Surviving

Tears started to wet my blindfold and flow down my cheeks, tears of fear and helplessness. I had never been so lost in my entire life. I shifted my weight from one frozen foot to another without even fully knowing what the place that I was locked in looked like.

"Focus, Cora! Focus! You need to think!" I shouted at myself, forcing out the last ounce of my strength.

I could still hear those vicious men laughing outside my door, but I knew that they were getting ready to evacuate, and they would leave me here as soon as all the explosives were set. I heard one of them saying that the trigger would be placed on the door handle, and as soon as someone opened the door from the outside, the whole building would blow up. I knew that Aren wasn't stupid enough to walk in without checking the whole place, but what if he acted irrational and hasty? I was on the edge of a panic attack, but I couldn't allow myself to lose my senses.

Breathing deeply, I took cautious steps toward the wall and then