Foresight: A Superhero Story

12. The Door

I attempted to enter the suspicious house through both the front and back doors without success. Realizing that I might draw unwanted attention, I decided to creep along the house to a low window. To my disdain, the window refused to budge. Thoroughly frustrated, I kicked the side of the house, wincing at the sudden pain in my foot.

Stupid. There's got to be a better way.

After regrouping my scattered thoughts, I decided to break the window. I found an apple sized rock and threw it at the window with a grunt. The glass splintered but refused to shatter. With a sigh, I pulled my work polo out of my bag and wrapped it protectively around my hand. I shoved the cracked glass, my heart pounded in my chest when it hit the tiled floor inside. I stopped for a moment to assess my surroundings. To my relief, no one was reacting to the sound of breaking glass.

Good.

I cleared the remaining glass from the window's frame. Once I was sure I wouldn't get cut, I shoved my polo back in my bag and crawled through the window. I pushed back the oppressive curtain, landing on the floor. The crunch of broken glass announced my presence. I crouched near the window, ready to make my escape should anyone be inside. After waiting in the dark for several minutes, I was certain the house was empty.
I pulled out my phone, using the flashlight to navigate around the house. I snuck through the main level. I was disappointed to only see empty, off-white rooms. I made my way up the stairs, finding myself more confused. This house was normal. There was no murderers, criminals, or people in general.

Check the basement.

I frowned at the thought. Basements have always creeped me out. There was something I disliked about being underground, I just couldn't put my finger on it. I wandered until I found an ornate staircase that descended into darkness. I paused at the top of the stairs, feeling the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. I composed myself before taking the stairs at a snail's pace. Every creaking step made me gasp with fright, but I was determined to see this through.

Once I was at the bottom, I shone my phone's light around the room. I couldn't comprehend how such a large house had such a small basement. The room was composed of unfinished concrete and stood empty, except for a vintage refrigerator sitting in the corner. The lonely appliance seemed strange. The kitchen didn't even have a refrigerator. I suspiciously approached the refrigerator. I pulled it open after calming myself.

Dont be a wimp. It's just an old refrigerator.

To my dismay, it wasn't just a refrigerator. Instead of finding plastic shelves, I found another door. A strong feeling of unease fell on me like a heavy comforter. I bent down and examined the door. I gulped nervously. Every instinct I had was shouting for me to run away. The knowledge that I was here to help someone spurred me foreward.

I pushed the door, it swung open without protest. I peered into the darkness. With my phone's flashlight I could see a wide room. I crawled through the refrigerator and stood reluctantly in the new room. A bead of sweat trickled down my back, causing me to flinch. I could just make out a desk along the wall with a matching wooden chair. Before I could investigate the room further, a quiet, strained voice called out from the darkness.

"Help... Help me. Please."

I jumped and whipped around, shining my light in the corner to my right. I saw a distraught young woman staring back at me. She was handcuffed to a pipe that ran along the low ceiling. The woman's feet could barely touch the ground. Dark makeup ran down her face. I could see my own fear mirrored in her face.

"Help me! The key... He keeps it in the desk."

Her voice was a little louder, yet husky sounding. As if she had been yelling for hours. I glanced at her before bolting to the desk. I needed to find the key for the handcuffs. With shaking hands I yanked open a drawer. I pushed my shaking hands through a stack of loose papers. Finding nothing of use, I moved on to the next drawer. I pulled the drawer completely out of the desk. I dumped the contents out onto the desk. I found nothing but old magazines that featured scantily clad women. I froze as I reached for the third drawer, a noise caught my attention.

"He's here! Hurry!" The woman began to sob quietly as I could hear footsteps above us.

Shit. Oh holy shit. This is bad.

I wrenched the final drawer open, I dug through the contents frantically as my pulse pounded in my ears. I could no longer hear the footsteps. We were running out of time. I began to panic just as my hand clasped a small metal object.

The key!

I raced back across the room, dragging the wooden chair with me. I stood on the chair and struggled to unlock the handcuffs. I held the key in my right hand and my phone in the other. I cursed as I heard a distant noise from somewhere in the house. Despite my shaking hands, I was able to undo one side the handcuffs. The woman yanked her wrist free and cowered in the corner.

I could now hear the basement stairwell groaning. I struggled to think clearly as my panicked and adrenaline fuelled thoughts raged through my skull. I needed a plan, fast. I looked around the room, my eyes settled on the desk.

"Help me block the door!"

My fearful whisper caught the woman's attention. She grabbed one side of the desk and I took the other. With a groan, we shuffled across the room with it. After placing the desk against the doorway, I heard whistling through the door. The joyful tune made my blood run cold.

I swept my light across the room. There was no way out. I did a quick inventory of my backpack. Besides for a small pocket knife and pepper spray, I had nothing useful. I handed the woman the knife and my phone with trembling hands. She clung to them with white knuckles. I instructed her to call 911 while I tucked my pepper spray into my pocket.

The loud thud of the door hitting our impromptu barricade caused me to shriek loudly. I heard an angry string of curse words from the otherside of the door. The woman flew across the room as I attempted to reinforce the barricade with my body. I could hear her loudly shriek as an impact pushed the desk back a few inches.

"Mila... Let me in." The sultry male voice crooned through the gap in the door.

I struggled to suppress the urge to vomit as I pushed against the door. The woman, Mila, screamed as another impact pushed the desk further. My breaths came out in stuccato puffs as I struggled to keep the door closed. In my terrified state, I struggled to breathe. It quickly became evident that I couldn't hold the door for much longer. I glanced desperately behind me, realizing Mila hadn't used my phone.

Fuck.

"Mila, darling. Open the door." The man's voice trembled with rage. "You don't want to make me angry."

He hit the door again, this time widening the opening several inches further. I screamed loudly.
"Oh, you brought a friend. How considerate."