The Lonely Hearts Club

Chapter 3: The Unwelcome Guest (Bree)

Hot showers are therapeutic.

The kind of showers that burn your skin until it's peeling off the bone.

These showers make you forget whatever's on your mind because you're gasping from pain.

"It could be worse," I tell myself.

Sure, I was sent a box with...shit in it.

But at least Rowan didn't show up!

I don't leave my apartment, so I'm thankful there's a large dumpster under my kitchen window.

While everyone else has to walk outside to dump their rubbish, I can just throw things out without ever needing to leave my safe haven.

I waft around in a lace nightgown, lighting caramel candles and spreading around incense, removing any trace of disgustingness.

If I look pretty and my apartment smells pretty, I can pretend everything is okay.

I settle on my couch, beginning to start a new book.

It's a romance book...obviously.

If I can't be in love with anyone in real life, I need to have a substitute somewhere else.

Books are my escape, they allow me to experience things I'd never be able to experience in real life.

I'm passing chapter three when a loud knocking on my door snaps me out of my blissful trance.

I just about jump out of my skin, heart hammering and mouth dry.

There's only one person this could be.

I look around anxiously for my gun, it's underneath my book shelf.

"Excuse me, ma'am, a neighbour reported screaming from here," A male voice says loudly.

Ok, so not Rowan.

This voice is very deep.

I still retrieve my gun anyway.

"Are you alright in there?"

No.

I stay silent.

"Want me to help you?"

No.

I still say nothing.

Why would I alert a random man that I'm home alone? That's absurd.

"Ma'am if you don't say something, I'm going to assume you're dead."

That's fine by me.

"I'll break down the door so I can take you to the morgue." He says.

I find safety in my door, it has several locking systems and is bulletproof.

I cannot risk it getting damaged and having to wait several days before it can be repaired.

Despite never seeing Rowan, I still can sometimes feel his presence loitering around.

If my door was damaged, he would probably use that opportunity to attack me.

"Don't!" I yell.

"Alright, can you talk to me then?" He sounds almost...relieved.

I pull a face, why on earth would I talk to him?

"No," I say. "I'm fine, please go away."

"What was the screaming ma'am?"

"I didn't scream...the report must be a mistake," I say smoothly.