I pry my eyes open as I felt the bed shifting uncomfortably because of the weight of something I don't know. First, my eyes saw nothing but darkness but as soon as it refocus and adjust in the night, I can now see properly the bedroom features with the help of the moonlight.
I tilt my position sideward where I will be facing the windows. I close my eyes and decided to continue my interrupted sleep. Seconds later, I began to feel the familiar shifting of weights on my bed as if there's someone beside me.
I shot my eyes open in the idea that struck my mind. There's someone beside me? The shifting doesn't stop that only makes my crazy feeling worsen. I convince myself to go back to sleep. You're hallucinating, Hope. It's just the effect of the drug that has been sedated to you by those freaking bastards.
But the idea of someone beside me came into a cruel conformation when I began to feel a hand slowly crawling from my thighs to my stomach. My breathing came into a hitch and my body instantly froze in fear.
I started to feel a heavy breathing from the behind of my ear. The hand leave from my stomach but it quickly came back, with a cold metallic blade along with it.
"You can run Hope, as far and far and far away from me." He chuckle coldly as he slowly slide the knife from my stomach and upwards to it. "But you can never hide from me." He said, nibbling my earlobes.
"I will always find you." He placed the tip of the knife to my chest. "... because I love you."
I shout a blood screeching scream but it fell short when the blade plunge deep inside of my heart. I excruciatingly began to cough blood and for the next seconds, started to feel numb and fell motionless... eternally.
I sat upright in bed, clutching and touching my chest so hard. In my relief, I feel nothing sharp plunge into death in it. A small bitter smile stretch across my face. It's just a dream. I'm alive.
I look over the room and check to see if I'm alone and I am. I breathe deep and make an assurance that I am safe. I chuckled silently at myself. I am alive and safe, away from him.
I rested my head to the headboard of the bed and stared motionless at the darkness. What's happening to my life? I can't be like this, waking up from a nightmare 'cause of my stalker.
I closed my eyes and think of good thoughts which turned into a bitter memories.
The hairs on my neck stood up but I shrug the feeling. Maybe it's because of the AC. Then I felt a cold touch coming from the back of my neck that is starting to move up to my face.
They were hands.
What frightened me was the fact that they came out of nowhere. The hands continue to move until it stopped in my mouth, cupping it.
A warm breath on my right ear came next which make every living hell out of me stood up in fear. My body starts to tremble.
"Ssh." He said. "Finally..." he paused while sniffing my scent. "You're mine."
I scream in my full voice and power but it was useless because it was muffled. But still, I continue to scream and cry for help while he laugh behind me sinisterly in triumph.
Then I felt being pulled backward in such force.
And there's no one to stop him.
Or even help me.
...
I bolted out of the bed. I stumble and rolled miserably on the cold hard floor as I escape my helpless self into the middle of a mere dream and reality. I cowered myself into the corner of the wall and buried myself in there as I look at my surrounding nervously and with mighty fear.
I stifle the sobs that erupt irrepressibly from my mouth. My foot shot a sharp but quick pain which I ignore because fear and not pain mostly consume myself.
The room is dark but was illuminated by small amount of moonlight. I don't remember turning the lights off when I had gone to sleep. That's what bothers me.
But what bothers me the most is the questioning of my mind if am I really in the real world or still, waking up in a nightmare. I just experience a dream within a dream— or more of like a nightmare and it's screwing my mind.
Is he here? Am I really awake? Is this reality? Am I still in a nightmare? These questioned bombarded my mind and I'm afraid that I can't differentiate them on my own sanity.
Hell, I don't even know if I'm still sane.
I will never close my eyes neither even blink not until I know that I'm truly awake.
I don't know how long I stared in oblivion. I see no clock in the room, so I can't track the time. I only realize that it's dawn already when a ray of sunlight poked into the room.
I blinked. I'm awake, for real. Tears began to cloud my vision. The birds humming from the outside shimmer a great bundle of joy in my heart. I cried in joy.
I stood up and embrace the morning sunlight. It's been a long night for me and I've never been so happy to see the morning glories of the sun. Now, I'm guaranteed that I am safe.
I roam my eyes to the now, lighten room. I see no one but myself and because of the sunlight, I am convinced that I am safe.
I trudge through the cold floor, out of my room. I was surprised first to see the slightly dark hallway from the outside of my bedroom. All the lights are turned off and the curtains are shut.
I stretch my head to my left and right to examine even further my whereabouts. Just in front of my room was the stairs and its wide railings. On the left side, I saw 2 doors while on the right side, there are 3 more doors.
I battled whether I'm going to go room after room to talk to Winn or I'll just wait him at my room. But I don't want to be stuck with the same room that gave me full of unpleasant dreams so I pulled out my courage and walk silently to the east side of the hallway where the 3 doors are located.
I went first to the room beside me. I knock first, when I got no response, I twist the knob and peered my head to the door and look inside.
