Securing the clapper, I lifted the bell from the door, not wanting to make a noise. Slow and quiet, I kept repeating, turning the doorknob. Do not make a sound. A grin stretched across my face. With a light, steady push, the door cracked open. The light from the moon spilled in, revealing only empty darkness inside. Perfect, I thought, my hand quivering with excitement. Pushing the door farther, the old hinges groaned, stripping me of my breath and halting my entry.
With my heart pounding in my ears, there was no way anyone had heard that, I lied to myself. Not wanting to abate, I clenched my teeth and continued to push the door open. As the door had just enough room, I slipped inside, and the door shut with a final protesting squeak, extinguishing the last sliver of light.
Now, surrounded by darkness, my eyes strained to piece together the room. The sweet cookie-smelling void I now stood in left me disoriented, floating without a guide, utterly blind. Stripped of my vision, my only choice was simple. Stepping lightly, I dragged my foot across the carpet to dispel any tripping hazards and lessen any noise. The cumbersome bag that looped over my shoulder slipped as I reached out my arms to steady myself. Sliding down my arm, the bag hit something in the darkness, and the sound of glass shattering broke the quiet like a gunshot.
It took every ounce of my being to keep my composure as my heart raced. The blackness of the room now felt crushing. Searching the confines of the dark, I was left with nothing. Feeling my heart thump in my chest, time itself seemed to slow between each excruciating beat.
Suddenly, the blinding lights burned into my eyes as the darkness was dispelled from the room. Through a squint, the haphazard plastic tree in the corner became apparent. I closed my eyes and with an exasperated sigh, turned to face my discoverer.
“Sant—”
A piercing shriek shattered the silence as a woman turned the corner, her eyes locking onto the figure in the dark.
J.L. Gang 
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