Chapter 5
I flicked my eyes up to my room as I walked back over the frozen ground to my halls. I could see the light on through the window. I could have sworn that I'd turned it off before I left, I always did.
I continued on into the building and quickened my pace as I entered, the carpet inside giving extra traction to my shoes. The main door shut with a heavy thud that echoed through the halls. It was quiet inside, no surprise for a Saturday night when everyone always seemed to me out doing something.
I headed up the stairs and rounded the corner at the top. I could see my room at the end of the corridor, no light shining through from the other side. My face contorted into a frown as I looked on. I was sure it was my room that I saw the light on inside.
I continued towards it and sent my key into the lock, turning it to the left. It wouldn't turn - it had already been opened. Did I leave the door unlocked as well?
I opened the door slowly, reaching towards the wall with my hand, searching for the lightswitch. I flicked it on and the room was dowsed in a sickly light. I looked around the room, checking to see if anyone was in there, my heart pulsing wildly. Maybe Jenny had come back to get something, and just left the door open when she left?
It wasn't a big room so I quickly saw that there was no one there but me. I immediately returned to the door and locked it shut. After being at that party, and after the way Tom had been, my nerves were pretty much frayed. This was just the straw that broke the camels back.
I breathed deep and steadied my pulse. I felt a little tipsy but nothing more, and it was still only early. A good nights sleep and I'll have no trouble finishing my paper tomorrow. “Good job Alice”, I said to myself, “not only did you manage to eschew the pull of alcohol, but you also managed to say no to the dreamboat that is Tom Weston.” I spoke sarcastically, and chuckled as I did.
I flicked on my lamp and returned to the door to turn the main light off before slipping out of my dress and into my underwear. Without Jen the room was now bare, horribly so, uncomfortably so. It was like it was my first night at college, yet to unpack, yet to deck out my room.
My eyes were heavy as I lay there in bed, just reward for a long day spent at work and a short evening spent at play. It didn't take long for my mind to start going blank, my thoughts sending me tumbling into a dream, one filled with nothing but worry - finish my paper, find a new job. There was nothing else.
......
I slowly woke in the darkness, a light sound of movement in the room bringing my mind straight back into focus.
It was pitch black in there, the night outside dark and brooding, no light penetrating the curtains. I listened intently as my breath was caught in my lungs, my heart threatening to stop. There was someone in my room with me.
I continued to listen as I heard the careful sound of footsteps moving towards the door. I could hear hands feeling for the lock and then a click as the lock opened. Suddenly, the door swung open, sending light crashing into the room from out in the hall.
I saw the silhouette of a man against the light, his tall frame dressed in dark clothing, the top of his head wavy with flowing locks. He twisted his neck to look over his shoulder as he left, and I saw the mask - the V for Vendetta mask from the party - covering his face.
I couldn't see his eyes but knew that he could see mine, lit up by the light, stark fear etched across them. Then, quickly, he stepped from the room and shut the door. I could hear his footsteps rushing off down the hall and onto the carpeted stairs.
I jumped from my bed and opened the curtain, looking down onto the courtyard below as he rushed out of the main door and onto the snow, pacing off as quickly as he could down the side of the building and out of sight.
I collapsed back down onto my bed, my heart uncontrollable in my chest, and lay there shivering. He'd been in my room the whole time, the whole time I'd been sleeping. I turned the light on and looked up, seeing the wardrobe onJen's side of the room open. That's where he'd been hiding. Who the hell was he?
I tried to sleep but couldn't. How the hell would I be able to sleep after all of that? What the f*ck was someone doing hiding in my room? Not to hurt me, otherwise he'd have done that. No, he was looking for something, and I caught him when I got back. He'd turned the light off, hiding in the closet, waiting for me to sleep. When the time was right, he'd sneaked out, creeping towards the door to escape.
I didn't turn the light off that night as I lay there. It was still only just past midnight and the dorm was still quiet, everyone still out partying and enjoying their Saturday night - you know, doing what students do.
Me? I was lying there, paper to finish, job to find, after being frightened half to death by a mystery man in my room, a man I'd already seen earlier that night creeping around a campus party. If I thought my life couldn't get any more f*cked up, well, I was wrong.