Chapter Seventy-Six

Chapter Seventy-Six
I was scared to the core and the thought of Nelson walking in on me while I did my investigation and search made me detest the idea.

He would literally skin me alive if he found out I was getting into his business, which he obviously didn't like. 

But this opportunity was the kind that presented itself once in a lifetime. He hardly ever stayed out for long hours and now that he admitted to wanting to do that, I couldn't let it slip off my fingers. 

I looked out through the window in the living room and I could see the sun gradually setting. The weather was dull and breezy and the grass swayed to the rhythm of the wind. 

I shut the windows and double-checked the door to be sure it had been shut by Nelson on his way out as he usually took the keys with him.

But as I thought of my next move, I wondered what Nelson’s mission was, what boys he was hanging out with, and why he had to stay out for too long. 

“What if his leaving was a setup? What if he wanted to give me enough space to carry out my plans after which he would launch an attack and destroy me?” I thought. 

I'd lost my peace, my mind, my sanity, my family, and what was left to lose was my life. 

I lay back on the couch, contemplating my decision, but only then did I realize that the time was ticking, and with every minute of delay, I was losing my chances of escape from this asylum.

Staying back and refusing to do what I've always wanted was only going to keep me stuck with him forever, and who knows, he might just get tired of having me around and end me. 

There was no way the thought of getting rid of me would not raise its ugly head one day. If he could molest me, he could kill me too. 

Immediately, I jumped off the couch like I'd been stung by an ant, but it was the thoughts that ravaged my mind and stirred up rage in me. I adjusted my shoulders, raising them high like I was about to launch a war. 

“If you catch me, Nelson, I will gladly surrender to death. After all, this thing that I live is not life, but one thing I would not do is surrender to defeat. I would rather die trying!” I roared, hitting my hands firmly against my chest as I did. 

With fear crumpling my hands and legs, but courage and determination engraved in my mind, I moved into the hallway which led to the bedrooms. 

Two rooms stood out to me in Nelson’s house. The Other ones, I'd gone in and out of and didn't think there was anything that could be hidden in them. 

One was Nelson’s personal room which he claimed was his sanctuary and dressing room. In there, he said he had his clothes, shoes, and other personal items, and I did believe him because I'd gotten a sneak-peek into it from the door, but I'd never walked into it, as I was never allowed to.

I moved closer to the white wooden door and placed my fingers on the keys. Twice, I flipped it and it flung open, ushering me into the semi-dark room, which smelled damp and dusty.

I found my way to the bulb switch and immediately clicked it on, and then the room instantly received illumination. 

The air was heavy with the scent of stale air and some rotten substance, probably a dead rodent and I tried to cover my nostrils to avoid inhaling the abomination of a smell. 

It looked a lot messier than I could have ever imagined! All over it, I could see lots of cobwebs hanging in the ceiling, like the space had not been accessed in years. Nelson was not as clean as he looked on the outside after all. He was a literal pig. 

I saw a few clothes heaped on the chair, all covered in dust. Dust bunnies multiplied under the bed and the desk adjacent to the chair was a sea of chaos, filled with papers, pens, and some empty bottles and cans of drinks which he'd obviously gulped down. I was beyond disgusted, and my fear turned into irritation.

The bed itself was a rumpled mess; sheets tangled around the footboard, and a pillow lay abandoned on the floor.

I paid less attention to the bookshelf which was packed with books that I did not care to know their genre or content. The overall atmosphere was one of creative disarray. 

I lowered myself to the ground, my hands now covered in dirt as I peeped under the bed, but all I could see were waste papers. I immediately got back on my feet and moved hastily to the table where the clothes formed a pile and I pushed them off with aggressiveness and searched the surface for any exhibits, but I found nothing. 

Next, I scurried to the closet of the room which was situated inside and I began to ransack the heap of clothes, the wardrobe, and the storage racks. Soon my hands became weary and the search began to feel annoying and frustrating. 

I had no idea what kind of item I was searching for and the more I searched, the more confused I got.

There was a laundry basket filled with dirty clothes that gave off a stench but I ignored it and stormed out of the room in anger.

I stood by the door after I got out, resenting my life’s choices. He was probably innocent after all; maybe he was just short-tempered and let his emotions get the best of him as he’d always claimed, I thought. 

I staggered to the kitchen, but just as I was about to get in, I felt the urge to go and search again, but this time, it was the room that was always locked day in and day out. 

I scurried to the door of it and tried to bend the handle but I was right, it was locked and the key was nowhere to be found.

I stomped my feet on the floor in disappointment and then I decided that I would go in search of it. I stormed into the first room and my first port of call was the laundry basket. I emptied it, taking out the dirty clothes with my hands. 

The more I emptied it, the more displeased I was. There was no key in sight. Nelson was not so stupid as to leave the keys of a room that he never allowed me into lying carelessly around the house in his absence.

Lazily, I took out the last pieces of trousers that were left in the basket and then I heard a metal object hit the floor. 

Quickly I rubbed my palms all over the clothes searching for the object which had just hit the ground and surprisingly, it was a bunch of five keys, with a crystal key holder.