Room

I entered the room with my gun drawn. It was empty except for a device sat on a small table in the middle of the room. I heard a loud bang behind me. The heavy metal door slammed shut. I tried to open it but it was firmly locked. Looking at the device, a series of red numbers stood out in the near darkness.

1:37

The only other light came from a glass panel in the door. I tried my radio, something was shielding the signal. All I could get was a crackle with the occasional broken word. There were no windows, no other outlets except the door. The device stared at me out of the darkness, daring me to touch.

1:25

The light was shadowed suddenly and I made out a face at the glass panel.

"There's a bomb," I shouted. The head nodded and moved away. When it reappeared I tried to hear what was said.

"Device ... timer ... dis .." was all I could get.

1:10

I searched my pockets for tools. I found nail scissors, chewing gum, a nail file, two hairgrips. Maybe I could improvise, hopefully I wouldn't have to.

"The lock," I hollered at the top of my voice, pointing to where the key pad was positioned. A shrug told me whoever was out there trying to help me had no idea of the code.

0:57

The helmet identified the new face as bomb disposal. I showed him what I had. He made a screwing motion. I looked at the device. There were two screws holding an end cap. I used the nail file to carefully remove them, Holding the cap in place in case there was a booby trap. I unwrapped a stick of gum and started chewing. I used the wrapper to slide under the cap looking for wires. The foil moved freely around the rim so I took the cap away.

0:27

So many wires. And the numbers were counting down my life. I moved back to the door. The disposal man was mouthing something. I couldn't make it out. He made a snipping motion. I held up the scissors and he nodded.

"Which wire?" I almost screamed. He said something but I couldn't hear. I looked again at the choices. In the half light the white stood out. I could make out the red. The others all looked different shades of grey. In the movies it's always the red wire. But that's the movies. Should I cut the red?

0:16

I was wearing a red scarf. I held it up to the glass. The head shook. Not the red then.

0:13

I took out my white handkerchief and held it up. The head nodded.

0:07

My hand was shaking as I grasped the scissors.

0:03

I grabbed the white wire firmly and cut.

!!BOOM!!

I knew it should be the red wire.


480 words