• My arms shake as I listen to the sound of the footsteps on the stairs. My breathing is rushed and my lungs pound on my ribs. My legs give out and I slide down the wall and sit on the ground. The sounds are getting closer. The feet are reaching the top of the stairs. The darkness is around me. The light switch is pointed down toward me. The wood floor is cold on my jean covered butt. My lips quiver and my shaking hand tightens on the pocket knife.
    The sound of creaking begins toward the door beside me. I can feel the old floor move with the steps. I can feel the jumping of my heart and the skittering of my brain. I was trained for this reason. I was trained by masters of defense to fight away people that break in. I’m only sixteen.
    The footsteps stop at another doorway and the door is slowly opened. I hurry to open the knife in my hand before the door is let go. I stop breathing as the knife clicks open and listen for sound of rushing feet. But all I hear is the final swish of the door across a rug. I know that they didn’t hear me.
    The person moves down closer to my door. My arms have stopped shaking and my breathing halts. The slow steps stop beside me and the golden door handle twists. I hear the clanks as the mechanics of the round handle turn to open. The wood slides forward and a foot steps in.
    My arm moves through the silent air and brings the steal knife into the man’s foot. He yells breaking the silence of the room and tries to turn. My knees unlock and I shoot up bringing my shoulder to his chest. He falls over and hits the floor. A metal object crashes and slides across the wood.
    I rush down the lit hallway and bolt over the stairs. My body is carried by the legs that have no limit. I hit the bottom floor and pause for one second. I hear the man upstairs scream. I shift my eyes to the front door three rooms away. I start up my legs again and hurry down the hall.
    A man sticks his head out of a doorway and is about to yell when my fist collides with his cheek. He pulls back into the room. I move on to the front door and reach out to the handle. The brass clicks and the door is loose. I pull it open and hurry into the cold air. The sound of a car starts but I move down the street.
    I concentrate on the hotel on the next block. A lady will be working at the desk. A human. A life. I run. I run across the side street and into the golden light of the hotel windows. I pull the door open and run into the safety. I feel the tears began in my eyes as the women rushes around the desk to me. Safety.