She stopped in her tracks, and so did he.
In the narrow staircase landing, they stood silent, facing each other.
His gaze bore down on her with a heavy intensity, almost too much for her to bear.
The whole world seemed to quiet down at that moment, so quiet that she could hear his breathing, mixed faintly with the scent of smoke and green grass.
The silence dragged on, so long it made one want to flee.
She felt suffocated, unable to breathe, took a deep breath, and was about to turn back when the sound-activated lights in the corridor abruptly went out. Darkness descended heavily, and the breath caught in her chest wouldn't come up, nor go down. More oppressive than this darkness was his shadow, looming larger than life. Without the light, he was a massive dark cloud, darker than the night, threatening to engulf her at any moment.
"I..." She forced the breath out with difficulty, "If there's nothing else, I'll be going up."
