Surreptitious
adjective
1. marked by quiet and caution and secrecy; taking pains to avoid being observed; "a furtive manner"; "a sneak attack"; "stealthy footsteps"; "a surreptitious glance at his watch" [syn: furtive]
Vukovar 1991...
They were coming.
He could feel his heart pounding in his chest as he lay under the debris in the abandoned building.
Oh God...please don't let them find me.
This couldn't be happening, but it was. He could hear the sounds of gunfire as the Serb soldiers made their way through the streets of Vukovar, clearing the buildings of any and all that they found. He was worried about those still in the hospital, patients, doctors, aides, there was nothing he could have done for them had he remained behind, but that did little to ease his concern.
The crunch of broken glass over his head sent his heart into his throat and he held his breath, praying that the beating that sounded deafening to his ear wasn't nearly so loud to those who were searching above. He lost track of how long he lay there in the darkness, feeling the dust rain down on his head as broken wallboards and fallen timbers shifted positions under the soldiers boots. He lost track of how many times he was forced to smother a cough as the smoke from their cigarettes stole what little air remained in the hole that hid him.
He had never known a fear as strong as this, he was sure of it, and then somehow, in the midst of the fear of being discovered, he had found a way to sleep, and when he had woke, it was to silence. Easing the debris aside he cautiously wormed his way out, if he was wrong, if they were still here, it would mean his death. But, the building was empty, the soldiers were gone, and he was alone.
It was time to make his escape...
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