Riddle Middle

Chapter 43: Hotel

Pico (1st person)

The hotel was nice. It seemed pretty expensive. We were getting Domino's (Pizza), and I would be getting a couple dairy-free slices. I ate a couple of bites, and it tasted a bit better than usual. I ignored it. "Pico?" Lila asked. "Yeah?" I said. "Are you sure that's dairy-free?" She asked. "Yeah, I thought so, why?" I asked. "It looks normal," Lila said. "There's not much of a difference in the way they look," I said. "Eh... I wouldn't eat that if I were you," she said. "...Okay..." I said. I trusted her, so I just didn't eat anything else. I went back to my room with Zack. My stomach felt a bit weird, but I wasn't in pain or anything. "Hey, Pico," Zack said. "Yes?" I said. "I'm gonna get something from the vending machine downstairs, do you want anything?" He asked. I requested some stuff, then I gave him money to pay for it. He left. I assumed that pizza wasn't actually dairy-free, which meant Lila saved me. My pizza had come in a separate box, so I didn't know why it wasn't what I thought it would be. I'm suspecting that it was Joy. I could see her swapping our pizzas without me noticing.

Smiley (1st person)

Phil texted me and told me to meet him by the vending machine that was on the floor below us by the elevator. I immediately went there, but I couldn't find him. "Phil?" I asked. The only response I got was someone shoving me against the wall. "Wow, did you really think that was him?" Someone said. Joy. I should've known. "H-How?" I said. "I took his phone. It wasn't that hard," Joy said. She grabbed my arm and yanked me to a closet down the hall. "Oh, and I'm taking this," she said, grabbing my phone. She shoved me into the closet and closed the door. I tried to open it, but it was locked from the inside as well. "Hello?!" I called, banging on the door. No response. I couldn't text Phil or anyone else since Joy had taken my phone.

Zack (1st person)

I was hungry, so I decided I'd get something from the vending machine. Joy was standing by a closet down the hall, and there was a knocking coming from inside the closet. I went over to her. "Joy, what's going on?" I said. "Oh, nothing," she said, "HELP!" Smiley called from inside. "Did you really just lock Smiley in there?" I said. "Yeah, well, you're definitely not getting her out," she said. She was spinning the keys on her finger, and it looked pretty easy to get. I walked over to her and snatched them from her. "Pff, that wasn't very-" I was cut off by Joy shoving me over. She pushed me against the wall and repeatedly kicked me. "S-Stop!" I squeaked. "Not until you give me the keys," she said. I wasn't planning on giving her the keys. She just kicked me harder and harder. "C'mon, just give me the keys!" She yelled. I opened my hand, and she bent down and picked them up. She kicked me one more time before she left me alone. I heard someone else come down the hall.

Lila. She looked pretty confused, but she still came up to Joy. "Oh, hello," Joy said causally. "Is Smiley in there?" Lila asked, looking to the closet. "Yeah, but what are you gonna do?" Joy said. Lila took out her phone and called Phil. Joy ran over and grabbed Lila's phone. "Don't call your brother, do this yourself!" Joy yelled. Joy held the keys out in front of her. Lila nervously reached for the keys, but Joy just held them above her. Lila reached for them, but she couldn't get them. "Aww, what's wrong?" Joy asked. I would've helped, but I was terrified of Joy. Lila kept trying. "Is someone not tall enough?" Joy said. Lila almost got them by jumping, and Joy panicked for a second, but then she shoved her backwards. Joy held Lila to the ground and pulled back her hand like she was about to punch Lila.

Phil (1st person)

I saw that Lila had tried to call me, so I immediately went to find her. I didn't know where to look, so I searched the entire hotel for her. After ten minutes of sprinting around the hotel, I found her by the vending machine. I was panting and incredibly tired and sweaty, but Joy looked like she was about to punch Lila. I ran over and pulled Lila away. I don't know why Zack wasn't helping, he was just staring at them attentively. It wasn't that hard to imagine him with popcorn. "Lila, are you okay?" I asked, frantically checking her for scratches or bruises. "I... I'm fine..." she said. She was shaking a bit. "Hey, Phil, have you texted your girlfriend recently?" Joy asked. "No, why?" I said. She just smirked. I checked my phone, and it said I'd told Smiley to meet me down here. "What..? Did you do this?" I asked. "Yeah, well, your phone wasn't that hard to get. It's not like your roommate did much to stop me," she said. She obviously meant Phred, who was still in our room. "Wh- Whatever, where's Smiley?" I asked. "She's in there, but you won't be getting her out," Joy said, looking towards the closet.

