CHAPTER III

I felt a warm light reach my eyes. I awakened to a dull lighted room, candles were lit. Scattered. where am I? This isn't my apartment, nor my bed! I sat up, drawn to faint coughs in the distance as I crept out of the bed, to the door of the room i was in. I could spot a faint light on the other side through the gap. I peered through. There he was in the kitchen, don't tell me i'm in his house?! He was talking to someone over the phone. As I tired to listen in, his voice quieted from where I was standing- coughs followed abruptly. As he fell to his knees, leaning onto the counter, he looked over at me recollecting from himself in an instant as he stood up as if nothing happened. As I quickly retreated, shutting the door.

How long was I asleep for how the hell did I manage to get in this person's house? I pinched myself. It really was him. Convenience guy came back to abduct me? But why now why did he abduct me? Why the hell was he running with me?- I turn in a instant to him standing before me unnervingly. The room lit dully the candles ever so flickering, shedding the scent of sage on the stands dotted around the room. "Just who the hell are you?"

"My name is unneeded to be known by you.." His tone cold like ice, blunt like a blade at my throat. "Oh yeah why is there so much sage candles about?"

He paused for a moment his face still covered. "To keep the phantoms away as he stared off into the distance."

"The what." This place was haunted? I looked about concerningly.

He turned gathering in a sigh. As he opened the bedroom door, "Follow." as we faced opposites seated at his kitchen table.

"You have your suspicions don't you." His voice coldly unnerving.

"About you being my stalker?" As I tried to laugh it off, but this was serious, I have to find out what hes planning. "Yeah, about that. I'm sorry you wanted to die didn't you? I stopped you and abducted you." he titled his head. My eyes widened in confusion. His face was still disguised by many accessories and clothing but I felt like he was poking at me in a way.

"Hey, how did you know that the police were after me?" He didn't seem like he was 'wanted' rather me but why?

"..." "Were "are you also the one who sent me a bag of food with a note 'you want to die?' huh," I pestested

"Uh-" I couldn't tell if I was putting enough pressure on him to make him confess.

"Also at that time you convinced those robbers to surrender? Sir, did you know I am a Detective?"

"A fired detective."

"W-hat? how did you know that?!" he stood up as he walked into the living room. as he sat in front of a TV.

"It's on the news they are talking about you. About you being abusive and having sided with the cannibal doing the devil's work." He continued on listing allegation after allegation. What the hell they made stuff public? as I sat down in front of the TV with him.

"I get it, those old bastards lied about everything and twisted it all. Just so they can be on the news and get more money." I sighed. He didn't seem stalker-ish. He just seemed like, he saved me bringing me to his apartment unharmed. It just seems so far fetched.

"You can leave if you want." he added out of the blue. But if I did go, I would have nowhere to go. I have nothing.

It would be better if I stay here. With this weird guy. "I have nothing to go back to." I painted a smile upon my face.

"..." he leaned away fixated on the tv.

"Ok." he sighed. "You can stay here." I felt his stinginess from here.

"I was never wanted. I'm a defect." My eyes lowered as I fixated at my hands.

"Is that true or you only just believe that?" I looked away embarrassed by his reply.

"O-of course it's true" I know it is, I lowered my head. "That's why I wanted to die, it's the truth of the world- all of this world cursed my existence."

He tilted his head, "I already knew something was off about you, that evening when I saw you at that convenience store you were suffering- its nothing." What the?! I looked up in confusion.

"How the hell could you tell that just by looking at me? That's creepy." Nevermind I will take that back about not suspecting you as such.

"I cannot say."

"You are really sounding like a stalker now."

"if you say so human." he voice trembled and become hoarse

"Human?" confused. "Are you saying that your not?" I pressed. "Whats up with you coughing earlier-" He fell to the ground unmoving.

"Hey don't do this!" I reached out to his gloved hand to check his pulse, as I pulled away his glove, quickly retracing my hand to his wrist. His fingers, looked as he was wearing black finger puppets.

Hes frostbitten how? I pressed my fingers down. He's freezing cold! His pulse, is pumping violently fast like it was being torn apart. What the hell? His breathing became hoarse. I quickly rested him down on his backside. there was no way I could carry him over to his bed. He was horribly ill yet- shit his breathing. It must've been a long way here. I have no other choice I have to remove the mask- and the glasses that covered his dying face, he looked at me coldly smacking my hand, away. As I caught a glimpse of his black pit eyes. Familiar, but it wouldn't be so possible.

"Don't touch me." he snapped coldly.

"i'll get you a blank-"

"Leave me alone." he turned away, still struggling to breath. Jeez, what is he hiding? Why is he so eager to not let me see his face? Don't tell I wasn't wrong about that he is also wanted? "Im fine, stay away from me."

"Fine," he didn't seem like the one to have a killer feel. But maybe that didn't really happen. I left him alone that evening. I returned to the living room as I slept on the floor until the sun rose the very next morning. I went to check on him and he was gone. He was nowhere to be seen, I turned around the front door nerverackinly opened, "oh I forgot you were here." he stood there clenching suspicious-plastic bags. "What's in those bags?"

