Page 16 of Doxed
As my eyes flutter open, I stare at the gray bedding and immediately sit up. This is not my room. My head frantically searches my surroundings, and it slowly comes back to me. I'm in Dox’s spare room in his house, hidden in the forest.
Sliding my legs out of bed, I notice a small note on the bedside table.
Gone to get your shit. Stay in the house.
Sighing, I roll my eyes. He couldn't have left this on the fridge? He had to come into my room again? Once was fine, but twice without me knowing? It’s getting kind of irritating. He wants me out of his stuff, but he can walk into my space whenever he wants?
I crumple the note in my fist and walk into the bathroom to brush my teeth, tossing the note into the trash can on my way.
I stare out of the window at the still trees as I brush my teeth. I used to think I was a water view type of girl, but there’s something so restful about the forest. It’s just still.
The water was still at my apartment, but there were boats sailing, people driving by on the busy road below. Here there isn't anyone but me and Dox. I kind of prefer this.
The cold concrete floors and the overcast light coming in through the window really make it feel like I'm standing outside amongst the trees.
I put the toothbrush back into the clear holder on the sink and walk through the bedroom.
My bare feet slap against the wood of the stairs and the concrete floors of the downstairs.
Dox must still be gone because it’s completely silent down here.
The house is pretty bare, nothing hanging on the walls, but I guess there isn't really a lot of space to hang anything when every outside wall is glass.
There's a single couch facing the trees in the living room and stools pulled up to the island, no dining room table.
The kitchen is plain, with a few appliances sitting on the counter, and I pull open the fridge to rummage through his food.
It's pretty empty in here, too. Mostly just takeout containers and a lot of soda and energy drinks.
I take a box of cereal from the pantry and look through the cupboards for bowls and spoons.
After eating and washing my dishes, I walk down the hallway on the first floor. Dox doesn't have a TV that I can find, and I don’t have my phone or laptop, so I'm bored. Might as well explore the house while he’s away. Maybe I can learn something about him.
The silence is almost overpowering. Even in my apartment alone, I could still hear the AC running or faintly hear cars far down below. You can't hear anything here. The first door I come across is a half bath, so I move onto the next.
This door has a keypad and a small green screen.
It looks like a scanner of some sort. I try the handle, but it doesn’t budge.
Sighing, I walk along. There's no way I'm getting inside that room. At the end of the hallway, there's a huge gym that’s surrounded by glass walls. Every type of machine you could imagine is here. Outside, there’s an in-ground pool with a long, outdoor, sectional couch and firepit.
The gym alone is easily tens of thousands of dollars. How much does this guy make by hacking? What really even is a hacker? Who employs him?
Exiting the gym, I walk back to the main room and take the stairs to the second floor. All I find are two more empty rooms opposite the house to mine that share a bathroom.
I pause at the stairs landing, debating if I should go to the third floor. Dox said that was where his room was and the one place he told me to avoid.
Biting my lip, I take the first step up. Fuck that, he walked in on me while I was showering and sleeping and then left me in the middle of fuck knows where with nothing to do. If the door is locked, then I'll go back to my room, but if not, then it’s fair game.
Except there isn't a door at the top of the stairs, just an open space.
Three sides of the upper floor are glass, in front of me and to the left and right.
On the right side is a large sectional, the cushions deep enough to be a bed, with a tv and free-standing fireplace, and against the wall is a mini bar with a small fridge.
Turning left, I walk through the free-standing wall.
It doesn't reach the ceiling but seems to act as a divider.
A California king bed sits against the divider with a nightstand beside it, and to the left are two doorways.
I walk into the first one and find Dox’s closet.
It’s set up a lot like my closet downstairs, except this one has panels of glass between the wardrobes to see outside.
He owns very little clothing that isn't black. Boring.
I open drawers to the built-in dresser, hoping to find something in here that’s telling, but all I find are boxers and socks.
I go into the other doorway and find the bathroom as I was expecting.
It's huge. A shower big enough for probably five people is against the glass wall, but the shower stall is encased in intricate stone work.
A door to the side is the toilet, I'm assuming, so I turn around and start opening the drawers at the sink, but again, all I find is extra toiletries.
One last place to look is the nightstand. Wireless chargers sit atop the dark wood table with a small black lamp. He really does just have the most basic shit. No rugs anywhere, nothing on the walls, no color. There's nothing personal anywhere. No personality.
I sigh when I open the drawer and find it completely empty.
Movement catches my attention out of the corner of my vision and I look over to see Dox’s Porsche coming up the long driveway.
Shoving the drawer closed, I hurry out of his room and down the stairs to mine.