I leaned against the door hoping for just a sliver of light. Nothing... slowing my breathing, I searched for my pen knife and found it deep in my left pocket.
I began to chip away at decades of old paint, probably breathing in lead flakes, but I didn't care. I hated the dark.
Time passed. How much? I had no idea, but it seemed like hours. I heard sounds, too many sounds, but they were all small and sounded like birds or rats or maybe squirrels. Nothing big...
Why had I volunteered to investigate sounds coming from the sanitarium? Why?
I must have been trying to impress the new detective at the time. She was a looker, for sure. Now she will know I am a wuss. Someone will show up when I have been missing awhile, but how long? Would she notice?
This was embarrassing! I was tall and fit and strong and young and a wuss. Crap! I slowed my breathing again and tried to remember what the police shrink had told me about phobias... irrational fear... slow your breathing... irrational fear...
The door was broken down right on top of me and light poured in! I crawled out and into the daylight. I gasped for breath and looked around at the many police cars and even cameras. What the hell?
She was standing there too, but not smiling or laughing like the others. I lowered my eyes and stood slowly. The smiles began to fade and cars began to fill with cops and leave quickly.
My partner came up to me, a fresh black eye caught my attention.
"What the hell, Marsh?"
I asked my partner.
"It was a setup, man. They wanted to bring you down or drive you crazy or some crap. I kinda tussled with the ring leader and you know who that was."
I did; the one I had beat out of the detective job, William 'Wienie' Watson.
"Uh, listen, what about the attractive new detective? Did she get all the lowdown on me?" Marsh shook his head.
"No, she got the real story from me and was disgusted that they had done that to you." I nodded.
"Well, one thing is for sure, I am getting a grip on this phobia!" I slapped him on the back. "How long was I in there, anyway?"
Marsh hung his head. "About twenty minutes... "
"Oh... crap... well, it's a start. I didn't die like I thought I would, right?" I was ashamed and glad everyone had left.
We left separately and I headed home with a plan brewing for 'Wienie' Watson. I seemed to recall that he had a fear of birds...
I began to chip away at decades of old paint, probably breathing in lead flakes, but I didn't care. I hated the dark.
Time passed. How much? I had no idea, but it seemed like hours. I heard sounds, too many sounds, but they were all small and sounded like birds or rats or maybe squirrels. Nothing big...
Why had I volunteered to investigate sounds coming from the sanitarium? Why?
I must have been trying to impress the new detective at the time. She was a looker, for sure. Now she will know I am a wuss. Someone will show up when I have been missing awhile, but how long? Would she notice?
This was embarrassing! I was tall and fit and strong and young and a wuss. Crap! I slowed my breathing again and tried to remember what the police shrink had told me about phobias... irrational fear... slow your breathing... irrational fear...
The door was broken down right on top of me and light poured in! I crawled out and into the daylight. I gasped for breath and looked around at the many police cars and even cameras. What the hell?
She was standing there too, but not smiling or laughing like the others. I lowered my eyes and stood slowly. The smiles began to fade and cars began to fill with cops and leave quickly.
My partner came up to me, a fresh black eye caught my attention.
"What the hell, Marsh?"
I asked my partner.
"It was a setup, man. They wanted to bring you down or drive you crazy or some crap. I kinda tussled with the ring leader and you know who that was."
I did; the one I had beat out of the detective job, William 'Wienie' Watson.
"Uh, listen, what about the attractive new detective? Did she get all the lowdown on me?" Marsh shook his head.
"No, she got the real story from me and was disgusted that they had done that to you." I nodded.
"Well, one thing is for sure, I am getting a grip on this phobia!" I slapped him on the back. "How long was I in there, anyway?"
Marsh hung his head. "About twenty minutes... "
"Oh... crap... well, it's a start. I didn't die like I thought I would, right?" I was ashamed and glad everyone had left.
We left separately and I headed home with a plan brewing for 'Wienie' Watson. I seemed to recall that he had a fear of birds...
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