Villains on My Mind

Chapter 8

After a few minutes of walking and an elevator up thirty levels, we arrive in front of a door that looks like the one on the winged ship. The door hisses open and uncovers living quarters very similar to the prior one, except there is more furniture here. A dining room table, living room with actual couches and a couple pillows on them, a door to what could be a bathroom, and a second door, undoubtedly, to Kylo Ren's bedroom.

I get shoved inside and I almost fall to the ground, as my arms are still cuffed. The metallic door closes behind me. I leisurely start walking about, picturing Kylo Ren sitting alone in the big dining room table and gazing out in the galaxy from the massive floor-to-ceiling window, to which the table faced.

Does he ever feel lonely?

I walk over to the door that I suspect to be a bathroom. I turn my back to it in order to open it with my bound hands and then turn back around to see. It is actually a bathroom! The walls and floor are shielded in glossy, black tile, and there is a shower in addition to the toilet.

An image of Kylo Ren in the shower creeps up in my thoughts. Oh no, no, no, no. Absolutely no.

Speaking of showers... I could really use one. I sense that my armpits are on the brink of about to start emitting a very bad stench. I look around to see white, fresh towels in the cabinet below the sink. I peek inside the shower and discover some sort of dispenser on the wall. It will do.

Now there was just the issue of my hands. If they were at least bound in front of me, I could manage a shower. Then a trick I once saw on a crime TV show comes to my mind. It's pretty artless really. I sit on the ground and start wiggling my arms closer down to my butt. After a few tries, I succeed to balance myself on the balls of my feet, my butt hovering just above the ground. Then I resume wiggling my arms under my butt, and finally around it, then landing on the ground again and slipping my arms around my legs. Success!

I roll my shoulders; they're aching very unpleasantly. After a while of stretching and looking around, I step into the bathroom. I figure it's now or never. It is going to feel weird being undressed in Kylo Ren's living quarters, but a lot of things are very weird at the moment. And Kylo Ren isn't here yet, so I'll have a little bit of solitude.

I step inside and close the door, only to realize there is no lock on it. Damn it. Well, nothing I can do about it. I'd assume he wouldn't barge in if he hears the shower running. But then again, he is a murderer. I suppose I shouldn't really assume anything.

I shred my clothes nevertheless and step into the shower. It feels wonderful, I let out a deep sigh, trying to relax my sore muscles. I watch as the dirt and of New York City under attack washes off me, as brown trails of water down my body. I have to rub my face especially hard, I had much more dirt on me than I had realized.

After a prolonged shower, I get out and cloak a white towel around my hair and then around my form. I take a whiff of my skin and realize, that I smell like him now. I also recognize that I don't mind it as much as I definitely ought to. A killer in a mask. Do not forget that, Ana.

I step out to find Kylo Ren glaring at me, his mask off.

"You managed to shower in those things?" He points at the cuffs around my wrists.

"Well, yes," I reply, observing him. "It wasn't easy." He had a dark look in his eyes.

"I'll take them off." He says and takes a step closer.

I hastily step back. "I can't let go of the towel." A heat emerges on my cheeks. "I'll get dressed first." I back away from him and step back into the bathroom, already feeling more than uncomfortable standing in front of him in just a towel. Just as I'm about to close the door, Kylo Ren halts it with his hand.