To Be A Prize

Chapter 5

For the first time in a while I don't hear the constant hum of rain or the occasional howl of wind as light floods into my room where I lie in bed. The storm has stopped. Whoever carried me to bed last night after I fainted clearly took great care of me as I'm now wearing a large oversized hoodie and there is a glass of water on the bedside, next to some paracetamol. What the hell happened last night?

Pushing back the bed covers I get out of bed to try to find some answers. On my way to the door I pass a mirror but only see a stranger. The reflection shows a girl who looks like me except her eyes are bloodshot and her hair is a mess. Her lids are puffy from a bad nights sleep and she looks like she's been through a struggle. I raise one hand to brush through my ratty mane and the girl in the mirror does the same. Christ, I need a shower, I think to myself. But first I need to find out what the hell is going on.

My long slender legs carry me to the door which I tug at to open. It doesn't move. I try again. Still shut. Have I been locked in? I knock loudly at the door, "Hello?" I call out. No answer. This time I throw all my body weight against the firm wood, a stupid idea really as all it achieves is a dull pang of pain ricochetting up my arm until it reaches my head, reminding me of the presence of a headache that has been lurking since I woke up minutes ago.

Slowly, so as to not rile up my headache anymore, I walk back to my bed and reach for the paracetamol that awaits me. Next to the pills is Karl's dream journal which I promised myself a long time ago I would never read. No matter how hard our relationship got, no matter the turmoils we encountered, I would never be one of those girlfriends who refuse to afford their partner the mere basic that is privacy. However, when I made that vow I never imagined myself in a situation like this; locked in my room after being picked up by a man I thought didn't like me whilst he talked to my inattentive boyfriend about some deal.

Fingering the cover of the notebook, I go over what I heard last night. Punz said something about them, them being Punz, Karl, Sapnap and Dream, making an agreement. An agreement about what? And now Dream and Sapnap are on their way here to renegotiate said agreement.

My head starts to spin and I feel like I'm going to be sick so I rush to the ensuite bathroom and throw myself to the floor next to the toilet. The cool tiles sooth my aching body as I rest my back against the bathtub behind me.

One thing I have always prided myself on is my methodical thinking but right now I'm not demonstrating that skill and that needed changing so I thought about my options. I could either continue trying to break the door down, and in the process bruise my arm further and end up with a minor concussion only to realise that I, a small woman who makes her living playing video games, am not in fact stronger than a solid oak door. Or, I could put my university degree to good use and work out what the hell is going on here. Granted, my degree is in History and not criminology but I'm sure I can work something out.

First things first, a bath. May as well as I'm already in the bathroom and it's evident I'm going to be here for a while. And whilst I'm in the bath, I can read that damn notebook. I'm sure to find some answers in there.