"... five, four,three,two ,one. Ready or not, here I come!"Mom exclaimed as she entered my room looking for me with an investigative expression on her face. I stayed as quiet as I could in my new found hiding spot. I was sure this was finally it.It had been by luck I found this place and I was definitely going to win this game this time round.
Though this hiding spot was really good and it would take forever for my mom to find me,this place also came with its demerit. There was this weird smell that made me feel really nauseous. I couldn't tell if it was the smell of my dirty clothes that I had abandoned for almost a month now or a dead rat that had already decompose.
"Where is she?"I heard my mom whisper as she came out from my bathroom still searching for me. Anytime we played this game,the first place she checked was beneath my bed,if I wasn't there,then I was in my closet. And if I was neither there,then I was definitely in the bathroom . My last hiding place. But today was different. I wasn't going to let history repeat itself and let her catch me so quick. Today was the day I was going to prove to her that I was also a great hider.
I kept quiet as I watched her through a tiny hole looking for me everywhere in my room. I couldn't help but feel so proud that I had really extended the time at which she used to catch me.
Minutes passed by and I noticed a hint of anger and impatience on her face. Yes, that was what I was looking for. The same feeling I felt anytime I was the one looking for her.She was the best hider I had ever known. There wasn't a time that I caught this woman when she hid. She knew every spot in the house and used that unfair advantage against me.
Half an hour passed and the desperate and angry expression on her face started to turn into tiredness. Was she going to give up? Oh Lord,it seemed you had opened your Heaven gate and let your blessings fall upon me today.A smile crept up my face when I saw her sit at the end of my bed,her hair looking a little disheveled.
If I was not wrong,an hour had passed since she entered my room and this felt really good.
"I'm not going to give up if that's what you're thinking, wherever you are. I will definitely find you. I know every corner of this room like the spaces between my fingers. I will definitely find you.Just wait and see."
Hearing such threat made me frown. It seems she wasn't going to give up anytime soon. Great. The stench was literally killing me. I was on the verge of throwing up and my head was beginning to ache me. If I was to wait any longer,I was sure I was going to fall unconscious here alone.And if no one found me,I could die of hunger or thirst then decompose just like the rat I still hadn't found its carcass.
My heart skipped a lot of beats when I made sucn scenario in my head.My brain started making warning signs in my head.
Should I really get out before I let my wild imaginations become reality. A cold shiver run down my spine thinking I could collapse any moment from now.
I didn't notice that my mom had exited my room until I heard the door shut. What? She left, just like that? Wasn't she supposed to say she gave up before she could leave? Was she planning to do this until I gave in and come out? This was completely unfair. Well if that was what she was truly planning to do, then we were both about to see who was going to win this game today.
My stomach growled for the second time and I started to get anxious. Half an hour had passed now and my mom still hadn't found me. Of course I was proud of that but now,I was hungry. What if because of my obsession for winning this game,I go unconscious and really die quietly and alone in this smelly place. That was never how I pictured my death. Not at all. My nausea,head ache and now hunger started to make me feel frustrated and restless. I think it was time to get out of my hiding place even if that meant I had lost the game today. At least, I could still use this place as my hiding place.All I had to do was tidy up and get rid of this unknown stench then it would be good as new. I could also store some desserts here incase my mom wanted to pull this prank again. Feeling satisfied and proud about my idea,I decided to get out of my hiding place.
No sooner had I stood up, ready to get out than the door suddenly flung open as my mom emerged with a hopeful expression on her face.I immediately froze as my heart started thumping loudly in my ears. Afraid she was going to hear it,I held my chest to at least reduce the sound. Calm down Evelyn, she entering with new profound hope on her face doesn't mean she has found where you are hiding. There was no way you standing up gave your hiding spot away.
My mom walked towards my closet and my heart jumped in panic. Did she really see me when I stood up. That was impossible. She had closed the door when leaving so there was no way she was going to see me unless she could see through things. That would be ridiculous.
Finally reaching my closet, she opened it. Subconsciously,my hand flew to my mouth as I didn't want a whisper to escape me. At this point,my heart was beating so loud,I was sure she could hear it. Many question marks flooded my brain as I stood in my dark, smelly and hot hideout. Why did she suddenly return?Did she really notice me when I stood up?Did she know about this hideout or did she want to recheck if I was in my closet? Brainstorming about all these started to make me sweat profusely.The beads of sweat ran down my face, to my neck, headed to my back then made its way to my legs which started to itch me. Dammit,it had become so itchy. The only thing that was stopping me now from alleviating myself from this torture was the determination to not get caught. I was not going to get caught after all the effort I had invested.
Mom started shifting my clothes to one side to see if I was there as usual. I silently prayed to dear God to cover me with an invisible blanket so my mom wouldn't see me.
As if she saw what she was looking for,she pressed that button I now knew too well and just like that,the door behind my closest opened. My heart finally jumped into my stomach and my blood froze as my mom and I were now face to face.
"Found you."
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