She took a step back.
On her face, a wry smile appeared.
I know it's my sweet best friend. However, I'm not gonna open the door.
It stopped.
A beat of silence.Again.
Knock... knock... knock... knock.
Exactly four times. With lower volume.It reached Esti.
She mumbled to herself, "I hear the knocking, but... why is he knocking so calmly? Is he not angry at me?""Esti... open the door."
The voice attracted her attention.
She froze.
Then,
The shock snapped. Adrenaline surged, forcing her to her feet in a single, sudden motion.
Slowly,She moved closer to the door.
Again. A low volume knock.
Every quiet step took her closer to the wood, the floorboards ice-cold against her skin. She was now standing right in front of it.
Esti stood there for a little longer.
The heavy silence between her and the hallway felt thick, suffocating.
She was wondering, Do I need to open the door?Until, she heard footsteps fading away.
She decided to open the door.
The metal lock resisted, cold and stubborn against her grip.
She threw her weight against the frame, trying to force it. However, it was jammed.
She rattled the handle violently, shaking the whole frame. This time the mechanism yielded, opening so
suddenly that she stumbled forward.She stepped outside into the dim hallway. The air was dead quiet.
Shadows stretched long to the right, and empty darkness lay to the left.Nothing but empty space.
She wouldn't stop there. She broke into a hurried stride toward the stairs, descending the steps two at a time, heading for the main door.
It was already open, swinging gently on its hinges as the night air drifted inside. Someone had just walked out.
She rushed to the threshold, leaning past the frame into the dark, trying to catch a glimpse of the retreating figure.
Nothing.
Only the sound of tires on wet road, fading away in the distance.
The taillights bled red into the night, then vanished around the corner.
The main door swung gently on its hinges behind her.