I went to the door, but it was locked. I needed keys. I looked to Joy. "Don't look at me," Joy said, holding up her hands. I searched everywhere for the keys, but I couldn't find them. Joy got bored and went back to her room after giving Lila her phone again. Zack and Lila helped me look for the keys. I sat next to the door and leaned against it. "Smiley?" I asked. "Ph- Phil?" She asked. She sounded scared. I would be too, if I were locked in a dark closet. "Smiley, it's okay, I'll get you out..." I said. "Phil? I found the keys," Lila said from behind me. "Oh, where were they?" I asked. "Down the hall behind that plant," she said. I thanked her, and she gave me the keys. I unlocked the door and opened it. Smiley launched forward and hugged me tightly. I could barely breathe, but I didn't push her away or anything. Eventually I had to pull away from her. Smiley wasn't hurt or anything, but she seemed terrified. "Smiley, it's alright, you're fine," I said. She was wheezing and sweating. "Smiley, what's wrong?" I asked. "I- I thought I'd be stuck in there all night..." she said. "I would've stayed awake all night to get you out if I had to," I said. She smiled and hugged me a bit gentler. "Why would Joy do that?" I asked. Smiley didn't respond, but she nuzzled into my chest. "...We have to do something..." I said. She just held on to me. A while later we both went back to our rooms.

Phred (1st person)

I was lying in my bed, watching some reality show that was seventy five percent commercials. I was a bit tired, and I tried to stay awake, but I couldn't. I fell asleep within twenty minutes, and I'm not sure how long I slept. I just know that when I woke up, Phil had left. He came back just as I was about to look for him. He seemed annoyed. "Phil, what's going on?" I asked. "Why'd you let Joy use my phone?" He asked. "What?" I asked. I didn't know what he was talking about. "Joy got into our room and used my phone to text Smiley. She got locked in a closet because of you," Phil said. "Me? Where were you this whole time?" I asked. "I was exploring the hotel. Why'd you leave our door unlocked?" Phil asked. "Why didn't you lock it when you left?" I asked. "I asked you to lock it for me because I don't have my keycard thing yet," he said. I must've missed that. "Well, why'd you leave your phone out? You should've put it in the safe," I said. "I..." Phil said. "Also, you know I was sleeping, right? It's eleven at night," I said. Phil angrily went to his bed and ducked under the blanket. He hadn't changed or anything, and he was still completely dressed. I just went back to my bed, but I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about Phil. We haven't gotten along lately, and so far, that's all been Smiley's fault. Whatever, I'll just stay out of Phil and Smiley's way...

Lauren (1st person)

Me and Joy were arguing about dumb things that didn't matter, and I wanted to leave, but there wasn't really anywhere for me to go. I went to our door and opened it. My plan was to just stand outside for a minute. Zack was standing there. He jumped when I opened the door. "Zack? What are you doing here? It's ten thirty..." I said. "S-Sorry..." he said. "It's fine, but do you need something?" I asked. He shrugged and looked down at the floor nervously. "Zack," I said. "Joy kicked me, like, twenty times. Do I look... Uh... Injured?" He said. I lifted his face a bit and examined him. "No, but you look like you've been crying..." I said. "Crap, I do?" He said. I'm used to his cursing by now. I mean, not that 'crap' is profanity, I'm just censoring it. "Yes, Zack. Are you okay?" I asked. He shrugged. I leaned forward and hugged him. He gladly accepted my hug, and we just stood there for a while. Eventually, he went back to his room and I went back to mine. Joy was asleep and snoring loudly. I wouldn't imagine someone like her to snore. I didn't get much sleep, but that's okay, I guess.