Robert didn't know how long he'd been in the showers. He knew he'd been inside long enough to get cold. He really should go back to help, but... he was rather reluctant. His shoulders and back were starting to hurt from the hunched position he'd been holding, but even so, he wasn't minded to move. If he started moving he'd feel obligated to continue moving, and then he'd have to go back out there.
He sighed and then heard the shower room door open. He froze in place and darted a glance at the shower curtains He was relieved to realize the shower curtain was still shut. If he was still, quiet, and lucky enough, the person would go find a different shower and he wouldn't have to explain why he was sitting on the ground drenched. Then he remembered his hiking boots, they were outside! Shit, too late. How would he explain this!?
Maybe if he was lucky no one would notice? Where exactly did he leave his boots, were they out of sight or in an out of the way place? What should he do!? His mind ran in panicked circles as he held still and held his breath.
He heard the footsteps pause for a moment.
This is it. I'm busted.Then they continued on and someone entered the shower next to his.
He very quietly released his held breath and reached out his hand to try to quietly open the shower curtain praying to whatever god was in heaven that the sound of the shower would drown out the sound of rustling curtains.
The metal rings on the pole screeched as he pulled on the curtains, and the cheap vinyl of the curtains seemed so much louder than he remembered it. He cringed at the sounds and froze at the sudden voice of the person in the shower next to his.
"Don't worry. I'm not gonna judge you for wanting to just hide out in here."Robert's eyes twitched a moment. He'd better clear out fast. He tried to stand up, intending to yank the shower curtain open as if he hadn't been trying to be stealthy, and promptly realized his legs were numb and the floor was very, very slippery.
He went down with a strangled yelp.
He stretched out one hand to grab the shower curtain, and the other to catch himself. There was a terrific rip as the shower curtains tore and his free hand landed on the falling shower curtain. The shower curtain was, unfortunately, as slick as the floor and his hand and the curtains slid across the floor. He just barely missed falling on his face as he tumbled out of the shower.
He tried to scramble to his feet, but his hands landed on his hiking boots which promptly rolled to the side under his weight
(the dirty traitors!) and sent him to the floor again. His feet were scrabbling for purchase on the slippery floor. Suddenly he gained traction and almost shot to his feet.
However, before he could be relieved, his feet got tangled in the shower curtain and he found himself sprawled out in an ungainly position over a mess of shower curtain and hiking boots, soaking wet and humiliated.
He was frozen in horror until he heard the sound of rustling shower curtains and somehow managed to scramble to his feet. He almost tripped over his hiking boots and the shower curtain again as he did so and somehow stumbled free of the shower curtain. Unfortunately, his legs were still basking in the sensation of "pins and needles" and he couldn't help but fall over against a wall. He clutched the wall to keep his feet under him.
For no intelligent reason he could think of, he turned to see just who had witnessed his humiliation.
