Hummingbird // AHS Hotel

Chapter Three: The Body

♪ Absinthe - I DONT KNOW HOW BUT THEY FOUND ME ♪

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I glanced in the mirror one last time before grabbing my purse and making my way to the door of my room. Making sure I took my key, I shut the lights off and closed the door behind me, knowing it would automatically lock. The hallway looked the same as it always did: dimly-lit, monochromatic walls with contrastingly intricate designs around each door. No windows or any way to tell the hour of day, just a timeless vacuum. 

I walked to the end of the hallway, finding the elevator. As I pressed the button and waited patiently, I wondered if this was a bad idea.

We hadn't specifically made plans for tonight, but surely James wouldn't mind an unexpected visit? If he wasn't around it was no problem, I could just sit at the bar and talk with Liz. But what if he was around and just didn't want to see me tonight? That was fine, too, I reminded myself, because my stay in this hotel was only temporary, as was his. Our paths happened to cross right now, but if things didn't work out, it was fine. I wouldn't have to see him anymore once I left.

I had to at least try while I was still here and had the chance. I couldn't help myself, I had to see him again.

The elevator arrived with a ding and the beautiful gold doors opened. I stepped inside the empty space, pressing the button for James' floor. The doors closed and I felt the floor rising beneath me. They opened again and I walked out, part of me wondering if I should just go back to my room. I paused there in front of the elevator. No, he would probably find it romantic, or at the very least a sweet gesture. He was very concerned with chivalry; it was kind of old-fashioned but at the same time charming.

Making up my mind, I set off down the hallway. I had his room number memorized, having made the trip here with him before.

I arrived at room 64. I heard a scuffling inside, so he must have been in his room after all. Taking a deep breath, I knocked on the door. As I did so I realized the door wasn't fully closed, and my knocking had pushed it open a few inches.

"You may come in!" rang James' voice from inside. I walked in, my heart picking up pace. As I saw from my last visit here, his room was much fancier than mine; probably some kind of luxury suite. For one, it was separated into two rooms, and beautiful paintings adorned the walls. Comfortable green armchairs and a side table caught my eye as well, with a gramophone, an ancient-looking telephone, and a tobacco pipe resting atop it. Even the belongings that seemed to be his were dated. He certainly had a peculiar sense of style, but it was still preferable to me than some sweaty frat boy in a beer-stained t-shirt.

Hearing another scuffling noise, I turned my attention back to the man I was here to see. "James?" I said, walking further into the room. "It's Charlotte." Something smelled strange... a stark contrast from the enticing cologne he usually wore. Ignoring the eerie and unexplainable feeling that something was wrong, I turned the corner to finally find him.

My purse fell out of my hand and hit the carpeted floor with a muffled thump. It felt like the breath had been knocked out of me. James was standing over a man, both of them covered in blood. The other man was lying motionless on the floor, the red liquid glistening as it settled into his clothes, the large slice in his neck seemingly the source. The man's eyes stared vacantly, unmoving, up in James' direction. James stood up, placing a knife on the table near him, the blade covered in the same red liquid. He finally looked up at me, surprise moving over his face as he greeted me.

"Forgive me, I was expecting the Countess, but how nice of you to drop by!" he spoke in his usual manner, as if I had walked in on him cooking a meal.