Yolanda's POV
It's been a week ever since we've been dwelling in our safe house. Bringing Logan along with me was the best decision I've ever made. Otherwise, I'd definitely loose my sanity in this place. I felt homesick for the first four days until I finally willed myself to get used to this new environment.
The house appears slightly shabby on the outside but the inside makes you question whether or not it's of the same house. Its relatively spacious and quite cosy with a modern touch to it. With two master bedrooms, three bathrooms, a laundry room and a fine kitchen; this house really suits the lush woodland environment around us.
Apart from the house, there's heavy surveillance systems around the place. Even though there are only four CCTV cameras in the lounge and kitchen, two in each; I can't help but feel a little annoyed.
Though it's only been a week, it seems like a year staying here.
There are more CCTV cameras mostly installed outside the house. Additionally, as if those security systems weren't enough, the house is fenced securely by a six foot metal hoarding with barbed wires fastened to the top.
Might I also add, a police officer is stationed right outside the gate. Only the officer outside the premises and we know the code for the security alarms as well as the key for the front door and gate.
It's as if I'm the President or someone of high status. Now I pity those of high profile...
Mrs. Lively specially requested our teachers to do a recording of their class to send to Logan and I.
What's even better is that the videos have to be emailed to Detective James who then sends it to the laptop he provided us under a different email address.
Thinking about all the necessary precautions being taken,urges me to chortle about it.
Trying to make life as normal as possible right now is what I need I guess. All these events are no exception to me to just ignore my studies. I want my friends and I to graduate. I want to receive my diploma.
Though final exams aren't until after five months, I just can't help but worry about it.
Ugh! Chill woman! Chill!
Speaking of my friends, I haven't been in contact any of them. Probably because our phones were confiscated from our possession because of "safety reasons".
Instead James handed us disposable phones just to keep in touch with our parents and no one else. I did ask about Blake. Says she's feeling better now but her memory of that day is a little fuzzy. All she recalls is someone grabbing a fistful of her hair and slamming it against the kitchen counter. The rest are a blur for now.
Also, to my dismay, her memory of what she wanted to inform is lost at this point.
What did you want to tell me!?
After jotting down the main points elaborated from the video sent by Mrs. Green, I stretched and placed the laptop aside.
Sighing deeply in thought, unaware of the sneaky arms wrapping around my chest. I glanced to the right to see Logan stare back with a adorable grin on.
He placed something around my neck. I glanced down at my chest. A jade greenstone lay beautifully on my chest. It was round and appeared like a snail shell. Kinda..
"Do you like it?" He asked, a hint of worry laced in his words.
Aw... does he anticipate I won't like it..?
"Well I don't like it..." I glanced at him, a sad expression on his face.
"I love it!" A bright smile graced his lips. He hugged me tightly from behind.
"Since I couldn't give it on your birthday, I thought now was the perfect opportunity.." he trailed off.
"You're such a sweetheart. You're way more than this necklace though" I said quite honestly.
"And you're more precious to me" he kissed my neck making me gasp.
"I haven't seen this anywhere.." I asked, curious to know where it's from.
"It's a native greenstone to New Zealand. It's called a Ponuma in Maori culture. Beautiful, huh?" He informed causing me to widen my eyes in awe.
"You got this from New Zealand!?" I squealed loudly, making him sigh.
"You know for a little girl like you, you're pretty loud" I smacked his arm playfully.
"It is beautiful. Thank you" I continued gazing at it in admiration.
"I wasn't referring to the necklace" he smirked against my cheek and planted a kiss.
"You little monkey" I scoffed, making him pout.
"I'm your big monkey" I rolled my eyes at his cheesy comments.
"Done?" He asked, referring to my study session.
"Good. I got the popcorn ready. You want to watch a movie?" He asked in his raspy voice, sending a wave of goosebumps all over my body.
"Yeah... any movie in mind?" I asked, as he planted a quick peck to my cheek.
"I was thinking 'The Do-Over' or 'Central Intelligence'?" I turned to face him and wrapped my arms around his neck.
"Maybe 'The Do-Over'. Haven't watched that in a while. I'll get the popcorn" swiftly standing on my toes to give a gentle peck to his lips, I ran to grab the popcorn while he got the movie ready.
I glanced at my watch.
~5:45pm~
We completed 'The Do- Over' two hours ago and am now thirty minutes into 'Central Intelligence'. Cuddled in his arms with an empty bowl, I so craved to devour pasta.
I got up and hopped to the kitchen to satisfy my craving. To my dismay, there wasn't any pasta in the pantry.
"You've got to be kidding me!" I groaned in frustration.
"What's wrong, sugarplum?" Logan asked, startling me. I turned to face, giving a pout.
