The eye of the lion

Marina felt as though her heart were beating so loudly in her chest, that her attempt at escaping was bound to be discovered at any moment because of the drum-like sound it was making.

The small case in her right hand seemed to weigh a ton. She peered around the doorway of her room towards the

deserted corridor, a cold sweat covering her forehead, and she understood that the moment had arrived and there was no going back. She had managed to fool the camera’s scrutinizing eye by forming a body-like figure in the bed with the sheets, and she’d waited for the digital eye to pan to the other end of the room before she’d leapt out from under the bed and run to the door.

Now she was about to execute the second part of her plan and make her way to the elevator, taking advantage of the guard’s absence, on her customary bathroom trip, but she felt as though her legs weren’t responding.

She took a deep breath and started to walk down the corridor. She was praying under her breath. She tried to walk noiselessly, but it seemed to her that her steps were echoing throughout the whole building.

She thought she should have gone barefoot. The elevator door was only fifteen feet away. She looked at the camera that was pointing to it and saw that it was starting its sweep towards the window. She would only have six or eight seconds to make her next move.

She ran.

Her finger fumbled twice then finally she pushed the elevator’s call button. She looked towards the other corridor, where the bathrooms were, and felt panic overwhelm her as she heard a noise coming from the men’s bathroom. Time was running out. She looked towards the camera and saw that it was starting its return sweep. Five more seconds and she would be found out. She turned towards the bathrooms. The men’s bathroom door was opening. Marina froze.

Just then, the elevator door opened silently.

Noticing that the world was moving in slow motion, Marina felt as though a supernatural force were impelling her and she saw herself entering the elevator and watching how her finger

firmly pushed the down button. The door glided shut.