"Food" He is just too suspicious. Hiding his face and all it really annoys me. He plonked the bags down onto the kitchen table with a thud. "What are you trying to do?"

'I'm trying to do nothing because I don't know how to cook.'

"You never cooked before but then what did you buy?" I peered into the bag- two minute noodles, are you serious? Two minute noodles? That's one of the easiest things to make, "you don't know how to make these? Do you have a water jug-"

'Why would I need one?'

I irked in shock, I couldn't believe it. "You don't own a water jug?" dumbfounded I was, I didn't even notice yesterday, he could be poor-but-

"I'm not good at buying things." So what does he even use to cook?

"So that explains the bag of two-minute noodles you gave me huh."

"Well I thought that they would be instant so they would be automatically cooked when you get it." is he really this foolish, 'I don't understand-' he murmured.

I looked into his kitchen. He didn't even own a microwave. Only a rustic fridge that stood alone next to the cupboards. "We need to go shopping."

I don't understand how he could live like this with no appliances? Is He just eating fast food?

"Why." he added bluntly, unwavering from his cluelessness.

"Do you have money?" He couldn't be this clueless.

'That is not a concern.'

"Then let's go then," I so was eager to jump out the door, I forgot I was wanted by the police. My energetic pulse diminished in an instant. "I cannot go outside," I sighed,

"I have some clothes spare." he left for a moment and returned with some winter weather clothing. "Here. humans ar- this is for the winter weather." Ok then.

"Can I really wear this?" No answer. I began slipping the clothing on. So warm.

"Ok." He said.

That's your only response? Only replying to things with ok? Jeez, so emotionless.

"I still don't know what this appliance is."

...

"Appliances can be microwaves and electric water jugs. That is needed to make these two minute noodles. So I'm going to assume that you don't pay for your hot water bills."

"..." Silence. I guess that's a yes,

"What do you even spend your money on then?"

"Fast food."

"That's it?" Seriously, he wastes his money on fast food.

"I think so. that's what-"

This guy seriously. "So how much you spend"

"Around $7"

How can he live off so little money. A week? That's only like one meal where the hell is he getting these insane deals? Thats doesnt even seem realistic.

"How much do you have to spend?"

"Enough to exist" How could he say that so casually? What the hell?

"Ok." I releifly added. Why did I think he would be poor?

"We should go. But be careful." As he reached for the door.

"Ok." I replied as he opened the door, the stairs, iced and shiny. The snow below looked like the clouds above. I used to always get a cold because I didn't own any warm clothing but today I won't get a cold finally! But I wonder what happened? Did he get sick? Or was he just tired? Where are we even, it was peaceful.

"Just follow me." Isn't he hungry? Why am I the only one eager to eat? Maybe it is the way he is. Secretive about everything. "Anyways why do you wear winter clothing inside the house?"

"Ah." he paused, "I just want to." He breathed out as steam shifted from his mask. He had taken a bit thinking that out. Now that's a little suspicious. What is he trying to play? Clueless? We began walking down the cautious stairs. Luckily not slipping. Nothing more than curiosity that others approached me for. I followed behind. "...'

We managed to get to the store pretty easily, there weren't many cars driving about or people due to the cold weather. As we entered we were embraced by the warmth of the air conditioner as the doors slid open. I hadn't been shopping in a while. The stuff that I owned was all second hand. I can't believe that he's never been to a store like this. He seemed to be stunned, "should we go looking?" We wandered around and I kept getting sidetracked. "Ok." There were so many cool things. He didn't even seem the least interested, we finally made it to the ile.

"So these are appliances." so he knew what they were? Ok. As he reached out to grab out a boxed microwave. "Can you really carry that?" He looked like he was struggling to get a grip. '"I'm fine." he answered coldly;

"Can you get a water jug?" as I faintly pointed to some over in the distance.

"Ok," I swiftly picked up the box. As followed him over to the counter. As he placed them onto the counter, this time not violently.

"I can carry it." he said.

"I'm fine- I will."

---

He ended up carrying them home. I couldn't believe he managed to carry it. I felt bad for not carrying it, afterwards so I ended up setting the appliances up. All done I made space on the bench, "Can I make you some?" I began opening a cup.

"I don't want any. I'm fine."

"You haven't eaten since I've been here, are you really ok?"

"I'll eat later" as he slumped down next to the tea table in front of the Tv.

"I'm wondering, how did you manage to save so much money?"

"I have a job." he replied like he was passing- Hey don't die on me again.

"Hey-" he was asleep. Is he really just letting me live here? so carelessly? Why is he starving himself so badly? Why is he refusing to eat? Maybe I might rethink my previous thought that he's not human. Vampires are not real dumbass-me. After I finished mucking around; I cautiously put the blanket over him. He slept for a while. During the time he was asleep I kind of wandered around his apartment, in the distance a door was shut. I was curious I stepped closer. It was locked. What was behind the door but I couldn't just barge into one of the rooms. I flinched as his shadow cowered over me.

"Hey-" he loomed above, it seemed like the end for me.

I turned to face him.