Tunnel Vision

Chapter 4

Or rather... it would have been peaceful had I not been trying to figure everything out. My brain still seems fuzzy and I realize something. I have no idea what time of day it is. No sense of time at all.

It's enough to send me into a panic.

Focus, Aurelia.

Okay. I need him – Colin – to come back so I can see what he wants. I plop down on the bed roughly; exhausted from everything until I remember he sat on it earlier when he was mocking me. That's what he was doing wasn't it? Mocking me?

It seemed like it.

I jump up and relocate to the chair. I grip the sides of the chair as the coldness seeps through my jeans to my legs, causing me to shiver. Warily, I gaze at the door willing him to come back into the room. Again I let out a frustrated growl. If only I could remember.

I stand up and begin pacing again. To the bed, to the door, to the bed, and back to the door.

After about a solid five minutes of pacing, I'm making my round to the door when it clicks, making me jump back. As the door opens, I sit on the bed.

Colin pokes his head in, spots me and lets the rest of his body in. Once inside he shuts the door, turns around and looks at me with one eyebrow raised. I return his look with what I hope to be a blank face. Keeping his eyes on me, he steps over to the chair I vacated and grips the back of it. Suddenly in one swift move, he shoves it and it's clattering to the ground.

I jump and my hair falls into my face, irritating me.

"What was that for?!" I yell before I can stop myself.

And he smiles, "You are responsive."

I glare at him as he simply looks at me. It's like he's analyzing me. Taking me in. Calculating.

I don't like it.

Not taking his eyes off me, he lowers himself to the ground to pick up the chair and sets it back in its place. He takes a step towards me and notices how I freeze when he moves closer. He stops and tilts his head to the right as he says, "I know you aren't going to believe anything I say or trust me so there's really nothing I can do with you yet."

It's my turn to take him in. Calculate. He doesn't seem bothered by it though. He just stands there waiting for me to say something, so I do.

"Alright. Fine. Why would I trust you anyway? You kidnapped me."

He looks at me like I've suddenly sprouted wings. He stays like that for a minute and I can see him processing everything – calculating – again before he looks away from me. He looks at me again. Opens his mouth, and then closes it like he was going to say something but decided against it.

"Well?" I say and immediately wish I could take it back.

Because he gives me a hard look, turns, and stalks out of the room, this time the dooring banging shut behind him – echoing throughout my small room.

When did I start thinking of it as mine?

Time passes. Enough time that I can beat myself up over the stupid mistake I made. But eventually he returns with food. I stand up and look at the tray he has brought in – there are duplicates of each thing.

Dinner? For two. Lovely.

Colin grabs his portion, pulls the table in the corner to the chair he knocked over earlier and begins eating. I stare at him dumbfounded for a moment before I go and grab my helping of food.

I must've been hungrier than I thought because the turkey sandwich smells like heaven. I didn't think I was thirsty either until I took my first sip of cool water, savoring it.

Something is different. He doesn't watch me. Doesn't analyze me. He just eats and acts like I don't exist. Despite his calculating gaze being uncomfortable, the absence of his attention somehow infuriates me.

Aurelia, get a grip.

So I need him to pay attention to me or I'll never get answers. I stand up from the bed, walk over to the table and set my hand on the corner. He doesn't budge and I'm encouraged. As quickly as I can, I take the table and drag it over to my bed.

My bed? I guess I figure it's my table too.

Finally, he looks at me and I can tell I've done exactly what he hoped I would do.

He stands, food in hand, and walks towards me.

I have time to regret my second stupid mistake today.