H

e pushed himself up as close as he could to the bookcase, his cheek pressed firmly against the old wooden frame.

The footsteps grew louder as the man got closer and closer.

“There’s no point hiding, I will find you sooner or later,” said the man, his deep booming voice echoing around the library.

Elias knew he couldn’t hide for ever but he also knew that coming out now would mean certain death. There had to be another way. He looked around. He was on the first floor next to a long balcony that overlooked the main central area of the library. There was only one way up and down and that was now blocked by the very man trying to find him now.

Jumping off the balcony was not an option. It was at least twenty feet high and even if he did somehow manage to land safely then what? There were at least five other guys downstairs just waiting for him.

The bookcase creaked and moved a little as he leant into it. He instinctively looked down and saw the old metal foot plate that held the case in place. The screws were almost black in a mix of rust and age. He pushed a little more and saw the plate lifted slightly. Perhaps there was something he could do.

He crept along the aisle to the opposite end and very carefully slid a large book out from one of the shelves. It was entitled, A Surprising Awaits, rather apt he thought before peering around the case ever so slowly. There was no-one there.

The man's footsteps continued ominously from the other end of the balcony, he could not be more than a couple of aisles away now.

Had Elias been able to see the man he would have also seen him pull out a small calibre handgun and carefully screw in a silencer on the end.

“You are only making it harder for yourself,” the man continued. “There is no way out. I only need to ask you a few questions.”

Elias threw the book, which was quite heavy, as far as he could along the rear aisle. It landed with a loud thud and slid another metre.

The man stopped and turned instantly. Elias heard him walking quickly towards where the book had landed. This was his one and only chance. Elias moved as quickly as he dared back to the other end and with all his might began to push on the bookcase. The footplate holding it in place creaked as the ancient screws began to rip from the floor. It slowly began to topple and then...stopped.

The man had now reached the end of the aisle. He bent down and picked the book Elias had thrown.

“Come-on!” Elias said under his breath as he pushed with all his might. The bookcase creaked some more but stayed firmly in its place.

The man stood up and smirked at the title of the book. “There are no surprises left to play on me boy!” he called out and dropped the book.

This was it, the one and only chance left. Elias threw himself at the bookcase, his feet scraping across the floor as every ounce of strength he had was thrown against the shelves, forcing the last remnants of the screws to finally give up their hold and the towering case finally toppled over. It’s size and weight was more than enough to create a domino effect as it smashed into the bookshelf in the neighbouring aisle, instantly causing that one to topple over as well.

The man reacted quickly. The initial crashing sound had alerted him to what was about to happen and he was not going to wait around to find out if he was right. He ran as fast as he could to the end of the aisle, books falling around him as he tried to make it out in time. He almost did as well as he dived for freedom just as the bookcase crashed down trapping one of his legs.

“Aarrrgghh!” he cried out as the immense weight pinned him in place. As he fell his gun slid along the floor and then toppled over the side of the balcony.

This was the opportunity Elias needed and he wasn’t going to miss it. He ran as fast as he could along the balcony, shouts could be heard from below as he was spotted and suddenly the room erupted in gun fire.

As he ran he was engulfed in a shower of wooden shards as bullets ripped into the walls around him as they tried to hit their true target.

The trapped man saw Elias heading straight for him and tried to free himself but it was too late. Elias leapt with all his might over the man just as he clawed to grab Elias’s foot. His fingers just scratched the sole of his shoe before Elias landed on the other side and kept running. As he reached the door he took a quick look back to see the man staring at him with fury in his eyes. Elias knew he wasn’t safe and yet for some reason took a moment to not just look at the man who with his colleagues was trying to kill him, but gave a mocking wink back at him.

Then he dashed through the door and up the stairwell as fast as he could.