The Quiet of the Night
A cough, distant down the hall
A bump next door, the wall vibrated.
Silence slips back into the darkness
Close your eyes sink into sleep.
Suddenly, shouting “let me out”
Brings you to the surface
Shouting louder now not too far away
She realises the door is locked
Enveloped in stale air, no way out
Rising panic, chest twisted
Throbbing in the throat,
Mist behind the eyes.
Banging, on and on
Shouting turns to screams
Then silence.
Footsteps running, how many?
Low voice, keys turning,
A radio crackles to life, “Code Red”
Emergency over
Silence slips back into the darkness
You succumb to sleep.
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