zachariah said more urgently. “You’ll be safe there.”
With one last deep breath, I dashed down the stairs, nearly skipping the last few as my socked feet skidded across the glossy hard flooring.
“Okay,” I panted out once I reached the doorway of his office, my heart pounding a million miles an hour inside my chest. It felt as though it would beat itself out of my chest like in the cartoons.
“Good,” Zachariah stated. “Now, shut the door.”
I did with too much force, but at least it was closed. I didn’t see how that was going to keep me from the man that was trying to force his way in.
“Behind my desk, on the bottom section of the bookshelf right in the middle of it, there’s a blue book with no title. Can you see it?” he asked out.
I quickly walked behind his desk, looking for what he was describing. It didn’t take much to find the book that Zach had said.
“Yes, I see it,” I said, yelping as a gunshot echoed along with what sounded to be Cody shooting at one of the many windows.
“It’s okay,” Zach soothed. “Pull that book from the top, it’ll tip down towards you.”
I placed my hand on the top, feeling the leather spine against my fingers. It felt as though it was real, maybe too real to be something that could save me.
Pulling the top backward towards me, a simple small beep sounded from the bookcase. Half a second later, the middle part of the bookshelf began to open inward.
“It’s open,” I said, almost in awe.
At the same moment, the sound of glass breaking reached my ears. Pure fear ran in my blood.
“He’s shot out a window!” I hissed, fighting my tears of fear back.
“That’s okay. I’m almost there,” Zach said. “With backup. Now, go in and close the shelf behind you. It’ll relock. If you need out, there’s a handle on the inside. But please, don’t come out until I say you can.”
“What if you get hurt?” I cried out at the same moment I entered into the hidden space.
“Don’t worry about that,” Zachariah soothed. “You’ll be safe, and that’s all that matters. I’ll come get you when Cody is taken care of.”
“Okay,” I whispered. “I love you.”
“I love you too, Vidie. I’ll see you soon,” he said before hanging up.
Turning the ringer on the phone off and stuffing it inside the waist of my pants against my hip, I took a moment to look around the room. It wasn’t overly big, but big enough to not feel like a cell, thank God.
The cream walls were painted light to make it feel more homey and spacious. On one wall, there was a light wooden TV stand almost four feet tall and three feet wide with a flat screen TV sitting on the top. Along another wall was a sink with a small countertop and a mini fridge underneath it. In the far corner, I assumed was a bathroom, the white door almost shut.
Against the other wall sat a mud-brown couch, a couple of blankets and pillows piled neatly on the top as though they had never been used before.
Had Zachariah used this room before? Why did he have it? Was it often he came in here? Did I even want to know?
I took a seat on the couch, feeling my body sink into the cushion as questions plagued me. I let my head fall into my hands, elbows on my knees as my emotions fought a war against one another.
I wasn’t sure if I could feel relieved, as now I couldn’t hear a sound from within the house. I was frightened that something bad was going to happen.
Not knowing what else to do, I prayed.
I prayed to God, apologizing for the lack of attention I’d given him lately. I prayed that everything would be okay.
For the first time in a while, I prayed like my life depended on it.