"There's no pasta..." I whined as he leaned against the door frame.
"You're craving it, huh? Maybe I can get it?" He asked more to himself before turning around and walking away.
Talk about reading people.
"Hey! Where are you going?" I followed after him as he unlocked the door and stepped outside. By the time I got out he was already talking to the police officer stationed in his vehicle.
"I cannot permit you to-"
"Oh come on. We're running out of rations. I know you're trying to keep us safe but what if we starve to death, huh? Who'd he blamed?" Logan crossed his arms over his sculptured chest.
The bulky officer gave an irritated look towards him. He smirked at Logan before replying.
"True. I still can't take you and leave her here. She can't leave. Not until her safety is assured. I-"
"I'm not asking you to take me. I think Detective James can send another officer to take me to the store? Or if you want I can directly call James?" Logan suggested, making me raise a brow.
He's leaving just to satisfy my cravings? Well, truth be told, the place wasn't fully stocked with food so I won't disagree with him too.
The officer stepped out of the vehicle and eyed the both of us.
"Or if you want to get our supplies for us than it's fine with me" Logan remarked, raising his palms for emphasis.
The officer retrieved his phone and stepped away to call someone. Logan glanced at me and winked. I walked to him and wrapped my arms around his waist.
After ten minutes, the officer returned with a blank look on.
"James said it's fine. You'll have twenty minutes to shop for your needs and you come back, understand?" He told Logan as Logan nodded in response.
"Officer Steven will be here to drive you to the nearest store. For the time being, go back inside. I'll call you when he's here" I said a 'thank you' before heading back inside with Logan.
"You don't want anything else? Ice cream?" Logan asked as he stood by the gate.
"Cookies and cream please" I stood on my toes and kissed his forehead.
"Don't miss me too much" he run to the car parked opposite the officer stationed here.
"Be careful" I shouted to him as they drove off. Locking the gate behind me, I hurried back inside and set the alarm again.
The weather had changed so unexpectedly from a calm,warm evening to a now chilly, breezy evening.
Please don't rain.
I sat on the couch and decided to call the only other person besides the detectives.
She picked up on the fifth ring.
"Hey darling. How are you?" My mother's melodic voice spoke through my disposable phone.
"Oh I'm fine mum. Logan went out with an officer to restock our rations" I informed.
"How's dad? How are you?" I further asked. A guilty ache formed between my chest.
"I'm fine darling. Your dad.... he responded to your name this morning. His heart rate picked up every time I mentioned your name a-and he moved his finger!" I heard my mum's sobs on the other side of the phone.
Unaware of the tears sliding down my cheeks, I tried hard to sound strong to comfort her. We talked for about 30 minutes and had to hang up because the doctor arrived to check on dad's vitals.
I grabbed the remote and decided to watch 'Hustlers' until Logan gets back. It takes one hour and half hours to get to town from here to the nearest store or supermarket. With an extra 30 minutes for shopping.
What am I going to do the next two hours!?
I was ten minutes into the movie when a perfect way to pass time crossed my mind. What would be better than taking an hour nap?
I scurried to our room and sank into the comfortable bed. Snug and warm under the covers, I allowed slumber to conquer.
*Boom*
*Rumble*
*Boom*
I yawned and stretched in bed. The thunder continued to clap and rumble in the lofty sky. The downpour intensified as the wind howled.
When did it even begin raining?
I grabbed the phone off the nightstand and checked the time.
~7:30pm~
It certainly didn't feel like an hour worth of sleep...
I slipped the phone into the pocket of my hoodie, striding towards the bathroom. I flipped on the light.
*click* *click* *click*
"Well this is bound to happen in the middle of nowhere. The downpour is really helping too!" I mumbled to myself in frustration.
Blindly searching for the sink, I accidentally stubbed my toe in the process.
"Great" I bit my lip in pain tasted something metallic.
The heavy rain suddenly calmed a bit replaced by light drizzling instead.
*Creak*
Patting the towel softly on my face I barely heard the quiet creaking of the wooden floor. My senses sharpened. Listening intently again for that sound.
Silence.
*Creak*
There it was again. The creaking increased as if someone were cautiously entering the room.
Logan?
I peeped out into the room.
Void
There didn't seem to be anyone around. Was it my mind playing tricks on me? Am I losing my sanity? But I heard the creaks... was that part of my mind games too? As I pondered on the possible conclusions, my eyes caught something, or rather someone standing by my bed.
I had to rub my eyes and blink a couple times to clearly view it. The lighting flashes lit the room every five minutes, illuminating the room enough to help me see the person in a hood, staring at my bed. The room was engulfed in darkness again. You could actually be deceived by the thick darkness in the room, as it hid the silhouette of a person.
