The long corridor

An original fiction passage set in the nineteenth century.

James heard the steps before he saw anybody. They came from the far end of the corridor, stopped, then began again. He held the tray close to his body. The cups touched with a faint chime that seemed louder than the footsteps. He separated them with his thumb and waited beside the wall.

A shadow crossed the lamp at the bend. James expected the housekeeper, who had warned him twice about broken china. Instead, a little girl appeared carrying a doll. She asked why he was standing still. He said he was waiting for someone to pass. She took one cup from the tray and offered to help. On the way to the sitting room, the footsteps no longer sounded quite so loud.

Analyse how the writer uses language and structure to show how sounds influence James’s fear. Support your answer with references to the passage.