Ellen’s heart thundered in her chest as she pressed herself tighter against the wall, her hand shaking as covered her mouth to muffle her shallow breaths. Her heart was racing in her ears, counting down to the moment she feared most. She could hear Hans’s heavy footsteps outside, the click of the doorknob as he tried to turn it. The lock didn’t budge, but he didn’t seem surprised.
"Oh, so you’re here, Ellen," he called out. A loud bang from a gunshot rang out, and Ellen flinched violently as the doorknob shattered. She bit down on her lip, trying not to let a single sound escape her. She watched, frozen, as Hans’s foot slammed against the door. The door pushed open, and the couch Ellen had jammed against it moved across the floor as he forced his way in. He stepped in with the ease of someone who had all the time in the world.
With a twisted smile, Hans closed the door behind him, pushing the couch back to block any chance of escape. His eyes casually swept across the room. "What a déjà vu," he said. "I remember being here years ago, looking for Mason. You know, back then I searched every corner of this place, hoping to find him." He chuckled again, a bitter, humorless sound. "Turned out he was out there, hanging out with friends, while his dear family had... well, a bit of a situation going on."
Ellen’s fingers tightened around a small vase that sat beside her, its smooth surface suddenly feeling like her only lifeline. Hans sank onto the bed, bouncing slightly as he sat there. He glanced around the room again, his eyes serious as if he could see straight through the walls. "Come on, Ellen," he coaxed gently. "Why don’t you come out now? I might just show you some kindness if you cooperate. After all..." He sighed dramatically, throwing his head back. "I am tired. Running away, stealing a car, breaking out of that awful facility... and that ridiculous security team was no match for me. Honestly, you and Mason should hire me for your security."
He laughed at his own joke, amused by his humor. He got up and wandered to the small table near the window, casually grabbing the flowers Ellen had placed there earlier. Hans twisted the stems in his hand, looking at the flowers like they were the most fascinating thing he’d ever seen.
Now!
In one quick motion, Ellen swung the vase, shattering it against the side of his head. Hans stumbled, caught off guard as shards of glass scattered around them. The flowers fell to the floor, mixing with the broken pieces. Ellen’s heart raced as she saw her chance, and without hesitation, she bolted towards the door, her hands desperately pushing against the couch to clear the way. Freedom was just within her grasp.
But Hans recovered faster than she expected. Blood trickled down from his temple, but he barely seemed to notice. With a growl, he stumbled toward her, yanking her arm and pulling her back. "Uh-oh, naughty, naughty," he hissed with a low, creepy voice. He shoved her to the floor, and she felt the sharp sting as her skin scraped against the broken vase pieces.
Ellen shouted as pain hit her hands and knees, her body landing hard against the broken pieces. Hans sneered, looking down at her as blood continued to trickle down his face. "Well, at least you’re putting up a fight," he mocked, crouching down beside her. "Mason’s family didn’t get the chance to do that, you know. They didn’t even see me coming."
"You’re crazy!" Ellen fired back despite the fear creeping in.
Hans’s face twisted into a smile that sent chills down her spine. "Yeah, maybe," he replied, shrugging nonchalantly. "But clever too. One little fake seizure, and they thought I was harmless. Gave me the perfect chance to break out." He shook his head, as if amused by the simplicity of it all. "And something tells me tonight is the perfect time to finish things. No more loose ends, Ellen."
As he spoke, Ellen’s fingers grazed a sharp shard of glass nearby. She seized it, gripping it tightly in her hand. With all the strength she could muster, she swung the shard at him, slicing into his shoulder. Hans hissed, stumbling back and glaring at her, his face twisted in anger. He kicked her hand away, the shard slipped from her hand and slid across the floor. Pain flared in her wrist and foot as he followed up with a harsh kick to her side, her ribs throbbing with agony.
"You’re really ungrateful, you know that?" He took a step back, eyes burned with anger as he held his bleeding shoulder . Before either of them could move, they heard the clear sound of sirens in the distance. Ellen’s face lit up as she looked up at him, fire in her eyes despite her injuries.
"You won’t get away with this."
Hans’s smirk faded, replaced by a cool, unsettling calm. "Oh, I don’t plan on getting away," he murmured, almost to himself. He reached into his jacket and pulled out the gun, pointing it at her with an unsettling ease. "Any last words, Ellen?" He paused, then shook his head slightly, as if answering his own question. "No, no, no. I’m not interested in hearing them. But I will say," he added, "you did put up quite a show."
The sirens grew louder, and Ellen’s mind raced. She could barely think as she locked eyes with him, just overwhelmed by fear. He tilted his head, almost as if he were studying her, and then, in one smooth motion, he pulled the trigger.
The gunshot echoed through the room, a loud blast that felt like time stopped. Pain shot through Ellen’s chest, taking over her senses. She gasped, pressing her hand against the spot as warmth spread and her vision started to blur.
The last thing she saw was Hans’s face, watching her with that same twisted smile, as the dark room slowly faded away.