Hide and seek

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My story is of two events in the life of one person, the first during childhood and the other as an adult. It brings together the prompts from Sunday Scribblings, Adult, and (Fiction) Friday, Hide and Seek.
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August 1979
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It was pitch dark in the cupboard under the stairs. It was so eerily quiet she could hear her own heart beating. ‘Let’s play hide and seek’ her friends had said. ‘You hide,we’ll count to twenty and then we’ll come looking for you’.

Why was it so quiet? Why couldn’t she hear her friends running around in search of her? They must be creeping around in the hope of luring her out. They must have thought she would take a little peep out of the door and then they’d pounce on her! She was shaking with excitement. This was going to be the best fun she’d had for ages..

Minutes later it was still silent. Perhaps they were having trouble finding her she thought. Sitting in the dark wasn’t so much fun now. Why was it so quiet?
Suddenly something tickled her forehead. She leapt out of the cupboard frantically ruffling her hair with her hands. It must have been a little spider. She expected her friends to come running toward her laughing, but there was no one to be seen. They must have decided to leave her and go out to play, it was not the first time it had happened. A tear trickled down her cheek.
She was alone in the house. So alone..

August 2009

It was her husband's birthday and she thought she'd surprise him. He'd said he would be late home from the office because he had a meeting to attend, so she decided to make his homecoming a bit special. She prepared a meal fit for a king, put champagne on ice and scattered red rose petals across the table. Then she changed into the most alluring dress she could find. Just before he was due to arrive home she lit some candles and hid behind the door to the dining room.

She waited for what seemed like an eternity. Several times she thought she heard his car pulling into the driveway, but it must have been the neighbours.
Then she heard a key in the lock and the front door opening. She could feel her heart pounding with excitement. She waited for him to come into the room. And she waited and she waited. Eventually she ventured out from her hiding place. He was nowhere to be seen. On the hall table she found his note. She didn't need to read it. A tear trickled down her cheek.
She was alone in the house. So alone.


PS. A quick plug for my friend Rosey who has written an 'interesting' piece for Sunday Scribbs! Click here.
And another thing! The new Carry On Tuesday prompt is ready and waiting right here!
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