(no subject)
Even hermits had to leave their homes on a semi-regular basis. Pulling the robe that he left draped over the front widow as a makeshift curtain, Gulliver threw it on and wrestled a bit to feed his head and arms through their respective openings. For a moment, the heat and darkness of catching his head in a sleeve made his knees knockwith frustration and panic. The feeling, he told himself once he was red-faced but dressed, certainly wasn't caused by the thought of going outside.
After checking to see that he had everything he needed several times, he took a deep breath. First, he cracked the door open and squinted one dishwater blue at the hallway. A few sheets billowed on a clothesline against the gray pre-dawn sky. The old iron staircase creaked quietly, devoid of everything but a few old newspaper scraps and rust. The building was dead, as it always was at this hour. Finally, he could take a full breath.
Gulliver hurried out and fumbled with his keys, his hands shaking. It would be alright. He would turn in his report, buy a few essentials and come home directly. If he timed it right, he might not have to speak with anyone at all. He wasn't reassured. His hands still shook and he tried three keys before he found the right one and tried to slip it into the lock. He could hear someone coming up the stairs, but couldn't bring himself to look at them.
"Damn thing," he half-hissed until at last he managed to lock the door.
After checking to see that he had everything he needed several times, he took a deep breath. First, he cracked the door open and squinted one dishwater blue at the hallway. A few sheets billowed on a clothesline against the gray pre-dawn sky. The old iron staircase creaked quietly, devoid of everything but a few old newspaper scraps and rust. The building was dead, as it always was at this hour. Finally, he could take a full breath.
Gulliver hurried out and fumbled with his keys, his hands shaking. It would be alright. He would turn in his report, buy a few essentials and come home directly. If he timed it right, he might not have to speak with anyone at all. He wasn't reassured. His hands still shook and he tried three keys before he found the right one and tried to slip it into the lock. He could hear someone coming up the stairs, but couldn't bring himself to look at them.
"Damn thing," he half-hissed until at last he managed to lock the door.