Gemotions

The doorbell rang, a sharp, insistent sound that shattered the quiet. Her breath hitched. She froze, every muscle tensed. Peeking through the peephole, she saw his shadow, a hulking silhouette against the dim hallway light.

She retreated, her footsteps muffled by the thick carpet. She pressed herself against the wall, as if trying to merge with the plaster. Her pulse echoed in her ears, a deafening drumbeat.

The doorbell rang again, longer this time. She fought the urge to scream, to lash out. The silence that followed was more agonizing than the insistent ringing. It was a prelude.