Hope Is Mine (A Stalker Story)

Chapter 18

I stand in front of my room's door, battling my thoughts whether I'll step outside the suffocating room. I've been standing in the same position for more than an hour. I can't track time but for my guess, It should be past 5 in the morning by now. What happened last night didn't leave my mind. It kept stuck and endlessly swirling inside my tiny brain, blocking all my thoughts for any escape plans. I still can't believe how I let my fear of that vile old woman feed me. After that incident in the kitchen, Winn decided that it will be better for me to stay in this room so I wouldn't do anything irrational.

I sucked in a deep breath and gather all my courage to fumble into the doorknob, checking if it's lock or not. Basically, if I wasn't wrong, I heard the door being lock so I knew that checking if it's lock or not will be useless... and presumably dumb. However, I'm not really certain if I heard the door being lock because I was too furious at myself and my thoughts were focused more on blaming my cower self last night.

I shook my head. This is insane. I'm starting to speak nonsense! I clasp the doorknob without a haste and turn it. My heart almost skip a beat when I saw right before my eyes, how the doorknob twist without a problem. It's not locked! I screamed inside my head. wait... it's not locked? Confusion whisk inside my head. Why will he leave the door unlock?

I pull the door cautiously and the color of my face drained when I saw Winn's figure standing right outside my room. His head was low but when he realize that I had opened the door, he raised his head. He wasn't surprise at all when he saw me, while on the other hand, I tremble right after I saw him.

"You surprisingly wake up early." He shortly smiled.

"You too." I answered as I tried to stand firm and control my trembling body. Frankly, I barely even sleep last night and I don't really think I had to. All I did for the past days were sleeping.

"Are you hungry?"

"No."

"Do you want to go for a walk?"

"No— I mean, w-what?"

"I asked if ever you want to go... outside and breathe in some fresh air."

"I guess." I was baffled on his statement. Is he really serious about asking me to go outside? Did he not realize that I will try to escape? Or is he just testing me? Thousand of questions were piling inside my mind which badly need answers.

He took my hand but I immediately pulled it out of his grasp. "I c-can walk... without being drag." I staggered. "...holding my hand is unnecessary."

He stared at me with his dark eyes before a breath-hitching smirk was plaster in his face. "Perhaps a handcuff is mandatory."

My jaw drop. The smirk on his lips didn't leave and I knew from that, that he's playing with me. My face flushed with annoyance. I was tempted to roll my eyes but later controlled myself. "I-I guess holding my hand wouldn't hurt." I stated as I pulled his left hand rapidly and held it tightly.

"Good" He remarked as he dragged me down the stairs.

We walked straight into the front door. We stopped when we reached in front and before Winn opened the door, he pulled out from his pocket a cluster of 7 keys with different sizes. He unlocked the door with a random key then widely opened the door. He shoved the key back to his pocket. I realize just now, the reason on why I found my room's door unlocked. He's certain that even though I walked out of my room, I still can't go outside because the other doors were securely locked.

When he opened the door, a soft, cold breeze caress deep inside my whole body. The sundress I'm wearing is thin, enough for me to feel the chilly morning. I shiver slightly and decidedly to stick into Winn's side to receive enough body heat. I wasn't sure if I see it clearly but at my peripheral vision, I saw Winn's tender lips curled into a soft smile.