DISCOVERING DREW

CHAPTER 10

My heart was beating very fast and very loudly. Infact so loud that I could hear it,it was as if it would pop out of my chest any minute from now. The more I walked,the more the footsteps became very much louder.

My adrenaline pump was very high right now. I didn't even dare to turn my head to even be sure who it was. What if I turned my head and the person decided to run up to me and stab me? I thought of what to do and the only reasonable thing that came to my mind was to run as much as I could so I broke out in a run.

As I was running,the footsteps were running as well. I ran so hard,like I'd never run before in my life but I couldn't outrun this person. I was running and panicking at the same time. What would I do if this person ran into my house with me? I didn't even have any weapons to use against this person.

So I was thinking, maybe I would run into my kitchen and use my kitchen knives on the person. But I didn't even have any knives sharp enough to create a major injury on anyone. I was generally very frustrated but I kept on running and running. At least the fact that I ran regularly as a form of exercise helped me more because if not,this person would have caught up with me.

As I kept on running,my house came into view. I wondered whether I should pass my house but I decided against it.If I passed my house,that meant I would continue to run forever. I made up my mind to go to my kitchen, retrieve my kitchen knives, irrespective how blunt it was,and use them as effectively as I could.

But that wasn't the case because the minute I almost got to my house,just directly in front of my neighbour's house,I ran into someone. Someone very muscular. The impact of the force with which I ran into the person was so heavy that I almost fell on the floor but luckily for me,the person caught me immediately.

Instantly I knew who it was. Panting very heavily,I looked up to find blue eyes staring at me, practically looking very worried. In that moment,I didn't even process the reason why he was out there at that particular moment,but all I knew was that I was eternally grateful that he appeared when he did.

"Someone is chasing me,I swear, the person was following me initially and I thought maybe it wasn't really me they were following and then I started running and the person started to pursue me and- "

I was panting heavily while still in the strong arms of blue eyes,my heart still beating very heavily.

"Calm down,there's nobody on this street. The person must have stopped chasing you as soon as they saw me" He said.

"What?" I turned around and truly,nobody was on the street. Infact not even a sign that anybody had walked,let alone ran that street with me. I was confused. Did I imagine the whole thing? Should I have turned to see the person? Oh God! I was starting to feel very stupid.

I turned around, immediately noticing that I was still in the arms of blue eyes, disengaged myself from him so fast as if his hands were burning coal. I looked up at him,he was watching me with something mixed with pity and worry.

"So you didn't see anybody as soon as I ran up to you? Not even a soul? I mean I know I didn't turn to look at the person but there's no how I would have ran when nobody was pursuing me. I swear,I didn't imagine the whole thing" I insisted,I didn't even know what I was feeling now but I knew I was borderline tired out and also at the same time, getting slightly annoyed.

He shook his head to show that the answer was negative.

I sighed. This was very frustrating,not only did it appear as if I was stalking him,now I was looking like a creep to him,running where no one was chasing me.

"Well, in that case,I am very sorry for bothering you. I will simply go to the police or something, probably in the morning to report this and that's just about it. Well,thank you for helping me out. Goodnight"

I turned around to go to my own apartment and blue eyes spoke up.

"Don't go yet" I turned around and he was looking at me, pleadingly. I was surprised.

"Why?! I should stand here all night with you? I can't do that. I'm just coming back from work and I really need to sleep because in a few hours ,I equally have another work so there's not much time for this luxury" I said, sounding very annoyed right now. The more I spent time in this man's presence,the more I hated him and wanted nothing to ever do with him.

"No,you don't understand. If truly someone was chasing you, then you can't spend the time alone in your house tonight. You will go to the police tomorrow,yes but you are still not safe this night. The person might still be lurking around".

I contemplated what he said. He was right and I knew it. Me being in my own house alone,was not the safest option for me and immediately he said it,I knew this was very much true.

So I turned to him and asked,"So where would you have me stay? I don't have anywhere to go. My car broke down so I can't afford to go anywhere cause it's 3am in the morning. What would you have me do?" I said but it sounded as if I was low-key pissed off at him,I knew he didn't deserve this but I was very frustrated with the situation and the fact that I didn't like him made matters worse.

Surprisingly,he was very calm during the whole thing and seemed to absorb my harshness towards him like it was nothing. Infact,he still had that look of worry on his face. I didn't even have the strength to contemplate as to why this man,who just a day ago,was calling me a stalker and raining all sorts of insults on me,was suddenly acting like he actually cared about me. The next thing that came out of his mouth even surprised me the most.

