SANSA
Sansa stepped out of the train, blinking at the bright sunlight and engaging in a luxurious stretch. It felt good to shake off the cramps in her muscles and to move around freely. She was glad that she'd finally reached Denver, where she would spend one day during her stopover. The thought of sitting in the train for one second longer had inspired a burning desire to tear out her hair.
Luggage in hand, she exited Union Station and headed in the direction of the tourist hotspot, wanting to kill some time before checking in at the hotel that she'd booked. As she walked, she heard a horn sound to her left. Turning, her eyes widened as her gaze fell on the truck halted at the red light. For a wild second she imagined it was Sandor, and her heart raced in her chest as she pictured him jumping out of the truck, grabbing her arm and demanding to know where she was going in that rough way of his.
But an unfamiliar head stuck itself out of the truck window, and the leering on the stranger's face made her skin crawl as he began whistling at her and shouting crude suggestions. Sansa hastily made her way into the nearest convenience store, walking the perimeter of the store twice before exiting. She was relieved to find that the truck was gone.
Sansa opened her book bag and retrieved the map that she had printed of tourist spots near Union Station, scanning it quickly as her feet headed towards her chosen destination. The pedestrian mall located at 16th Street.
Her face lit up as she caught sight of it. There was a quaint sense about the area. Rows of boutiques caught the eye, advertising the latest fashion. Music played softly in the distance, artists showed off their skills here and there, and gigantic red and blue flowerpots lined the sidewalks, coupled with unique light posts with clear tops that resembled UFOs.
As she walked, she passed more cafes than she could count. They seemed to simultaneously compete with and complement one another. There were charming benches scattered generously around, providing relief for the weary, and bicycles with mini carriages passed every so often.
To say the least, Sansa was thrilled.
She was glad for the weight of the carry-on in her hand as her senses were overwhelmed by the explosion of colors and shapes. Every item seemed extraordinary and begged for extra attention from her, and Sansa was only too willing to draw closer to the vendor and oooh and ahhh over them.
Hours later, feeling happy but tired, and having succeeded in withstanding the temptation of purchasing copious amount of items that would only weigh down her luggage, Sansa gave a regretful sigh before heading to the movie theaters.
By the time the movie finished, sunset was drawing near and she decided that it was time to check in at the hotel. Sansa dropped into one of the cafes for a meal before finally heading to the hotel. The building featured both hotel and hostel services. Sansa had booked a single room with its own bathroom. She'd chosen this hotel because not only was it cheap, but she knew that she could book a room for the night even though she was underage.
As she stood at the front desk, she strove to ignore the guy that stood near the lobby door, continuously shooting leering glances in her direction.
"You look too young to be turning tricks. But no worries, let's go to your room. I'll be your first customer," he stated as she wrapped up at the front desk and began heading to her room.
Sansa ignored him, choosing to make her way to her room with her head high, before firmly shutting and locking the door after her. Setting her carry-on next to the bed for easy access, the first thing that she decided on was a shower. She laid out clothes to change into, brushed her teeth, and then turned on the shower before removing her clothes. Sansa stepped into the shower, losing herself in blissful delight as the hot water pulsed against her skin and soothed her aching muscles. After a few minutes of basking under the steaming water, she lathered the soap and scrubbed her body, making sure to also wash her hair before rinsing and drying off.
Back in the bedroom, she changed into her long white t-shirt and black tights before crawling into bed. Sleep came almost immediately.
Sansa stirred in her sleep, wondering what had woken her. Then she heard it again. The unmistakable sound of the doorknob to her room jiggling. She bolted up in panic, her heart racing. The doorknob continued jiggling as she heard something scraping in the lock. "No. No," she whimpered in dismay. She jumped out of the bed and speedily grabbed all of her belongings, infinitely thankful that she had not unpacked, choosing rather to contain everything in one bag.
Belongings in hand, Sansa made her way to the window, unlocking it and yanking it open. She hurriedly threw her bag outside and then climbed out after it. She shut the window, picked up her bag and took off running. She ran in the direction of the station, wondering if she would be able to spend the night there.
Once I board the train, I won't make another stopover. I will take it straight to New York if possible, she swore to herself.
A growing stitch in her side caused her to take a break in running and walk for a while. As she walked she reflected on the terrifying experience that had occurred. She wondered if it was the creepy guy that was hanging in the hotel lobby earlier.
"You look too young to be turning tricks," he had commented, leering at her.
The unsettled feeling that he'd induced hadn't left her even after she'd ignored him and quickly gone to her room. As she neared the station, Sansa saw several scantily clad women hanging in the corner and smoking. Their eyes were drawn to her as she walked by.
"You're so pretty," one of them observed. "A pretty little thing like you would pull in a lot of money in one night."
"Please leave me alone," Sansa whispered. She was scared and was once again starting to deeply regret leaving home. She wondered if she should turn her phone back on and pick up one of Petyr's calls. Please come get me, she would beg him...