When the City Holds Its Breath
The door closed behind Leon with a thud, like wood hitting wood. This sound shut him off from the hallways the light from the lanterns that was getting weaker and all the people who were watching him in the big house. When Leon was in his room the air was very still. It was quiet in a way that made him feel cozy, like when you wrap yourself in a towel after taking a long bath.
For a moment he just stayed still. He did not move for a heartbeat.
He stood inside the door without a shirt on his muscles a little tense. His body did not seem to know that it was okay to calm down. He was breathing slowly and deeply like someone who had been holding everything inside all day because he had to. The room was quiet. It was not a empty quiet. The silence felt heavy like it usually does after a lot of noise and when people are expecting something to happen after people have been watching him.
