Blue eyes looked up at the frustrating thing that kept him imprisoned. He'd tried everything... it was stuck. Frustration turned to something else. The five-year-old tried to unlock the door... he couldn't. He didn't know how it had even gotten locked. Vladimir had managed to lock himself in the back room of their family's small home... and he was trapped. So, like any sensible five-year-old... he panicked.
Anatoly had looked - he couldn't find his sibling. He'd been gone for the past twenty minutes. He'd checked outside, as that tended to be where he normally disappeared, but there had been nothing. He'd checked the whole house, except for the pantry and small back bedroom. The older brother moved towards the backroom, trying to ignore the thoughts swarming in his mind.
Vladimir leaned against the door and trying to unlock the door again. It didn't work... he couldn't make it open. The first thing on his mind was that Anatoly would come. Five-year-old Vladimir stood on the tips of his toes and pulled on the door. It was still shut. "Anatoly...?" the first attempt to call his brother was quiet-the second, not so much.
Anatoly sped up to a jog until he reached the door. He gripped the door knob, twisting it, and being met with the resistance of the lock. "Vladimir? What's happening?" he called urgently - had someone broken in?
Vladimir bit his lip. He didn't want Anatoly to be angry... he was trapped, and it was his own fault. He swallowed convulsively, and answered, "It's stuck... Can't open it." The admission was worried and quiet.
Anatoly let his head fall against the door, taking deep breaths as his heart raced. "Can you reach the lock?"
"It's stuck! I can't... I can't!" The statement became one of panic. He'd tried and tried again.
"Vladimir - Vladimir," Anatoly repeated, his voice drawn out and calm. He put his hands against the door, listening. He still could have influence - a door couldn't change that.
Vladimir took a breath-more like hiccup-and leaned against the door, listening. "Hm?"
"Is the other door is still locked?" Anatoly queried
"Y-yes..." Vladimir's tone was apologetic. He was finding it hard to be his usual self in that moment.
"There is a pin on the table - one of Mother's pins, do you see it?"
Vladimir turned around. Wide eyes scanned the room until he saw the table. He made his way toward it and pulled himself up then reached over and patted the top until he found the hair pin. After retrieving it, Vlad walked back to the door. He sat down on the floor and pushed it under. "What's it for?" he asked, no longer concerned. Anatoly always knew what to do.
"To unlock the door - I'll teach you how," Anatoly spoke, sounding patient as he knelt, pushing the bobby pin into the lock. He turned it, pushed it farther, until he could feel the lock between the two sides - and turned again, this time it started moving. He continued twisting it until it clicked.
Vladimir recognized the click, and didn't wait a moment longer to pull open the door with a single-extremely fast-movement. He practically toppled onto Anatoly. "I was stuck." He announced it as though Anatoly hadn't already known, then wrapped his arms around his brother's neck.
Anatoly wrapped one arm around his sibling. "You're fine now," the fourteen-year-old spoke.
With a slow nod, Vladimir pulled back, sniffed quietly and looked back at the door. "You said you'd teach me to unlock it?" His expression brightened considerably.
Anatoly smiled and gripped Vladimir's shoulder. "Of course."
Two in one night! Hope you enjoyed - God bless, and goodnight.