Morning all, we have a short and sweet writing prompt today so lets just jump into it without further ado. Ready? Begin.
I have to say that was a little bit strange for me. Much more heist story than I am used to.No idea where it is going, but it could be fun. Also not where I was expecting the prompt to take me.
Tuesday, March 2nd: She sneezed.
She sneezed. It was exactly the wrong moment for a sneeze. She tried to hold it in, but the effort of attempting to do so made it erupt far more forcefully than normal. The sound echoed off the narrow space, bouncing off of the metal around her. She heard the starts of alarm below her and knew her cover was blown. They knew she was here.
Knowing she had little time, Elise began moving quickly away. She knew her sneeze was like the ping of an echo location on a sonar and she needed to put some distance between herself and her last known location.
She kept her stealth as much as possible as she virtually swam through the ductwork above their heads. She heard their voices as they questioned the location. It wouldn’t take them long to realize that the sound came from above them instead of from one of their number.
‘Please let them be as dumb as posts,’ she thought as she continued to move.
Word was that Ethan had hired men more for their brawn than brains and as this wasn’t an expected entry point, she hoped that those with brains were utilized elsewhere. ‘Even so it won’t take them long,’ she reminded herself. ‘Even stupid knows how to look up.’
Her motions took her to the split in the corridor of ducts and remembering the schematics she took the left side. There should be a vent leading to a small storage room soon and exiting the duct work before they began searching it seemed like a good idea. She spotted the grate and pulled out the inner grate. She moved with stealth and silence, her entire body attuned to the sound of pursuit and the feel of vibrating metal as others joined her in the narrow tunnels hidden in the depths of the building. The grate popped free and after glancing through the opening she realized that not only was the room devoid of people as expected, but there was a book case no too far below her. She eased herself through the opening and onto the tip of the book case.
Ash she stepped out, she felt rather than heard a shift inside the metal. Somewhere an opening was made and someone entered on a search. Her time was running short. Mentally she cursed her sneeze even as she turned and carefully, quietly pulled the grate back into place. Hopefully the replaced grate would prevent them from realizing where she left the grate.
Her exit concealed, she turned away and quickly climbed down the book case as though it was a ladder. Free of the echoing metal her steps were light as a feather and as silent as a prayer. Outside she heard footsteps on the concrete, running this way and that. Elise crossed the room and just where she expected she found a small maintenance panel. The machinery was long since removed and provided just enough space for her to wedge herself into. It was the perfect spot to sit and wait. For now, the men had to search and she had to hide. Later she would continue her mission.
Ten til Midnight 