carrying four bags a piece. All Lily had was her lone duffel bag, and she was shivering, clutching her arms to her stomach. She looked absolutely miserable.
“We’re in Rooms 407 and 409,” Darius called from the front entrance of the hotel. “On the fourth floor.” He tossed a card to Maria as he walked down the steps. “We’ll put you guys and Lily in 409.” Maria giggled and shot Rick a sly grin. Seth immediately knew what was going through their minds, and he was glad he didn’t have to put up with their shenanigans.
Lily made no comment.
Getting to their rooms was a hassle. Since everyone was so tired, they didn’t want to go back to the car, and they tried fitting through the doors with anything they could carry. While they had to take three trips up the elevator, at least they didn’t have to go back to the Suburban for more.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Seth was able to flop on the bed. It was a comfortable bed—almost too comfortable for Seth’s liking. After spending two years in Afghanistan and sleeping in various degrees of discomfort, anything plush and soft like this felt excessive to him. But Bash collapsed beside him and took in a deep, contented sigh, and he knew that he’d be able to sleep just fine here.
The room was a nice, lodge style room. Two queen beds sat parallel to each other against one wall. In one corner, there was a sofa facing a TV. A small, round table sat off to one side with a single chair. There was also a bathroom to the right of the door, and a balcony that overlooked the ski slopes.
They hadn’t splurged enough to get the suite, and based on their room, it looked like they didn’t need to. Plus, if all went to plan, they wouldn’t be spending too much time here anyway. Every day they’d go skiing, and at night, they’d be off, hitting the town. These rooms were perfect for sleeping and showering.
Seth and Bash would sleep in one bed with Darius and Scott in the other queen bed. Seth wondered how long until one of them would threaten to sleep on the floor. He suspected not very long.
“Right, well, I’m ordering dinner,” Darius announced.
“Dinner?” Scott asked.
“Yeah,” Darius said. “Pizza. What do you guys want?” He sounded as exhausted as Seth felt. Truth be told, all Seth wanted to do was sleep.
“Pepperoni,” Scott said.
“Meat lovers,” Bash mumbled. She was half asleep.
Darius let out a big whoosh of breath as he stood up. “I’ll ask the others,” he said, grabbing his iPhone. He left through the adjoining door.
“Meat lovers?” Scott asked. He looked a bit surprised by her choice.
“Yup,” Bash answered. “I love meat.” She smiled wickedly. “And I love my man.”
Scott made a gagging noise and switched on the flat screen TV.
*****
Lily felt awful.
While everyone else seemed to be rejuvenated by the mountains and the air, she was fighting to keep down that filet o’ fish sandwich she’d picked up at a McDonald’s on the way. Ever since their pit stop and seeing that old woman in the mirror, she hadn’t been feeling right. She felt like her insides were twisted up, like there was a snake in her gut threatening to explode from her stomach.
She barely managed to keep her composure as she lugged her duffle bag up to their room. Standing in the entrance to room 409 with Rick and Maria, she saw the two queen beds, the window, and the balcony that overlooked the forest. There was something oddly familiar about the place, like she’d been here before, although she knew that she hadn’t.
She had been the one who picked out this hotel. Why had she chosen this hotel? Sure, it looked nice online, and everyone else agreed that it was perfect. Now that they were here, she felt an ominous shadow over her. There was no other way to describe it.
Liiii-iiillly , the voice called out to her, stronger now. There was a yearning in it that hadn’t been there before.
She gagged. She needed to be
“We’re in Rooms 407 and 409,” Darius called from the front entrance of the hotel. “On the fourth floor.” He tossed a card to Maria as he walked down the steps. “We’ll put you guys and Lily in 409.” Maria giggled and shot Rick a sly grin. Seth immediately knew what was going through their minds, and he was glad he didn’t have to put up with their shenanigans.
Lily made no comment.
Getting to their rooms was a hassle. Since everyone was so tired, they didn’t want to go back to the car, and they tried fitting through the doors with anything they could carry. While they had to take three trips up the elevator, at least they didn’t have to go back to the Suburban for more.
Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, Seth was able to flop on the bed. It was a comfortable bed—almost too comfortable for Seth’s liking. After spending two years in Afghanistan and sleeping in various degrees of discomfort, anything plush and soft like this felt excessive to him. But Bash collapsed beside him and took in a deep, contented sigh, and he knew that he’d be able to sleep just fine here.
The room was a nice, lodge style room. Two queen beds sat parallel to each other against one wall. In one corner, there was a sofa facing a TV. A small, round table sat off to one side with a single chair. There was also a bathroom to the right of the door, and a balcony that overlooked the ski slopes.
They hadn’t splurged enough to get the suite, and based on their room, it looked like they didn’t need to. Plus, if all went to plan, they wouldn’t be spending too much time here anyway. Every day they’d go skiing, and at night, they’d be off, hitting the town. These rooms were perfect for sleeping and showering.
Seth and Bash would sleep in one bed with Darius and Scott in the other queen bed. Seth wondered how long until one of them would threaten to sleep on the floor. He suspected not very long.
“Right, well, I’m ordering dinner,” Darius announced.
“Dinner?” Scott asked.
“Yeah,” Darius said. “Pizza. What do you guys want?” He sounded as exhausted as Seth felt. Truth be told, all Seth wanted to do was sleep.
“Pepperoni,” Scott said.
“Meat lovers,” Bash mumbled. She was half asleep.
Darius let out a big whoosh of breath as he stood up. “I’ll ask the others,” he said, grabbing his iPhone. He left through the adjoining door.
“Meat lovers?” Scott asked. He looked a bit surprised by her choice.
“Yup,” Bash answered. “I love meat.” She smiled wickedly. “And I love my man.”
Scott made a gagging noise and switched on the flat screen TV.
*****
Lily felt awful.
While everyone else seemed to be rejuvenated by the mountains and the air, she was fighting to keep down that filet o’ fish sandwich she’d picked up at a McDonald’s on the way. Ever since their pit stop and seeing that old woman in the mirror, she hadn’t been feeling right. She felt like her insides were twisted up, like there was a snake in her gut threatening to explode from her stomach.
She barely managed to keep her composure as she lugged her duffle bag up to their room. Standing in the entrance to room 409 with Rick and Maria, she saw the two queen beds, the window, and the balcony that overlooked the forest. There was something oddly familiar about the place, like she’d been here before, although she knew that she hadn’t.
She had been the one who picked out this hotel. Why had she chosen this hotel? Sure, it looked nice online, and everyone else agreed that it was perfect. Now that they were here, she felt an ominous shadow over her. There was no other way to describe it.
Liiii-iiillly , the voice called out to her, stronger now. There was a yearning in it that hadn’t been there before.
She gagged. She needed to be
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