Road Scip

Chapter 10: The Rounderhouse Inn (Katie)

A/N: AHHHHH sorry I haven't posted, I have screen time limits, Ashley keeps forgetting to post the chapters (we're very busy for middle schoolers), and the rest of the school is at camp while I'm on vacation! I SAW THE REAL MARVIN'S MARVELOUS MECHANICAL MUSEUM!!!! Also, I'm in DC rn, so good research for the final destination.

I still haven't transferred this to a non-school account. I get more opportunities to use my school chromebook anyways, since I have a screen time limit on my own PC.

A question for Ashley: What is a hot sauce lady, anyways? A lady who likes hot sauce? A lady who is hot sauce? Where does the "lazylittle" part even come from?

Also, not related to this, but I heard about the Joe Hawley controversy a while ago and...yeah. Probably still going to write Tally Hall stuff, but I need to take a break from anything Joe Hawley related for a while. Next chapter of Ross and Andrew Plot to Murder Zubin is postponed until I can feel comfortable about working on it again, since the chapter is Joe-centric.

Also, Ashley knows about Spring and a Storm now; it's one of her favorite songs by Tally Hall. That interlude was written a while back. Hey, I used a semicolon!

"There it is again! That stupid terrified screaming!"

The three were trying to open the door to that room, but of course, it was locked. Like most hotel rooms and front doors in general, the lock was a part of the door handle. Natalie was getting frustrated, and probably wanted to kick something. On top of that, the scalding weather outside was at least 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

Geez, Katie thought, She's angry.

"Guys!" Abner said, "I have an idea. Why don't we bust down the door with a chainsaw!'

"Do we even have—never mind," Katie said.

"Yep!" Abner set down his backpack and pulled out a small chainsaw that he managed to somehow obtain.

"That's a stupid idea," Natalie said.

"Well, what other options do you see?"

"We could kick it down."

"I—" Katie was talked over by the two.

"Chainsaws hurt less."

"Well, people are gonna hear the chainsaw and kick us out!"

"Can you even kick down the door?"

"Well you can!"

"Guys—" Katie was interrupted. Again.

"I think your idea is stupid!"

"Well I think that yours is [EXPLETIVE]."

"SHUT UP!"

"Guys, couldn't we—"

"Yeah?"

"Couldn't we just pick the lock?"

"Ohhhh."

Natalie and Abner both had that look on their faces like when the teacher asks you a question, and you don't know the answer, but when they tell you it seems obvious.

Natalie took out two hairpins from her bag. "These locks are, like, ancient. Should work."

Abner pushed her aside without asking, bent the hairpins with his dry hands, and started working on the lock. It was indeed ancient. It looked like it had once been a shiny golden color that had since gotten duller and faded away.

Wait, hold on. We're picking a lock right now.

"Guys, are you sure this is morally correct?"

Natalie and Abner paused for a moment, suddenly unsure of themselves.

"Nah," Abner said. "But I'm doing it anyway."

There were a few clicking sounds, and then the door was unlocked.

Abner made a gesture at her while cracking open the door, mocking overly romantic French dudes with suits, mustaches, roses, and oxford commas. "Ladies first."

Katie took a deep breath and cautiously stepped into the room.

"Huh."

It looked like a completely normal hotel room, and it seemed like no one was in there. Everything was neatly made, and at first glance, there were no signs of anyone else having been in the space recently. The wallpaper looked untouched except for a single old stain, probably not from blood. But hey, you never know.

The bathroom door was closed. Katie slid it open. Nothing there.

As she approached the wooden closet, tension filled the air. A shiver went down her spine, like the feeling you get when you listen to squeaky rain boots. She looked behind her and realized that Natalie and Abner were staying behind, fearful.

She gripped the doorknob, taking her sweet time with each finger. Thumb, index, middle, ring, pinky. Her palms started to sweat. She wanted to run away, but then Natalie might yell at her. It was kind of funny and kind of sad at the same time that she was afraid of her little sister.

She took a deep breath and opened the door.

Everyone screamed at once.

A/N: Ooooh, stereotypical suspense cliffhanger! Will it be a murderer? Will it be 3 dead bodies? Will it be Tally Hall Yootooz? Probably not the latter. I kind of hope it is, though. The Yootooz might be out by the time this chapter gets published. (they're sold out now lol, I'm busy)