The Only Reason

Chapter One

Rose's P.O.V

I lied in my bed just staring at my ceiling. I glanced over at my clock, 2:15am flashing back at me. I sighed - This isn't the first time I couldn't sleep. The thought of him kept me awake. The way he stared at me with those lifeless grey eyes made the hairs on my arms stand up. The way he would watch me had my mind screaming at me to run away from him. It seemed that whatever I did, or wherever I went, he was there.

I moved into my apartment about two years ago. Since day one, he has always been there. He lives in the apartment complex across the street from mine. My windows faces the road separating us, and sometimes he will be on the sidewalk just staring up at my windows. I have bought curtains to try and block him out, but whenever I get back home from work, the curtains are nowhere to be found. I have filed police reports for stealing, but the police never did anything to help.

I finally give up with trying to sleep and move into my living room to watch some tv. After a while of watching some Tom and Jerry reruns, I slowly drift into asleep.

Banging noises wake me up from my dreamless sleep. My eyes flutter open only to see the tv had gone to static. I switch on the lights only to see that my apartment door is unlocked and opened. My heart rate picks up at the thought of someone breaking into my house. Another loud bang draws me from my thoughts. The banging noises are coming from my bedroom. Dread fills my every fiber. I slowly turn around from facing the door to start creeping towards my room. I grab one of my cat's toys that was on the floor and hold it in a defence position.

As I get closer to my bedroom, I notice that there is a flickering light that can be seen through the door. My heart rate picks up even more as I get closer. I'm two feet from my door when I hear my cat meowing and hissing at something in my room. I finally build up the courage and walk into the room with my eyes closed. I slowly open them to find cat scratching at my closet door. I creep over to my closet. As I'm about to fling it open, I hear a window creak open.

I swing my head around to find nothing but my window slightly open. I turn my focus back to my closet only to have a hand go over my mouth with a cloth that smelled strongly. I struggle against whoever has me captured while trying not to breathe.

"Give in, my love. Just give in it will be so much more easier," says a deep, London accented voice.

I continue to struggle, but only for a couple seconds. It's like something takes over my body and self control because I stop struggling, and I take deep breaths. As I struggle to stay awake, I hear that same voice say,

"I'm sorry, my love. Please forgive me," the voice cracks at the end as if he was actually sorry.

My eyes flutter closed and I pass out.

I woke with a startle. Was that all just a dream? It felt so real. I looked around my living room, the tv was turned off and I had a blanket covering me. I got off the sofa and went into my kitchen to get something to eat before heading off to work.

After eating, I get ready for work and head out. I walk out of my apartment and lock the door behind me. I turn away from my door and start walking to my car. I glance around the street to see no one around. That's odd. I thought. I quickly glance at his apartment to see him staring at me through his window. I snap my head back to the ground and quicken my pace to my car. I finally reach it only to realize that I had left my car keys in my apartment. I groan and start heading back when I see something hit the ground in front of me. It's my car keys.

I quickly picked them up and ran to my car. I hopped in and glanced back at his window, he was not there anymore. I felt relieved and started my car. As I was driving away from my apartment, I glanced at the rear view mirror to see him standing in the middle of the street with an almost heartbroken look upon his face. I suddenly felt guilty for leaving him and I don't know why.