The shadows were my cloak as I watched you from my hidden corner. The flickering candlelight cast long, wavering shadows on the wall, creating an atmosphere both sinister and serene. You were restless again, pacing the small room like a caged animal. I knew the bait of an unlocked door would be too tempting to resist.

I had planned every detail meticulously. You thought I was careless, that perhaps I’d forgotten to lock the door in my haste. But it was deliberate—a test of sorts. I watched intently from the shadows, my breath slow and steady, waiting for the moment you would seize your chance.

When you finally moved, it was with a burst of energy that seemed to shake the air. You darted towards the door, your feet barely making a sound on the cold, hard floor. You hesitate for just a fraction of a second at the threshold, as if expecting an unseen barrier to stop you, then you were gone, swallowed by the night.

I give you a head start, a few precious minutes to taste the freedom you longed for. I stepped out from my hiding place, the darkness now a companion rather than a cloak. The night air was crisp and filled with the scent of impending rain. I moved silently, the terrain as familiar to me as the lines of my own hands.

It didn’t take long to catch up. Your bare feet left a trail on the damp earth, leading me straight to you. You were running blindly, your breaths ragged and desperate. I closed the gap between us with steady strides, reaching out to grasp you firmly from behind.

You struggle for a moment, your body tense with fear and frustration. I lift you with ease, feeling the sharp intake of your breath as I do so.

I slip off my own shoes and place them below you, setting you down gently into them. The ground was cool and unforgiving beneath my feet, a stark contrast to the warmth of the shoes I offered. I lean in close, my voice a low murmur in the quiet night.

"Maybe you could run faster if you had shoes," I whisper, letting the words hang between us.

"Now, try again."