CHAPTER EIGHT: UNANSWERED QUESTIONS
As Theo and Stephanie re-entered their current living arrangement, Hans set aside a black, chunky cell phone, looking a bit more content than he had moments before.
"I just finished talking with Simon. He said that he's already made his way into America, but it will take him another day to get to this cesspool. Until then, all we can do is wait." Hans spoke to only Theo at first, but then his too familiar stare turned to Stephanie. "There are a few new rules I'd like to affirm, Miss Bowers, since you do not know the ways of being a perfect hostage. When Simon gets here, there will be no back-talking, going anywhere without permission or supervision and if there is any misbehaviour, I will not be as forgiving. I will not have you make me look bad."
"You're really cracking the whip now," Stephanie derided. She wanted to appear unthreatened, but she could not help but feel insecure. Another man was coming? There was no doubt that he too was a criminal or else Hans would not have trusted him to find him. She did not need another fearsome man watching and controlling her every move.
Theo nodded, looking happy to have a way out of the sickening motel room, and he returned to attacking the rest of the donuts. Stephanie rubbed her eyes. She was still drowsy because of last night's lousy sleep, but she could not go back to lying on the beige couch; Hans had made it clear that that would be where he would spend his time when he was awake. Looking around the room, she knew that there was no other place to take a nap other than on the two beds, and for some reason Stephanie felt easier about sleeping on Hans' bed than Theo's. It could have been because although they had just met and they always fought, Hans had become closer to her than anyone else at this time. He had seen her cry, he had held her, and he had even seen her naked. But more than that, he had let her live.
Stephanie groggily made her way over to Hans' bed and plopped herself on it. Surprisingly, the bed was not hard at all, unlike the evil couch she had to endure, but rather comfortable and the sheets underneath her were soft and warm as if they were there to comfort her. She wrapped an arm around the pillow above her head and she hugged it to her chest tenderly. If her captors were not in the room with her, she might have thought that this was heaven. A delightful scent drifted into her lungs and her head dreamily swam in it. What was this smell? Cologne? No, this must have been what Hans smelt like.
A light chuckle flew to Stephanie's ears and she looked to the opposite side of the room. Hans was watching her, chortling at how silly she looked clutching at his pillow. Stephanie loosened her grip on it a bit, but she nestled her face into it to hide her embarrassment. Hans' scent made her feel dizzy and she quickly fell into a deep slumber.
It came again; the dream of ravaging hands and nasty smiles, although this time the hands were softer and gentler than the last nightmare. She tried to pull away to get a good look at her molester, but his grip was too firm and she was too weak. She felt his mouth crawl along her neck and his breath lick at her skin. She had felt this breath before, but where? Why did it feel familiar, and why did it put her so much at ease?
"Bowers," a voice echoed to her from a distance.
That voice...
"Bowers! Wake up!"
Stephanie started and shot open her eyes. Hans was standing over her.
"Finally. You sleep like the dead." He held a mild smile on his face, but his eyes were piercing and curious.
"Why'd you wake me up?" Stephanie sat up and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Her skin felt damp with sweat.
"Well, at first you were moaning in your sleep. And then you began to shake." Hans sat himself down on the edge of the bed, not removing his intense gaze.
"Aw, were you worried about me?" Stephanie teased lightly.
"Not at all. I can't bloody read when there's noise," Hans retorted.
Stephanie looked at him as if she did not believe him, but she felt her spirits droop.
"What were you dreaming about?"
"I don't know," Stephanie half-lied. "It's more of a nightmare, anyway."
"Obviously." Hans gestured to the ruffled sheets on his bed.
Stephanie gasped.
"I'm so sorry. I'll make those up right now." Stephanie was amazed at the mess she had created, just because of a stupid dream.
"I can easily do that later," Hans spoke, his stare growing softer. Stephanie looked back at him. Why are you so contradicting, Hans? One minute you threaten to kill me, the next you want to clean up after me. That reminded her; she still had to ask something that was a mystery to her.
"Why did you save my life?" Stephanie asked quietly. She felt her pulse quicken with anticipation.
Hans leaned back a little, surprised by such a question.
"I didn't."
"Don't lie," Stephanie hissed. "Why didn't you send me to the roof with the others?"
Hans did not reply; he only shifted his eyes.
"Why am I here?" Stephanie's voice grew louder with eagerness. Why would he not tell her?
"I don't know why. It was just an impulse at the time." He looked back at her. His eyes were searing with irritation, as if he was cornered. His glare challenged her to ask another question.
Stephanie frowned at him. It infuriated her that she could never get an honest answer from this man.
"Whatever." Stephanie grabbed the pillow and shoved it in front of her, creating somewhat of a barrier between her and Hans. Hans broke eye contact and silently went back over to the couch to continue his reading. It was not until then that she realized Theo was absent.
Probably off to get more food, she thought to herself. She did not feel like asking Hans. She did not even care if they never spoke again. Stephanie flopped back onto the bed and turned her back to Hans.
An hour passed before Theo returned.
"Where have you been?" Hans barked at him. "It does not take that long to get food, especially at an empty place like this."
"But they have an arcade here!" Theo set a large, full paper bag down on his bed. "It's awesome!"
"That's cool," Stephanie mumbled. She stared at the bare wall beside Hans' bed.
"What's up with you?" Theo asked, detecting Stephanie's foul mood.
"Nothing. I'm peachy," she huffed.
"I brought back some food," Theo offered, pulling out some packaged snacks. Stephanie looked over her shoulder at the food in his hands.
"I can't live off donuts and Twinkies."
"Well, it's not like we can afford to eat at a fancy restaurant," Theo snapped back at her. "And there aren't any grocery stores near here."
"Fine." Stephanie gave in. Her stomach was beginning to rumble, and fake food was better than no food. Stephanie slipped off the bed and accepted the snacks that Theo handed over to her.
"Hans, you should eat something too. All you've had is coffee," Theo said, watching to see if Hans would acknowledge the paper bag of goodies.
"No, thank you. I'm afraid my appetite is quite ruined," Hans dully replied, newspaper still in hand.
"How so?" Theo raised an eyebrow in curiosity.
"Are there good games in the arcade?" Stephanie asked Theo. She was in desperate need of a change of topic.
"Uh, yeah. I guess so." Theo eyeballed Stephanie and looked back to Hans. A smile spread over his face. "Ah, I see. Did you two have another lovers' quarrel?"
"It is not a lover's quarrel!" Stephanie exclaimed defensively.
"You must be insane to think that I could be in such a relationship with that girl." Hans glared at Theo.
"Love is love," Theo spoke to the both of them. He was just making a joke to lighten the circumstances, but the two of them were taking it a little too seriously. He was sure of this when he was hit in the face with a pillow that Stephanie had thrown.
"Drop it." Stephanie turned back to the snacks she was handed and Theo did the same after fully realizing the sensitivity of the subject.
A thick silence hung above them. Unnerved by it, Stephanie sneaked a peek at Hans. He was still reading the paper with nothing more than a slightly furrowed brow. Stephanie sighed. She could not imagine having another Hans around. She would probably kill herself, or worse – try and escape.