Chapter 72 Images.

Chapter 72 Images.
Ariel

By 1 am, I was still awake for a series of reasons ranging from the growing rumble in my stomach to the acute sense of awareness that a stranger was in my house.

I think it was the fact that he wasn't stuck in a bed anymore, unconscious and weak, that was making me so anxious and paranoid. Oh, add in the fact that he also had a GUN.

I blinked open my eyes as my stomach rumbled again. Fuck.

Was I hungry? Yes. But was I in the mood for some food? No. I currently have no appetite and also mostly have fruits and vegetables in my fridge. 

I had some bread, though. I could make a sandwich. Cereal? Richard's face popped up in my head. 

“You should watch what you eat!”

I'll go with some carrots. 

I stood up from the bed and picked up my phone to check the time. Currently 1:38 am. I swiped quickly to check my messages with Chloe. Still nothing.

I sighed and slipped the phone into the shorts I had on. I was going to see her tomorrow anyway… Today, so I had only so much time to get that carrot, sleep and visit her before I had to meet Jonas at the company for the rehearsals tomo—today.

I took a step towards the door and strained my ear against its surface. I could hear nothing. Not footsteps. Not a door creaking. Nothing. I did hear another rumble from my stomach, though.

I wonder if he'd eaten those meals. Like seriously. What did he need all that for? Must be why he was so… buff and… big.

Okay. I think he's sleeping. I'll just tiptoe to the kitchen, get some carrots and a glass of water and then head back to my bed.

Simple, right?

No. The first thing I did once I stepped out of the room was stumble on my feet. Fuck. I glanced towards the guest room in the dark, hoping with all of my heart I hadn't woken him up. 

I hadn't.

Then on getting to the kitchen, I’d grabbed both the carrot and bottle of water when I made the stupid impulse decision of also grabbing a bottle of wine to aid me in going to sleep.

That was what dropped to the ground when I heard a voice suddenly ask from the living room, "What are you doing?”

The sound of glass shattering mixed with a loud yelp from me filled the whole room. What the fuck?!

The lights came on and of course, it was the least person I'd expected to see standing in front of me. He glanced down at the same time I did to the red wine pooling around my feet.

Oh fuck. "I-I thought you were sleeping.”

“Same here.”

I bent down to pick up the glasses and almost immediately felt a sharp sting go through my head. 

An image flashed before my eyes. 

Women lying on the ground. Blood everywhere.

Then another image. One of the women lying face up, her eyes staring straight into mine with this sick stillness. I immediately felt a chill go up my spine. What the—

“What is it? Are you okay?”

I blinked my eyes open slowly to see that instead of flat on the floor, I was now in the arms of Vincent, his face staring straight into mine. 

What the fuck?!

I jumped up from his arms and in the process pushed him to the ground. He winced for a moment.

“S-sorry. I…” When did he even get there? And what the fuck were those images? Did I see them somewhere?

No. They had felt too real and vivid. Like I'd been in the room with those women. Seen it for myself.

Oh shit. I stepped forward to assist Vincent up when I saw him struggle for a minute. He brushed my hands off.

“What was that?” He asked sharply instead.

"I-I don't know.” I was still trying to figure it out myself… and definitely still shaken because of how sickening that pool of blood looked to me now. I mean wine.

I looked away and moved to the rack of towels near the cabinet. 

“So you just have fainting episodes?”

“You scared me!” And I was probably just hallucinating from hunger… or lack of sleep… or both.

“Fair.” He said as he stepped away from the mess.

I grabbed a bowl of water too and the trash can from the other end of the kitchen. Then I proceeded to clean up the mess. The whole time, I couldn't help but feel like I was cleaning up blood. 

I flinched when I turned around to see Vincent just staring at me. He was leaning against the counter now and just staring when he was the one that caused all this. I started getting pissed off all over again. Ugh. This was all his fault. Well, most of it. 

I dumped the broken glasses in the trash and then headed to the sink to wash my hands and the used towel after that.

“Do you have some pen and paper someone could use around here?” I glanced at him as I spread out the towel back on the rack. 

“Pen and paper?” 

“Yes.” 

I do have… in my studio. But I wasn't about to open that can of worms yet. And for some pen and paper.

“No.”

“You don't have pen and paper?” I moved past him and grabbed the carrots and bottle of water to head back to my room.

“Yes.”

“Then how do you write?” I paused. 

“What?” 

“You must have had things you wanted to pen down before, no?”

“I do it with my phone.” He frowned and stared at me for what felt like a full minute.

“Uh… I’ll head back to my room then… if that's all.”

I started moving to my room when he didn't say anything. Then locked my door once i was in. 

Ugh. I hate my life. I hate it.

What were those images, though?