Flight or Fall

PIPER’S POV

I slammed the heavy lock shut on my bedroom door. The metallic click echoed like a gunshot in the silent space. I staggered backward. My bare feet slipped on the smooth hardwood until my spine collided with the closet door. My breath came fast and shallow. Each inhale tore through my throat. Panic burned through my lungs. I pressed my palms flat against the cool wood behind me. I trie