Trapped above his killers with only a phone and a prayer, Seth’s survival hinges on a single, silent second.
The Silence in the Vents
Seth Bonner watched the spider crawl over his hand. He knew if he made a sound he’d have as much chance of surviving as a lobster tossed into a pot of boiling water. He lifted his head and peered out through the slats in the air vent grate.
Below, Larry Markus stood in the dim corridor, his breath fogging in the chill air. “Chin, listen up, Bonner’s got all the stuff that will put us in prison for life. We got to find him and feed him to the fishes.”
Chin Corbo adjusted the heavy weapon resting in the crook of his arm. “Relax, he’s got to be in the building. We got all the doors covered.”
Seth pulled out his iPhone. The screen glowed dimly against his face, a beacon of light in the dusty darkness. Did he dare call his buddy, Captain of Detectives, Ella Swan? A single ring could signal his exact location, sending a barrage of bullets through the thin aluminum duct. But staying silent meant waiting for them to check the HVAC unit—a matter of minutes, at best.
His thumb hovered over Ella’s contact name. Down in the hallway, boot heels clicked against concrete, stopping directly beneath the vent. The metallic screech of a rusted ladder being dragged into position echoed right below Seth’s chest. Chin was climbing up.
Seth’s pulse thundered in his ears. He tapped the screen.
The screen flashed: Connecting…
At that exact second, the vent cover squeaked, and a heavy flashlight beam pierced the darkness, blinding Seth completely.
How does Seth’s story end? Does Captain Swan answer in time, or does Chin spot him before the call connects? Write the next paragraph to finish the tale!
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