It was only the bathroom.
I close the door and walk next to the 2nd room. Again, I knock first before I open the door. It was an another bedroom but no one was inside so I leave it like the other and go ahead to the last room.
When I'm already in front of last room, something inside of me was eager to open it but at the same time it keeps on telling me not to open it. I don't know if it was just a silly feeling of mine but this room emits some kind of a dark aura.
I hesitantly balled my hand into a fist and starts to knock. Unlike any other room, I had knocked thrice into the door. I heavily sighed when no one answered it. My inner self was now screaming into me not to open the door but my mind tells me to open it.
I put my fist down and placed my hand on the knob. I took a large intake of air as I started to palpitate in no particular reason. What's happening to me? Why does opening a door makes me so damn nervous?
I slowly turn the knob.
"Hope."
I jump aback, startled from the voice that came beside me. I look at the person who called my name, wide eyed.
I saw Winn having a serious expression across his face.
"What are you doing?" He asked in a stern and dominating voice. It makes me wanted to crawl back to bed but I reluctantly stand firm on my position. Maybe his voice is just like that because of our conflict last night.
"I'm looking for you." I said as I slip my hand out of the knob and put it on my back.
"But that's not my room. My room is located just beside yours." He stated. "And it's 6 in the morning. You should still be in bed and relax yourself."
"I-I..." I don't know what to reason out. Because even in myself, I don't know the reason why am I looking for him. "It's because I can't sleep. A-And something's stressing me out." I blurted.
His eyebrows creased. "What's stressing you out? Are you regretting now that you escape from the hospital? Do you want to go back?"
"N-No.. I-I don't k-know." I look down. "Those aren't the reasons. Heck, I haven't even think of those yet. It's just that... the fact that we're not in your house bugs me."
I heard him sighed. I look at him to see his expression lighten in relief. "Is that so? Then let's talk about that in the kitchen while having breakfast." He offered his hand which I hesitantly take.
He started to walk and I followed.
I glance at back to the room which I failed to open up. I sighed and look away from it. I want to go into that room, I'm sure that I really do. I don't know why but I really want to. I will just do it next time. I said to myself.
...
"Does it make you uncomfortable to live here?" Winn asked as he cook bacon and eggs.
I look around the kitchen and roam my eyes in every corner in amazement. "No. Not at all." I said as I trace my hand on the circular wooden table with unique carvings.
I've seen some part of the house and to my astonishment, it's a mixed of modern architecture furnished with antique vibe. It's a 2 story house with 4 rooms.
"I was thinking to bring you into the house I usually live but then, once the police know that you've been gone missing, they'll surely go and search you first at my house." He turned off the stove. He walked over the table and place the food he cooked in front of me.
I immediately forked 3 bacon strips and shove them in my mouth. I nodded at his previous statement. "True. But what makes you think that bringing me into your parent's house is a good idea?"
He beamed. "Because it's far, isolated and no one particularly knows where my parents houses are."
I swallowed the food I chewed into my mouth. "Such a good place to hide someone." I stabbed another bacon and nibble it.
"Or torture. Or kill. Or kidn—" I abruptly stop talking.
I almost said kidnap.
"Kid what?"
I stared at Winn and shook my head. "I-I mean... this is a good place to raise socially inactive children." I smiled awkwardly and finish my breakfast.
There's silence between us for few minutes before I decided to cut it off.
"So... what do you mean again by 'your parents houses?' I mean... how many houses do your parents own?"
He grinned and shove an egg inside his mouth. "A lot."
"What do you mean by a lot?"
He stretch his arm. "Can't count them. Too many." He said while yawning.
I snorted. "Woah. Playing too humble, Mr.Clifford?" It sounded so foreign in me to call his first name.
"What!? I'm just being honest in here." He defended.
"How rich is your family exactly again?"
Winn drank his water before he answered. "Rich. Just rich." He answered flatly.
I rolled my eyes. "Again folks, an another implicit answer from my best friend. "
He chuckled. "Is the answer really that important?"
"Not necessarily. Buy since we're talking about your family, I wonder how Joanna was doing."
His eyebrow raised. "Joanna?" He asked, confused.
"Your mother, silly! Don't tell me that you don't know your own mother's name."
"Ah. Right. Joanna." He composed himself and look away.
"I never actually meet your parents. I wonder when will I meet them."
"Never!" Winn yelled, as his fists connected to the table. The shock made me jump from my seat and stood up, wide eyed.
Seeing my frightened expression, Winn calm himself. "I'm sorry." He apologize, avoiding my gaze. "Are you done with your food?" He asked.
I nodded.
He sighed. "Go to your room. I'll fix this." He commanded.
Even though he sounds like my father and the sudden change of his mood surprise me and annoy me a little, I oblige without saying a word.
I leave the kitchen and started to make my way back to my room. As I slowly walk alone, I ponder the scene that has happened earlier.
