2:11

2:13

4:48

She tried to sleep as much as possible, to keep herself calm and to pass time. Her tiny digital watch was the only light in a claustrophobic, black, staticky world. It was just a matter of manipulating her mind, waiting and waiting and waiting for someone to notice she was missing.

Her professors would notice she had not called in an excuse for absence.

Her workplace would notice when the shelves went unstocked.

Her neighbors would notice when she never appeared in the apartment hallways. They would hear her calling for help. Yes, there was no need to worry. She was in a very awkward position, yes, trapped in a tiny storage closet, but it wouldn’t be for long.

Her boss would notice when paychecks went uncollected.

The volley would notice when her grades failed.

The landlord would notice when rent went unpaid.

Her neighbors would notice the dust gathering on the doorknob.