He walked with heavy steps to his apartment. The corridors were tight and dark, the few functioning lights flicked in an annoying tempo. He would have to look for another place, but for now it would have to do.
Erik Lehnsherr couldn't risk his luck, he had to remain out of sight. The small town at he south of Louisiana offered little comfort but at least people around here don't put their noses on his matters. Much. The building he found to stay is always empty, except for a few occasions when he had bumped into the owner and his child. He prefered it this way.
He walked with his hands on his trench coat pockets, black hat and glasses. Just as he was about to unlock the door to his room he heard a sniff. Erik moved only his eyeball at the sound direction, trying to decide whether it was a danger or not, everything was a danger these days. Slowly he turned around to examine the corridors and for the first time he saw someone on the same floor as him. Leaning against the door to room 304 was a girl, he couldn't see her clearly but she had to be very young. Her hair was dark and long, loosen and messy waves covered all the way up to her ribs. He examined her while she remained oblivious of his presence. When the light near her flickered he could see she was crying hard. Slowly the girl slipped to sit on the floor and rested her head on the door, her sobbs seemed to subside.
He considered what to do for a moment and decided the girl needed some help. Approaching her quietly he said a firm hello. At the sound of his voice she turned to face him really fast, she hadn't the slightest idea he was there. Big blue eyes held his gaze for a shy moment and then she cast them to the floor sighing with clear exhaustion.
"Who are you?" Erik asked not bothering to sound smooth, he wasn't one to trust people even if if was someone witht the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. He tilted his head slightly awaiting for her answer but it didn't come. Was she afraid? Maybe he wasn't the only one with trust issues here.
He removed his glasses and crouched close to her, she still looked to the gound but he could see her expression, she wasn't afraid.
"Are you hurt?" Was all he could say.
She didn't answer, again. But this time she raised her eyes to meet his. VIbrant blue eyes met stern green ones. For a moment he stared at her wondering if she was a mutant, if her eyes held any kind of power because he seemed to have been caught in a trap, unable to get free.
"They left." A voice brought him back to the reality and he realized the girl was finally speaking. Her voice was low and husky. She looked to the floor again, not quite seeing anything authough her large eyes were open. Was she locked outside? No, she seemed too desperate. Something was very wrong with this girl and despite her angel-like face he didn't allow himself to trust her, it could very much be a trap.
"I didn't know..." She started muttering much to herself. "It was my fault."
Erik didn't understand what was happening, he wanted to help her but he didn't know how and she wasn't cooperating. Is she on drugs or something? Anyway, his day had been pretty shitty and he didn't want to deal with this right now. The girl seemed completely unaware of his presence once again.
"It was my fault." He heard her say again just as he stood up to leave.
"What are you talking about? Are you crazy?" As soon as the last word slipped out of his mouth her eyes shot a deadly stare at him, she seemed to have come back to the world and wasn't happy to do so.
"I am not crazy." She whispered at first and then she started screaming at him. "I am not crazy!"
Erik backed away surprised, what the hell was happening?
"Leave me! Leave me alone!" She screamed again. "Everybody left, why are you still here?"
"I was just leaving." Erik said and quickly unlocked his door and stepped inside his room. Once he locked the door he sighed heavily and decided it was time for some Scotch. That girl out there had big problems but so did he. Even if he wanted to help her, she didn't want him to so there was no use in trying, right? Well, as much as he wanted to believe it, his mind insisted on disagreeing. He finished his Scotch and went for a shower, the air of this town was somewhat heavy, he always felt relieved when water touched his body, especially when he was dead tired like today. After a quick look at his emails, Erik headed to bed. He should eat something but he had no appetite at all, it happened a lot lately. He had been neglecting meals for several weeks now, it couldn't do him good but he didn't really care much anymore.
After half an hour turning in bed he decided it was no use trying to sleep, the girl's big blue eyes were taking his mind and he wanted to go to check on her. What if she is danger? Well, she didn't even try to do any harm. She looked so young and so sad. And why was she so angry all of a sudden?
Erik oppened his door quietly and noticed there was no sound on the corridor anymore, she must have calmed down. Walking to where she was he saw her lying on her side, curled up like a kitten. Approaching the girl again he noticed she was shivering, it was middle of November and the temperature had decreased a lot. She looked distressed even in her sleep. Poor girl, he thought.
Something in the way she looked lying on the floor with wet cheeks and shivering touched his heart, and, without a second thought he put one arm under her head cautionsly not to awake her and the other under her knees and carried her to his apartment. He placed her in his bed tucking her under the covers. A few minutes later she stopped shivering and he brought his hand to dry her tears. What was he getting himself into?