Seems like his family is a sensitive topic for him. I never really ask him about his family because we never cross that topic so I was stunned to see him acting that way. I don't really know much of his family.
Except that his mom's name is Joanna and his father's name is Louis whom both are living and working abroad with their business. I don't even know if he has siblings. All I know is that, he's not that too close to his family because he said that all his family care about is business.
This is what I get for having a best friend of 4months.
I stopped from my tracks and look around the wide living room. I examine the living room four times and to my absolute surprise yet again, I see no television neither a radio nor a clock. Typically Odd for a house.
This house seems new because it really looks empty. There's so much space that is unoccupied. I guess, it's because of Winn's parents living abroad that they no longer care about this house.
Rich people be like.
I continue to head back to my room. When I'm already on top of the stairs, my attention was diverted again to the previous room my mind want to open so badly.
I shook my head. I have to control my urges. I can't just barge inside a room just because my mind keeps on telling me to.
I walk inside my room and close it. I lean my back into the door and close my eyes.
Just get inside that room, Hope. How can entering a room can put you into a trouble right? My mind was screaming at me.
With a large intake of air, I open my door and step out of my room. This will be quick. I convince myself. I look at my left and right to make sure that Winn's still downstairs.
I really do hope that I won't get into trouble for this.
I slowly crept my way to the east hallway until I reached the last room. It's better than nothing. My heart beat so fast inside my chest.
I slowly twist the knob.
*click*
*click*
*click*
I twist the door knob again and again but all I can hear was a click sound, indicating that the door is locked.
I remove my hand on the door and face palm myself. I walk away in front of the door, defeated.
How come that this door is locked but the room beside it wasn't. I wondered.
And why am I even so curious to know what's inside that room?
I saw a shadow moved on the middle of the hallway. I divert my sole vision and focus the exact location I've seen it but no one was there.
I shrugged. This is not making any sense. I'm starting to act weird today. Maybe it's because of being sleep depraved.
Instead of going straight back to my room, I went to the bathroom and locked myself Inside. I sat in the closed toilet for several minutes to clear my messed up mind.
When I had cooled myself down, I walked over the sink and splash cold water onto my face. I look in front of the mirror and stare at my reflection.
Gosh, I've loss a huge amount of weight for the past 3days even without exhausting myself physically through exercises.
In short, I look desperately miserable.
I drop my gaze into my stomach. I bit my lip and with shaky hands, I pulled it my shirt up to reveal my scars.
I immediately close my eyes and pushed my hand away from my shirt. I breathe deep and out. My hand clasped tightly on the side of the sink.
I look up and tried to prevent the tears from slipping out of eyes. When I succeed, I splash cold water on my face again.
I look at the whole bathroom but I see no towels or even tissues. I rolled my eyes then divert my gaze to the mirror again and open the medicine cabinet attach at the back of it.
I scurried my hand over the things inside and look at a tissue. Well, it's apparently hopeless because there's nothing much inside of it.
As I decide to leave the cabinet alone, since it's pretty useless— my finger had touched something that is incredibly cold. I instantly pulled my hand out because of the shock.
I brought my hand back and moved away the chemicals and other things inside to see the corner clearly. What I saw was a big hole on the corner. The medicine cabinet was made out of wood so making a hole inside of it wasn't that hard. And there's something shining inside of it which made me even curious.
I pulled that shiny thing up and brought it onto my palm.
They were keys.
A lot of them actually, to my guess: there are more than 15 pieces of it, attached into a circular metal which keep them together. I examined the keys and the first thing that came into my mind was that one of these keys could possibly be the key to that locked door.
A smile lift into the corner of my mouth. I guess, the odds are on my favor now.
I continue to examine the keys one by one and when I came into the last one, my eyes caught something familiar.
I remove that particularly key on the others and lift it up and brought it up to my face so I can see it clearly. It's not familiar, they are exactly the same.
My blood runs cold.
It was the key of my bedroom.
My own bedroom on my parent's house.
*knock*
*knock*
My head twisted to the direction of the door. My heartbeat raced faster.
"Hope." I heard Winn's voice. "Are you there?"
I opened my mouth but my lips were trembling, making it hard for me to answer back.
"Y-Yes." I choked out.
There's silence for a moment.
"Are you okay?"
I didn't answer.
"Hope." His voice turned more serious and menacingly.
"I-I'm fine." I said, an octave higher than my normal tone.
Again, there's silence.
The first thing I did was bring the pack of keys back to where I get them the closed the medicine tightly. But I kept the key of my bedroom on my hand. I held it tightly.
"Hope, open the door."
I look at the every corner of the bathroom desperately but the only way out was the door where Winn was waiting for me.
Because I was in so much panic, the key flew out of my hand and made a loud tinkling sound when it hit the tiles of the bathroom floor.
The door knob shook violently for a minute before it stopped.
Few seconds later, the next sentence I heard made my heart stopped beating.
"I'm coming in."