Am I having another nightmare?
I was about to agree with my thoughts when the figure spoke.
"Not in bed, are we? Well, we have an hour to kill so why not play hide and seek, huh?" I covered my mouth to prevent the gasp that was about to escape.
No! No! No!
"Crap" I whispered to myself.
How did he find me? Well, that's an odd question to ask cause he magically finds you always! Why didn't the officer stop him? Is it possible he climbed the fence and over the barbed wires? If yes, then how did he get inside? Why didn't the alarms go off!? How did he even get the key to get inside. Only the officer outside, Logan and I have the key... so how did he..
I was too busy occupied with my own thoughts that I didn't realize his voice kept drawing nearer. Fear left me frozen in position, my stomach doing somersaults while my heart moved into my mouth.
Breathe. Breathe girl! Snap out of it.
Then all seemed quiet. Terror swept over me like waves in a storm as I tried listening for the slightest motion. My chest heaved up and down as my back received support from the wall near the door.
"Found you!" He appeared right in front of me, making me scream in shock. Before I could move, he lifted me off the ground and threw me over his shoulder.
Throwing miserable punches to his broad back, I was suddenly thrown onto the bed.
"You aren't very good at hiding... cupcake" he hovered over me menacingly. I trembled underneath him.
He attempted to pin me but before he could I did what I could only do, punch him in the groin. He grunted in agony as I got up and ran out of the room.
"Yolanda!" He roared. Seems like he recovered from his injury.
In deep perplexity and distress, I ran into the other room, further down the hall. I locked it. The doorknob rattled ferociously. He banged and kicked on the door in rage.
"Open the door, Yolanda!" He kept trying to break down the barrier while I ran over to the windows.
With shaky hands, I tried opening the windows but failed. The realization that the windows also require a specific key to open it. I pulled my hair in annoyance. Searching around the room for something heavy, I grabbed the lamp off the nightstand and swung it at the window. Not a single crack or scratch could be seen.
The fact that I'm trying to escape the same house that was meant to keep me safe is quite funny, not going to lie. I chuckled at the thought as I kept trying to smash the window.
Break stupid window!
I projected all my strength in my arms and swung once more. This time glass cracks were evident. I repeated a couple more times than recognized the glass that seemed breakable.
It's laminated glass. No wonder. When this type of laminated security glass does break, it holds glass shards in place to prevent the glass from shattering dangerously inwards.
I sighed, feeling almost defeated. My head shot towards the door. The banging stopped.
When did he stop?
I didn't even notice, being too indulged on my mission to escape. I sat, awaiting the door to burst open any moment now, but it didn't. Instead, silence followed.
Did he leave? Highly doubt it. Did the officer find him?
I tarried for about twenty minutes or more, all the while sitting on the floor. Keeping my ears sharp for any sound. So far, there was nothing.
It's either the officer got him... or he's finding a way to break through.
Girding myself with newly discovered courage, I unlocked the door and peeked through the slight gap. No sign of any life.
That's odd.
Opening the door wide and stepping out, I moved forward. Taking precise, cautious steps while keeping a slow pace. Stopping after every ten steps to harken to any sort of sound.
Clear
Then moved ten steps and repeat. I was now in the center of the lounge. I gazed at freedom.
What if he's hiding? Are you going to risk it? Yes. I am. Run like you've never ran before.
Without a second to loose, I made a beeline towards the door. Hastily grabbing the keys off the key holder to unlock the door, the door swung open. I carelessly ran into a chest. Someone's chest. I screamed in panic and threw punches at him.
"Yo... it's me!" I glanced up to meet Brian's electrifying orbs.
"Brian? W-what are you doing here?" I croaked, feeling a little relaxed after seeing him.
"Oh right you don't know.." he face palmed as if telling himself that 'I obviously wouldn't know'.
I raised a brow at him. All this seems all too familiar.
Deja vu alert!
"What don't I know?" I asked, for a moment disregarding the reality that I was just attacked by my stalker. My Unknown.
He scratched the back of his head before replying.
"Logan g-got into an accident" he stated quite hesitantly.
It's as if the ground vanished from underneath me. Time seemed to move slower as I processed those words.
"W-what?"
》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》》
Hola humans....😁
Where in the world did Unknown disappear to? What happened to Logan!?😭
What's going to happen now? What of Brian? 🙁
Sorry if the chapter was a bit toooo lengthy but hey you wanted a 'manifestation' so you're getting it! 😝😝
If you liked this chapter then do consider voting and commenting. If you didn't, thank you for at least scrolling through 😁
Now hop on to the next chapter!!! 😲😲
Adios 😎