Chapter 53: Attacked
Demetri had just returned from the flight. The long and almost continuous trip to and from Country B had taken a toll on him. He’d barely walked through the door and gone to get himself a glass of water when he heard Nora cry out," Hey you!"
He turned instinctively but before he could even register what was happening, a blur of movement caught his eye. Instinct took over and he caught the vase one-handed, an inch before it smacked between his eyes.
On the other side of the room, Nora’s breaths came in shallow gasps. Her heart pounded as she slowly registered the scene before her. She had mistaken Demetri for an intruder in the dead of night, reacting on pure instinct and fear. As relief coursed through her nerves, she attempted to speak but managed only fragmented words, her voice broken and tremulous, "You..."
Demetri turned on the light as he quickly realized that Nora had mistaken him for an intruder. Nora winced at the sudden glare of lights and gulped, as the adrenaline began to subside. Feeling weak, she leaned against the wall and tried to think of a way to apologize to him. Hadn’t he been in some other country when she called him? Then what was he doing here?
However, as she thought of all these questions, she watched something terrifying. He looked at her with a sudden anger, making her shudder as he walked close to her quickly.
In her heightened state of vulnerability and fear, she winced and instinctively braced herself for what she believed might come next.
Seeing this, Demetri stilled. Seeing the fear in Nora’s eyes was enough to make him stop in his tracks.
Demetri slowly raised his hand in a gesture of surrender and extended it towards Nora. It was as if he was trying to calm a frightened wild animal.
His eyes never left hers as he gently motioned towards the baseball bat she clutched tightly. Nora, still trembling, glanced down at the bat and then back at him. Slowly, she let go of her makeshift weapon, allowing it to lean against the wall.