Post by Kalidah on Jun 2, 2024 4:58:12 GMT
He watched, grim faced, as the six men in porcelain masks carried the coffin down into the bowels of the hotel. Normally none but himself, and perhaps his wife, could go down into that treacherous place and survive. Tonight though things were different.They were bringing the dark below a new treasure to guard.
“No, not guard. Incubate.”
The thought made him grimace. He shook his shoulders and snorted. He wasn’t feeling very “Hotelly” this evening. This recent change in events had left him questioning things and for the first time in ages, he felt on edge.
A gentle hand on his shoulder startled him and for the merest moment he considered spinning around to lash out at this intruder. Just as quickly as the rageful thought rose up, it dissipated as the scent of her perfume and the sound of her voice.
“What’s wrong, my love,” she asked, whispering in his ear, “I haven’t seen you like this is quite some time. You know what I’ve said about torturing yourself.”
Her tone was playful. He knew what she longed for him to say in response. If he had been in a better mood, he would have taken her up on her obvious invitation, he might still anyway, he could use a good scream, but not right now. She seemed to pick up on this and hugged him around the waist, resting her cheek against his back.
“What’s wrong, my tiger?”
“Negro has decided to join the other two downstairs.”
He let his words linger there in the air, with no further explanation, but no further explanation was required. Her arms squeezed him a bit harder and he heard her sigh.
“Are you really surprised, my love? That lovesick fool would have followed her into the pits of hell, and he once was like a brother to the prince. If anything, I’m surprised it’s taken him this long to ask to join them.”
“And I’m surprised they’re still down there.”
From behind him, he felt her pull her cheek away from his back and could sense her staring into the back of his head.
“You know it takes time, my love.”
“Yes, but how much time does it need to take?”
The words came out almost like a snarl. He felt the frustration boiling up inside him. This waiting game was driving him mad. He felt himself losing control. This was it. This was the moment that IT would finally happen. He felt his skin begin to crack and his joints began to hurt.
“Eli… Come back to me, please.”
Her voice broke through the rage and quieted the storm. Just as quickly as it had started, his anger subsided and he nearly slumped to the floor. She was there to grab him by the arm and lead him to a nearby chair. Without a word, he sat down and let out an exhausted sigh.
“Thank you.”
She kneeled down and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“You’re welcome, my love. Stay there, I’ll get you a drink of water.”
He nodded and sat there quietly while she went and got him a drink. She soon returned, cup in hand. He took it from her willingly and drained the cup with a single gulp. He sat there, looking at the cup before finally looking back up at her.
“Charlie, do you remember how long you were in the coffin?”
He watched her ponder this question before quickly answering, “Three hours, but I’m a bit of an overachiever.”
This made him laugh and he nodded, because he knew it was true. He put his cup down on the table beside him.
“I was in there for two weeks.”
“You did need the rest.”
“Oh, Charlie. Stop it!”
“What, it’s true though. What’s your point, my love.”
He sat back in the chair and didn’t say anything for a long time. Finally, he looked up at her, all the mirth gone in his face.
“It’s been over a year, Charlie. Those two have been in those coffins for over a year!”
“They both have been through a lot, Tiger.”
“Over a year!”
His loving wife sat down on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him gently on the lips before resting her head on his shoulder.
“Give them more time. Like I said, they’ve been through a lot. You put them through a lot.”
“I’m not sure why it’s my fault what he did to them.”
He was pouting now and he knew it. She responded by laughing and giving him a kiss on the cheek.
“You ARE him, and he is you.”
“Are we talking about the same him?”
“It doesn’t matter, it works either way. My point is, it took me a while to come around once I learned the truth, and I didn’t go through nearly the amount of trauma those two have.”
“But…”
She sat up and poked him in the chest.
“No buts, except for my butt. Do I make myself clear?”
This made him laugh. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her firmly on the lips.
“Yes, my dear.”
He felt the doubt leave him and the Hotel seeping back into his mind. Of course this had been the right thing to do. It had always been the right thing to do, and now that Negro had finally decided to have what they had, perhaps the pieces were finally coming together.
She obviously noticed the difference in him as well because she hopped off his lap and held out her hand.
“Good, because we have work to do. Kalidah has a title to win, and you and I have a very important appointment to attend. Like I said, my love. You really shouldn’t torture yourself, that’s my job.”
