Chapter 49
CHARLOTTE
It had been two weeks and five days since my arrival in Los Angeles, and I spent most of my days sitting at my new favorite spot at the beach, listening to the waves, and watching people come and go. It started as a form of relaxation but soon morphed into a weird sense of nostalgia, and something I couldn’t quite label.
Watching couples surf together reminded me of all the things I wanted to do while Rogerio and I were together. Watching parents run around with their kids, whose happy laughter filled the air, made me feel like I had lost something. But I was determined not to let my past ruin my enjoyment of the present. So, I stayed put and focused on why I was there: to breathe, to find myself, and to ensure I was in a different headspace so I could aptly prepare for other experiences.
I didn’t want to be the architect of my misfortunes anymore, and I knew it would take a conscious effort to get to that point. When I wasn’t sitting next to the sea, I walked through the streets, observing landmarks that would help me navigate the city on foot and hailing taxis to get dinner at Mooze’s food shack. I let myself be open to the idea of trying new cuisines at different restaurants, but my taste buds ultimately decided that Mooze was their favorite, and I was happy to indulge.
I had become friendly with most of the hotel staff, including the receptionist I met earlier, whose name I learned was Sonia. They ensured everything I requested was brought in time and also suggested new places I could explore.
Today was different, though. I woke up with a strong desire to stay indoors and go over my plans. I ordered breakfast and read a book as I waited for it to be delivered, but I started to grow impatient as it took more time than usual. I considered calling again but decided against it; they had never delayed an order, so whatever was causing this had to be important. To keep myself from thinking about something I had no control over, I focused on what was in front of me.
With that mindset, I turned my attention to the book I was reading and tried to finish it, but a few minutes later, my stomach started to growl, and I couldn’t continue reading, no matter how hard I tried. I put the book down and picked up my phone.
“Noon,” I muttered as I stared at the clock displayed on the screen. “That’s strange.” I knew I had placed the order some time ago, but I wasn’t expecting it to take this long. I decided to find out what the delay was and tried to call, but no one picked up, so I threw on a robe and went downstairs.
When I arrived at the reception area, I was greeted with an eerie silence rather than the usual buzz of activity. I looked around for Sonia or any of the other staff, but no one was around. I walked towards the entrance and noticed the security guards weren’t there either, and the doors were locked from outside. “What’s going on?” I said, and my voice echoed throughout the space.
“This is a robbery, that’s what,” a voice said from behind me. I turned sharply to lock gazes with a man standing a few meters away, a gun in his hand and a smug expression on his face.
My mouth went dry as beads of perspiration formed on my forehead. I stood rooted in one spot as panic washed over me, my heart racing as he walked towards me. I resisted the urge to run in the opposite direction, scared he would get agitated and come after me or, worse, shoot. I didn’t come all this way to die at the hands of some crazy
07:20 O
Dancing into the Heart of Mr. Ca
31.8%
Chapter 49
man looking for his next meal in the most insidious way.
“Where’s everybody?” I asked, trying to hide the fear building inside me as he got closer.
“Tucked away nicely. You’re a doll, aren’t you?” he said, standing a few steps away, close enough for me to smell the alcohol on his breath. “What room were you in? Why didn’t we see you earlier?”
I pondered his question and realized that while I was tucked away, reading a book I had bought on a whim from one of the city bookstores, he and his companions had been picking off guests room by room. I wished I had stayed put or gone exploring as usual. “I… I…” I stammered, trying to decide on the best way to answer.
I knew telling him what suite I was in would be foolish, but I didn’t want to annoy him by not giving an appropriate response, given that he was clutching a weapon. I also wondered why he didn’t have a mask on; being able to see his face meant I could identify him if the cops, who I hoped were close by, ever needed a description. I wondered if anyone had been able to send a distress call or signal, given that he’d mentioned they were all locked up somewhere. I had my phone in my robe pocket, but reaching for it while he stared at me would be a stupid move. I was many things, but an idiot wasn’t one of them, and as scared as I was, I knew I had to make the right choices, or things would go south fast.
I looked at him and swallowed as my thoughts drifted back to the fact that I could point him out in a crowd. I wished he was wearing something to conceal his identity, as that would’ve filled me with some hope. If I knew identifying him would be a problem, I’m sure he knew it too, and it scared me because it meant the likelihood of him not letting me leave here alive had increased. Any smart criminal wouldn’t want someone who could identify them walking around. I felt the sweat trickle down my face as I tried to find a reason to stay calm and look for a way out of this situation.
“Don’t worry, it makes no difference anyway. We’ll just lock you up with everybody else and burn the place to the ground,” he said and grinned as my eyes widened in panic.
“Burn the place to the ground? I thought you said it was a robbery!” I blurted before I could stop myself.
The image of people screaming in pain instantly filled my mind, and my body trembled. What kind of thieves burned people alive? Why couldn’t they take whatever they wanted and leave? So many thoughts ran through my mind, and as he started walking towards me, I took a few steps back. “There’s nothing to be scared of. It’ll hurt for a few minutes, then the smoke and the stench of burning flesh will knock you out before anything else. After that, it’ll be easy to get rid of the bodies.”
“That’s easy for you to say. You’re not going to be locked up with people scared shitless before the fire gets to wherever you’re taking me,” I retorted. For some reason, I found the courage to speak.
It was hard to find it, given that he had informed me I was going to die anyway. Was I scared? Absolutely. It felt like
I had walked away from a life I considered the worst right into another, which started well, only this time I had the misfortune of stumbling upon something so insidious it filled me with rage at how cruel fate was. He chuckled and
walked towards me in quick strides, grabbing my arm. “You’re feisty. I like that. This should be fun.”
As he spoke, he pulled me towards a section of the hotel I had never been to. As we walked, my thoughts shifted to Maria. For the first time since I arrived here, I was glad she hadn’t come with me.
I didn’t want to die like this, but I knew I would’ve hated myself even more if she had to experience this entire charade because she took my advice and moved cities. I had no one in the world to mourn me when this was over,
07:20
Danging into the Heart of Mr. C
32.0%
Chapter 49
and as scary as this was, the idea of not having to deal with my thoughts or address the traumatic experiences that shaped my life up to this point felt great.
