bortleman
01-26-2012, 06:17 PM
The hotel room door swung in and made a dull clang as it hit the wall. Greg paused at the entrance as the light from the hallway crept in. His tired figure was silhouetted in the doorway against the dull yellow wallpaper. He scraped his bags against the grainy thin carpeting and set them just inside. As he entered, he flipped the light switch on the wall and the flickering waxy bulbs above him displayed the room.
A pine night stand with its factory finishing sat near the typical flower print covered bed. A fat based lamp encroached much of its entire surface. There was a smooth writing table in the corner furthest from him with its top vacant save for a small notepad, phone, and pen. The rest of the room sat in cool darkness as Greg turned to the thermostat and thumbed the plastic buttons until the gray screen read seventy two degrees Fahrenheit. He walked over to the bed and sank down into the squishy mattress. The bed springs groaned a rusty squeak as they bore his weight. Greg pinched the ridged aluminum knob of the lamp and turned it with a click. Parchment light flooded up to the popcorn style ceiling. He let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes before pulling his hands down to his lap and looking over his palms.
When he pulled open the drawer of the night stand, a red bible slid forward inside. Its surface shined and reflected the light of the lamp against his eyes. Closing the compartment, Greg peered across the bed sheets and found the television remote. There was an armoire closed up across from the bed, and he guessed that is where the tube would be hiding. His suspicions where confirmed as he pulled open the wooden doors. He then walked towards the large window, an old air-conditioning unit sat at the base of it. He drew open the curtains. The dark clouds of the sky seemed to hang in malicious anticipation. The day was ending.
Greg sauntered back to the bed and scooped up the remote. The television turned on with a metallic buzz as the pictures of the evening news faded onto its glass surface. It was the usual drivel. A host of talking heads speculating on events they had no connection with. The heater finally rumbled to a start as he lay down on the bed. He was reaching out to aim the remote and change the channel when the phone rang. Setting the remote at his side, he walked over and answered.
“Hello?”
There was silence followed by the hasty click of the other line being hung up. Greg scratched his head and walked to the bathroom. There was a clay brown bath tub and shower to his right with a rack of neatly folded towels above the shower head. He turned on the light and spun the dial of the bath. The water rushed out of the faucet and then began to steam as the temperature steadily warmed. He pulled a towel down to lie on the floor. It fell from his grasp and hit the tile floor with a thud.
He carefully unfolded the cloth to reveal a loaded Berretta ninety two. There was a white business card on top that read in red print “Oak Field Saw Mill”. He flipped the card over and on the back was written “1060 South Cornerstone and Junction”. A knock came from the door. Greg looked around and quickly refolded the towel and hastily hid it under the bed. The knock came again.
Greg cracked open the door to reveal young girl in a faded blue maids outfit. Her dark red hair was pinned back in a ponytail and she had a cheery smile on her face.
“Can I help you?” Greg asked.
“I was just coming by to make sure everything is ok with your room, sir” she responded.
“Oh, yes, um everything is fine.”
“Are you sure? Is there anything that I can get you?” she asked attempting to look in.
“No, no everything is fine.”
“Ooook sir” she turned to leave and added “If you need anything at all, just call the front desk.”
This time Greg didn’t respond. He shut the door and locked it. The phone rang again. Greg scrambled over to the desk and answered again.
“Hello?”
The receiver on the other line clicked again as it was hung up. He rushed over to the bed and pulled out the hidden pistol. He opened up the linen and stared back down at the black metal of the gun. Shaking, his hand grabbed the firm edges of the card. He flipped it over and over again. He looked over at the T.V. There was a newscaster with perfectly combed hair giving his final address to the audience. The announcer smiled.
“Good night everyone” he said as he looked down and shuffled the papers on his news desk. He looked back up and added "Greg, its time to go to work."
A pine night stand with its factory finishing sat near the typical flower print covered bed. A fat based lamp encroached much of its entire surface. There was a smooth writing table in the corner furthest from him with its top vacant save for a small notepad, phone, and pen. The rest of the room sat in cool darkness as Greg turned to the thermostat and thumbed the plastic buttons until the gray screen read seventy two degrees Fahrenheit. He walked over to the bed and sank down into the squishy mattress. The bed springs groaned a rusty squeak as they bore his weight. Greg pinched the ridged aluminum knob of the lamp and turned it with a click. Parchment light flooded up to the popcorn style ceiling. He let out a sigh and rubbed his eyes before pulling his hands down to his lap and looking over his palms.
When he pulled open the drawer of the night stand, a red bible slid forward inside. Its surface shined and reflected the light of the lamp against his eyes. Closing the compartment, Greg peered across the bed sheets and found the television remote. There was an armoire closed up across from the bed, and he guessed that is where the tube would be hiding. His suspicions where confirmed as he pulled open the wooden doors. He then walked towards the large window, an old air-conditioning unit sat at the base of it. He drew open the curtains. The dark clouds of the sky seemed to hang in malicious anticipation. The day was ending.
Greg sauntered back to the bed and scooped up the remote. The television turned on with a metallic buzz as the pictures of the evening news faded onto its glass surface. It was the usual drivel. A host of talking heads speculating on events they had no connection with. The heater finally rumbled to a start as he lay down on the bed. He was reaching out to aim the remote and change the channel when the phone rang. Setting the remote at his side, he walked over and answered.
“Hello?”
There was silence followed by the hasty click of the other line being hung up. Greg scratched his head and walked to the bathroom. There was a clay brown bath tub and shower to his right with a rack of neatly folded towels above the shower head. He turned on the light and spun the dial of the bath. The water rushed out of the faucet and then began to steam as the temperature steadily warmed. He pulled a towel down to lie on the floor. It fell from his grasp and hit the tile floor with a thud.
He carefully unfolded the cloth to reveal a loaded Berretta ninety two. There was a white business card on top that read in red print “Oak Field Saw Mill”. He flipped the card over and on the back was written “1060 South Cornerstone and Junction”. A knock came from the door. Greg looked around and quickly refolded the towel and hastily hid it under the bed. The knock came again.
Greg cracked open the door to reveal young girl in a faded blue maids outfit. Her dark red hair was pinned back in a ponytail and she had a cheery smile on her face.
“Can I help you?” Greg asked.
“I was just coming by to make sure everything is ok with your room, sir” she responded.
“Oh, yes, um everything is fine.”
“Are you sure? Is there anything that I can get you?” she asked attempting to look in.
“No, no everything is fine.”
“Ooook sir” she turned to leave and added “If you need anything at all, just call the front desk.”
This time Greg didn’t respond. He shut the door and locked it. The phone rang again. Greg scrambled over to the desk and answered again.
“Hello?”
The receiver on the other line clicked again as it was hung up. He rushed over to the bed and pulled out the hidden pistol. He opened up the linen and stared back down at the black metal of the gun. Shaking, his hand grabbed the firm edges of the card. He flipped it over and over again. He looked over at the T.V. There was a newscaster with perfectly combed hair giving his final address to the audience. The announcer smiled.
“Good night everyone” he said as he looked down and shuffled the papers on his news desk. He looked back up and added "Greg, its time to go to work."