"You can sleep in my house. Then tomorrow,you go to the police."

I looked at him wide-eyed. What did I just hear? Sleep in his house? I'd rather be killed by that stalker than ever spend a night in this stupid man's house.

"You must be joking," I replied him nastily, "I'd rather suffer the gruesome fate of death than spend a minute in your house. What if you are working in collaboration with this stalker? You invite me into your house and then use a knife to cut my throat? Hell no! I am not spending a minute in your bloody house." I spat.

Blue eyes looked at me one last time and said "Suit yourself then."

With that,he turned around and started walking back to his apartment.

That was when I realised the implication of the situation I was in. Contrary to what I might have said to blue eyes,I didn't want to die at the hands of any stalker. Infact I didn't want to die at all,not now, probably when I was getting very old and wrinkly.

"Please wait. Don't go in yet. You can't just leave me out here like this" I cried, shamelessly.

As he turned around,I was expecting him to have this smug look on his face but he was still looking at me sympathetically. I was confused. Was this the same man that shouted at me just a day ago? Someone who accused me of trying to poison him,is now trying to offer me his home as refuge. Something was happening here and I couldn't quite place my hands on it yet. I would definitely ask him but first of all,I had to secure a place to sleep. I was starting to get very tired.

"Please sir,or whatever your name is,can I please(the 'please' sounding as if I almost bit my tongue saying it) stay in your house this night? It would really much be appreciated".

He nodded and started walking back again and I followed him into his house.

He opened his door and gestured for me to go inside. I made a mental prayer begging God that this man should not be a psycho killer. I had watched too many horror movies and true crime documentaries where they lured the characters inside in a kind gesture and manner and it turned out to be their worst nightmare.

As I got into the house,I took off my shoes on the footmat at the entrance,he pointed at me to wear slippers which I did. I figured he was the kind that hated when people walked around the house in their shoes. Well,at least we had one thing in common.

I looked around his apartment. It was sort of nice and cosy,smelled very nice too. Not too much decorations or anything over the top but I noticed that there were no personal items,no pictures,not even a single one. I thought maybe he would have a picture of him and Fat Tony and the other guy Luca mentioned since Luca said they were some sort of friends. Or maybe they weren't that close enough to have pictures of themselves.

But what of his family,was he even married? Or single? He didn't look married to me but I didn't really know whether married men had different looks or something. I hadn't met enough people in my life to determine what married men looked like.

He appeared from the inner room and said to me,"I have prepared you the other room to sleep in. As you well know,it has a bathroom where you could take your bath and all,if that's what you want. And also some clean clothes you could change into. If there's anything else you need,don't hesitate to tell me. I'll be in the other room."

He turned to go into his own room and I stopped him.

"Wait, I am sorry but I don't trust you. You might be a killer too. Do you have any weapon you could give me,inorder to protect myself?"

He looked at me like I was stupid.

" You were the one stalking me for two days straight,you show up in front of my apartment saying you were being chased,in a street that nobody was in. As a good neighbour,I invited you to spend in the night in my house for your own protection and you think I am a killer? What if you made this s**t up just to kill me instead?" He said,very calmly while looking at me intensely.

I wasn't even offended at all. All I needed was to secure myself. Whatever nonsense this man was insinuating was his own business. I would not be gaslighted into my own death.

"Can you just give me something to defend myself with? That's all I ask. It's as simple as that. And you could hold something to defend yourself as well. None of us trust each other so I feel it's quite a necessary precaution in this situation".

"Fine. Go to the kitchen and take a knife of your own choosing. The knives there are enough defence for you"

He turned to leave again and I stopped him again.

"Why are you suddenly being a nice person to me? You were shouting and raining curses on my head yesterday and here you are today being nice and all. What is the reason for the flip?"

He gave me a very long look,didn't say a single word,and turned around and entered his room.

"Stupid ass human" I muttered to myself. I turned around to find the kitchen,it was a very neat kitchen. Infact it looked like he didn't make use of it that much. I turned and saw all the knives hung around the wall,they all looked very new,like they weren't ever used at all. I turned around and took one of the big ones and entered the room he asked me to sleep in.

I got into shower,took a quick one,and changed into some fresh clothes he placed on the bed for me. With the knife securely placed around my chest as soon as I got into the bed,I slept off.