ROUTE: Vanderwood...

Chapter Thirteen.

The faint knock on the door was heard from the living room of Kara's apartment. And although it was quiet, she jumped at the sound. She was lying on the sofa, flipping through the pages of her favorite book, Alice in Wonderland, now confused. 

It's 3 am...

Very cautiously, Kara got up from her spot on the couch and started walking towards the door. As she got closer, she could feel an anxious pounding in her chest. When Kara reached the door, she heard the faint knock once again, making her jump. She slowly reached for the doorknob and pulled the door slightly ajar.

"VANDERWOOD?? Is that you??" Kara exclaimed, eyes going wide with surprise.

"Yeah. Um, sorry about the intrusion I guess. Honestly, I don't know why I'm here." Vanderwood laughed, scratching the back of his head.

"Did you just laugh...? Also, how do you even know where I live?"

"Seven isn't the only one who knows how to hack."

"But at 3 am? You scared the crap out of me!"

"Sorry, Kara. I just really needed to see you..."

"Is something wrong? Are you okay?" Kara said as she took Vanderwood's hand and led him into her apartment, so she could check if everything was alright. Ryuk looked down at Kara's hand holding his and got an immediate blush. 

"Are you sick? Your face is really red!" Kara exclaimed, getting more worried about Vanderwood by the minute. 

Vanderwood yanked his hand from Kara's grasp and snaps, "No. I'm fine."

Kara looked down, furrowing her brows as she rubbed her hand that stings a little from the way Vanderwood harshly pulled away.  "O-Okay then. Would you like some tea?"

Vanderwood stared down at his hand; tingles running through the tips of his fingers, lingering at his palm, and getting more intense the more he thought about it.

"Vanderwood..?" Kara questions, concerned. 

He looks up, being knocked out of his trance. "Tch, No. I have to go." 

And before Kara could oppose, he had already walked out and slammed the door shut. Instantly, she felt her heart drop into her stomach. Kara stood there reflecting on her actions, wondering if she could have said something to offend Vanderwood.  

As Kara stood there lost in her thoughts, she once again heard a knock on the door. Racing towards it, hoping that Vanderwood had come back for some unknown reason, she opens the door.

...There's no one there? 

Kara's face contorted into a confused expression, and she closed the door and locked it shut. Looking towards her tall living room window, she felt a rush of cold air coming in from the night breeze. Usually, her window would be closed due to the fact that her apartment was on the first floor and the window touched the bottom of the floor and she didn't want bugs to get inside. Her blood ran cold as she stepped out of her thoughts, realizing that she didn't open her window today...

Quickly, Kara marched towards the window to cut off the air of the chilly night that was slipping through. As she turned around, her face paled. She saw the blur of a figure, felt a sharp pain, and soon fell into darkness.

~

Ryuk stepped out of the convenience store doors and found the crisp air of the night to be quite soothing. He thought back on previous events with Kara; the sound of her voice, the smell of her apartment, and the way her soft hand held his. Vanderwood thought about how much he would have loved to just ki- 

what the...

He quickly shook himself of those thoughts and started walking towards the unlit, empty alleyway, that he uses as a shortcut to get back home. He took a bite out of the chewy bar that he had purchased from the convenience store while scowling at his brain's recent activity. Vanderwood still not being able to accept the fact that he has feelings for Kara.

Vanderwood tossed his half-eaten snack in the dumpster that he walked by and then heard a rustling coming from the other side. He stopped in his tracks and put his hand on the inside of his coat so he could quickly use his weapon if needed.