I saw it out of the corner of my eye, as he stepped into my blind spot from wherever he'd been.
Just for an instant, the dark, cowled shape paused. A bony digit extended, pointed... no.
Paused, returned.
not now, I heard.
not yet.
And then he was gone, back into that space just behind me where I can't see him.
It happened in a split-second.
Then the normal reaction flowed out in a rush of incredulity, in a laugh born of equal parts the passage of fear, and relief.
I could have died. And I live.
Until next time.
It's a very trivial thing. I'm already forgetting it. But I remember that one split-second.