Safe

Part Three

~Hope's POV~
I woke up the next morning in the hotel I had planned on killing myself in. But I wasn't dead, I was laying on the bed in room 103. Totally alone.
Had I dreamt everything? I asked myself, but the ache in my southern region said otherwise.
I groaned as I sat up and rubbed my head. Who had I slept with? My memory was groggy and only bits and pieces were there. I remembered it being someone with a thick accent, and a suit on. That was all I could remember.

Did this person...save me? I had asked myself.

But that's when my questions were answered.
"Crazy night, was it not?" I heard that accent again, and saw a puff of smoke from the other side of the room coming from a cigarette.
There he stood, the man from last night. "Who are you?" I asked, ignoring his question.
He began walking towards me, "March, James March. But I believe you and I met each other last night, very formally, yes?" He smirked and stood in front of me now.
I blushed and looked down, he peeked at me and smiled. "Hm?" He chuckled darkly. He then quickly took ahold of my wrists, and flipped his body over mine so that he was straddling my hips. He had done it so quick I barely knew what was going on. He held my wrists tightly and looked right into my eyes, leaning down towards my face.
"You're very beautiful, Hope dear. How you could ever think of committing such an act as you were last night?!" He suddenly screamed, I flinched at his change in tone. Then he whispered, looking aside. "Don't kill thyself like I did. It's not pleasant, but, it's the most pleasing way to go, you see."
His grip on my wrists loosened, as he began focusing on himself for a moment, he smiled broadly. "Makes you feel rebellious, dangerous, and powerful. Like nothing can stop you, and nobody did. Nobody stopped me."

I stared up at him, "But you're here...how could you have-"

"Because I'm dead!!" He yelled, pushing himself off of me. I just lay there for a moment, trying to take in what he was saying.
I then sat up and put my head in my hands.

"I'm losing it...I'm going crazy." I whispered to myself and James turned to me and rushed over, kneeling in front of me. He took my hands and pushed my chin up, he was smiling.
"Oh but that's the funny part, isn't it? Cause you're not crazy, darling. I really am dead." He laughed psychotically, throwing his head back.
I stared at him, even more confused now. I barely knew this man, and I was so close to him. I had to be dreaming, but the things I felt the night before with him. It felt so real.
"You see, love. All of us here, were trapped. And if you jump out that window, you'll be too." He pointed to the window.
But then he stood and pushed her up and towards the window. "You know what, darling? That may not be the worst idea." He smirked and held my shoulders walking me over to it. Which he then opened and proceeded to push me towards the gateway to death. I held my hands against the wall so he couldn't push me out.

"No!! Stop! Let me go!" I yelled, feeling like I was living last night all over again, but reverse this time.
He let go and ran a hand through his slick hair. "Tsk tsk tsk, you see? There's another melancholy thing, yet so enlightening!" He exclaimed, perching himself on the edge of the bed.
"What are you going on about?" I asked, keeping my distance.

"You. Taking your life for granted. What made you change your mind about wanting to rot against the pavement? With your blood spewing about the alleyway as people walked the streets with not a clue that young Hope jumped from the Cortez?" He asked, "Hm?"
I didn't want to answer, because the answer was him. He had changed my mind, but I felt that telling him that would stroke his ego. So I didn't say a thing.