He took her hand and away they went. Behind them, the lights in the basement went out and six voices screamed out in fear. Guarding the master’s wooden eggs was a thankless job, and the darkness took pleasure where it came.
“No, not guard. Incubate.”
The thought made him grimace. He shook his shoulders and snorted. He wasn’t feeling very “Hotelly” this evening. This recent change in events had left him questioning things and for the first time in ages, he felt on edge.
A gentle hand on his shoulder startled him and for the merest moment he considered spinning around to lash out at this intruder. Just as quickly as the rageful thought rose up, it dissipated as the scent of her perfume and the sound of her voice.
“What’s wrong, my love,” she asked, whispering in his ear, “I haven’t seen you like this is quite some time. You know what I’ve said about torturing yourself.”
Her tone was playful. He knew what she longed for him to say in response. If he had been in a better mood, he would have taken her up on her obvious invitation, he might still anyway, he could use a good scream, but not right now. She seemed to pick up on this and hugged him around the waist, resting her cheek against his back.
“What’s wrong, my tiger?”
“Negro has decided to join the other two downstairs.”
He let his words linger there in the air, with no further explanation, but no further explanation was required. Her arms squeezed him a bit harder and he heard her sigh.
“Are you really surprised, my love? That lovesick fool would have followed her into the pits of hell, and he once was like a brother to the prince. If anything, I’m surprised it’s taken him this long to ask to join them.”
“And I’m surprised they’re still down there.”
From behind him, he felt her pull her cheek away from his back and could sense her staring into the back of his head.
“You know it takes time, my love.”
“Yes, but how much time does it need to take?”
The words came out almost like a snarl. He felt the frustration boiling up inside him. This waiting game was driving him mad. He felt himself losing control. This was it. This was the moment that IT would finally happen. He felt his skin begin to crack and his joints began to hurt.
“Eli… Come back to me, please.”
Her voice broke through the rage and quieted the storm. Just as quickly as it had started, his anger subsided and he nearly slumped to the floor. She was there to grab him by the arm and lead him to a nearby chair. Without a word, he sat down and let out an exhausted sigh.
“Thank you.”
She kneeled down and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
“You’re welcome, my love. Stay there, I’ll get you a drink of water.”
He nodded and sat there quietly while she went and got him a drink. She soon returned, cup in hand. He took it from her willingly and drained the cup with a single gulp. He sat there, looking at the cup before finally looking back up at her.
“Charlie, do you remember how long you were in the coffin?”
He watched her ponder this question before quickly answering, “Three hours, but I’m a bit of an overachiever.”
This made him laugh and he nodded, because he knew it was true. He put his cup down on the table beside him.
“I was in there for two weeks.”
“You did need the rest.”
“Oh, Charlie. Stop it!”
“What, it’s true though. What’s your point, my love.”
He sat back in the chair and didn’t say anything for a long time. Finally, he looked up at her, all the mirth gone in his face.
“It’s been over a year, Charlie. Those two have been in those coffins for over a year!”
“They both have been through a lot, Tiger.”
“Over a year!”
His loving wife sat down on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. She kissed him gently on the lips before resting her head on his shoulder.
“Give them more time. Like I said, they’ve been through a lot. You put them through a lot.”
“I’m not sure why it’s my fault what he did to them.”
He was pouting now and he knew it. She responded by laughing and giving him a kiss on the cheek.
“You ARE him, and he is you.”
“Are we talking about the same him?”
“It doesn’t matter, it works either way. My point is, it took me a while to come around once I learned the truth, and I didn’t go through nearly the amount of trauma those two have.”
“But…”
She sat up and poked him in the chest.
“No buts, except for my butt. Do I make myself clear?”
This made him laugh. He wrapped her in his arms and kissed her firmly on the lips.
“Yes, my dear.”
He felt the doubt leave him and the Hotel seeping back into his mind. Of course this had been the right thing to do. It had always been the right thing to do, and now that Negro had finally decided to have what they had, perhaps the pieces were finally coming together.
She obviously noticed the difference in him as well because she hopped off his lap and held out her hand.
“Good, because we have work to do. Kalidah has a title to win, and you and I have a very important appointment to attend. Like I said, my love. You really shouldn’t torture yourself, that’s my job.”
He took her hand and away they went. Behind them, the lights in the basement went out and six voices screamed out in fear. Guarding the master’s wooden eggs was a thankless job, and the darkness took pleasure where it came.