DRUGGED

Halle walked to the side of the bed yet again, her eyes on her phone and the man who sat next to it seemingly oblivious to its presence.

Halle always kept her first aid kits in the bedside drawer, it was a habit that has hasn’t been able to break ever since she was a child. Her mother called her a ‘clumsy little bundle of trouble’ sometimes and made Halle learn early how to treat her small cuts and even the bigger ones…mostly because her skin had to stay perfect.

The man’s eyes followed her every movement, from her pulling open the drawer and bringing out the white box that she had personally stocked up herself even though since she’s been here, she’s never had to use it.

His eyes followed her as she made her way to the spot next to him and closer to her phone.

It was now out of his sight as her body blocked his view. He didn’t seem suspicious of her action but instead looked down at the box curiously and then back into her eyes.

His burning gaze caught her off her, her breath caught in her throat and she looked away immediately.

Things would’ve been better if he were ugly.

Definitely better.

“Why’s it so small?” He gestured at the box.

None of your fucking business!

She wanted to snarl but instead bit down on her lip and opened the box.

The sound of his heavy breathing and the shuffling around of items in the box filled up the silence in the room.

Halle brought out the surgical suture she never thought she would need, spirit, and some wool.

She set everything down on the box’s lid and then gestured him forward.

She could’ve looked him in the eye or spoken louder but she could not bring herself to. Her eyes landed on the gun that was still in his grasp as he moved closer and turned his bleeding side to her.

That part of his ribs was already dyed red with his still flowing blood and just a few inches above the third bone, there was an even redder and long, swollen hole.

It was deep.

Halle swallowed.

Sure she’s fixed herself many times, she’s stitched up some fogs too but never another human being and never an injury this deep and serious.

“Maybe we should go to a hospital?”

“Oh come on,” He rolled his eyes in a way that got Halle lost in them.

“It’s just a scratch, I thought you weren't afraid of blood," He asked with a cocked up brow.

Even with his weakened tone, she could hear the humor in his voice and also the warning.

No hospitals.

None of them were leaving this apartment today.

How long was he going to keep her as his hostage?

“I…once I’m done—”

“If you don’t try anything stupid, I’ll be out of your hair in no time,”

His beautiful face had gone pale in a matter of seconds and just as Halle felt sweat drip down her chin, he also has moisture beaded on his forehead, his brows furrowed like he was deep in concentration but he never broke eye contact, not once.

“Understood?”

Halle shook her head, then realized it was the wrong action, she nodded like a headless chicken and picked up the wool.

"Do you live alone?"

Somehow, Halle knew he'd be able to tell if she was lying but yet.

"No, I live with my boyfriend."

"Oh..." He muttered and then looked away.

They spent the next few minutes in silence.

While Halle cleaned his stab wound, he didn’t let out as much as a hiss or even suck in a deep breath like a normal person would.

Instead, she felt his burning gaze at the back of her head as she worked, her hands shook but she managed to steady them…this was a delicate matter and she could not afford to make a mistake.

Although, Halle considered plunging her finger deep into his wound and making things worse so she could escape…yeah, that thought didn’t sit well with her.

As she sutured, she lifted her eyes every now and then to check his expression, to check if he would wince so she could know if she was doing anything wrong…or right but all she saw were his eyes and stoic expression with faint humor.

The corners of his pale lips were curled up, it looked like he was so amused by everything she did that he couldn’t stop smiling.

"Why would your boyfriend leave a beautiful woman such as yourself to walk the streets alone at night?" He suddenly asked.

He thought she was pretty?

Halle's cheeks heated up as she tried to blink her thoughts in order.

"I...can take care of myself,"

"Really?" He chuckled, "Look where that's gotten you," He retorted and waved his gun in the air just for dramatic effect.

Halle's eyes narrowed as she considered hurting him even more at that moment.

Halle had to look away again and drag her eyes back to what she was doing.

Once she was done, she used one hand to clean up the area around the wound to prevent an infection then she gave him some painkillers and antibiotics as a precaution.

Why was she trying to save his life?

She sighed as she put everything back in its place and discreetly carried her phone and tucked it into her pants.

Her one-room apartment which she had thought big considering the conditions she had lived in since her childhood now looked and felt small. Maybe it was his presence…it was his presence.

His large body occupied almost half of her student-sized bed that stood at the far corner of the room, just a few steps away from the bathroom.

Halle had a dark blue couch on the other side of the room, it was worn down and came with the apartment. When she first came, it was infested by fleas but of course, she couldn’t complain seeing as she came to this country with nothing but her clothes and a half scholarship attached to her name.

There was a makeshift kitchen on another end, just a few steps away from the main door. Makeshift because she had put in all the cupboards herself and the only thing that the landlord had left as a hint that it was a kitchen was the sink he left at the far end of the wall and then the poorly made kitchen island that was put on each side.

Halle took slow and cautious steps to the kitchen and took a glass out of the cupboard while eyeing the knife drawer.

“Don’t even think about it,”

Halle blinked and chuckled awkwardly.

Were her thoughts so obvious?

She filled up the glass with tap water and walked back to where he sat.

“For the pills,” She said, handing it over to him. He swallowed with hesitation...For someone who killed a man and was prepared to kill her as well, he was quite trusting of his hostage.

“What are these?” He asked only after he had swallowed them.

Halle fought the giddy smile that her lips itched to show and feigned ignorance.

“Just a few painkillers and antibiotics just in case,”

And some strong sleeping pills that would knock you out for at least twelve hours.

She didn’t say that part out loud though.

The man’s eyes narrowed, and finally, he looked suspicious. Halle’s body went rigid and she eyed his gun, hopefully, he would not make any move before the drugs took effect, they worked pretty fast.

"You're quite skilled," He said, his gaze on the cleaned and stitched up wound. Halle put a gauze over the stitches and then took the now empty glass of water from him.

He blinked like he was losing focus, he shook his head and placed his fingers to his forehead, his breathing becoming even more ragged as the seconds passed.

Halle took a few steps back, she still had what she considered a blank expression as she watched him struggle and try to fight the effects of the drug.

She gave him an extra two just in case the normal dose wouldn’t knock him out fast enough.

He looked up at her, Halle’s breath caught in her throat when she saw the rage in his eyes.

He knew.

Shit! Shit!

Halle took a few steps back, she watched soberly as he stood up. His whole body swayed and for a second, Halle thought he was going to fall to the ground and finally be knocked out. Instead that only seemed to feed the flames in his eyes, his grip on the gun tightened and he brought it up.

For each slow step he took forward, Halle took two steps back. She was frozen with fear, she couldn’t form words...She was going to beg...She should’ve begged but instead, she found herself unable to follow the commands of her mind.

Even as she felt her back hit the hard surface of the wall, no way out for her….she still stayed quiet, tongue heavy with fear and dread.

“You drugged me,” He said.

He still managed a twisted smile, the menace in his eyes sent chills down her already weakened spine.

“I’ve killed many for less...”

In the next second, his large body was in front of hers, their legs and chests touching each other.

Halle heard his heavy breathing, she could feel it from his chest...His anger...The danger that surrounded him.

“I...Didn’t...” She whispered. A weak attempt of trying to keep herself alive.

How was he still awake?

His fingers were under her chin next, lifting her face and her eyes to his.

“Lies!” He said through gritted teeth.

He raised his gun, and Halle’s eyes followed its movements cautiously.

“Wait—” She choked out, “I’m so—”

She felt the butt of the gun hit the side of her face.

There was a crack, a heavy thud.

Then darkness.