Room On Fire

Room On Fire Chapter 12

Eden

   I woke up with my sister curled up beside me, snoring with her mouth hanging open. I rubbed the remaining sleep from my eyes and crawled out of bed. The mattress seemed to get more and more uncomfortable the longer you slept in it, and the pillows seemed to have lost their fluffiness.

   The summer sun was shining through the single window beside the door, giving the lavender room a white glow. My hair stuck up in all directions in a mass of curls, I noticed as I walked into the bathroom. I tugged my brush through my hair, which didn’t do much in the ways of taming my scraggly mane. My eyes looked brighter today, and a small smile played at the corners of my lips. The rush of not waking up in my own bed sent shivers down my spine. Sadly enough, the room didn’t smell like coffee and aftershave like home, but it would do.

   I walked back out to the main portion of the room and grabbed a pair of torn up, grey shorts and a tight navy blue tank top. I quickly undressed and redressed in record time, and pulled on my sneakers without socks. My bag hung on the doorknob and I swung it over my shoulder.

   In most hotels you would find a customized notepad with a complimentary pen that you could take if you wanted to, but most people don’t bother: but here you found a plain black pen and a pack of sticky notes. I tore off the top and scribbled a note to my sister, sticking to the front of the alarm clock so I knew she would see it.

   “I’ve gone out exploring. Be back in a short while. It’s eleven o’ clock right now, by the way.” It said.

   The sun was as hot as it was bright, and I quickly broke into a sweat as I walked out of the parking lot of the shabby motel; with its cracked pavement and drug-dealer cars. The street was no better, but it served its purpose: a sweet escape.

   I walked straight, taking no turns or shortcuts, so I wouldn’t get lost. Of course there were probably old school maps I could bum off of some stranger, but I was never any good at reading maps in the first place. The street signs were illegible which would only make the task harder.

   I passed colourful buildings filled with interesting looking people. They all seemed friendly and some even smiled at me and waved. I smiled back and continued walking to my unknown destination. I knew we wouldn’t be leaving this town, because if I just said the word, Abby would commit to staying for awhile. The town was nice, and the fact that I had no idea where we were made it even more exciting!

   I saw an old bookstore on the corner of one street, so I fished around in my bag for my duct-tape wallet. I had made it out of my dads silver tape he used for electrical wires one afternoon when I was digging around in the basement. I saw that I had at least forty dollars in fives and ones so I went inside.

   The walls inside were made of the same charcoal coloured brick as the outside and a ostentatious tune played from an old fashioned jukebox in a back corner. I approached it and the colourful flashing lights reflected off the bulbs and onto my clothing.

   “Adam and the Ants” someone said from behind me. I turned to find a girl about my age standing behind me with a dopey smile on her face. “He’s gorgeous! Out of my age range and famous, but you know.” She winked and came closer to me.

   She was wearing a grey tank top tucked into faded yellow shorts that hugged her nonexistent hips, and a blue, denim button down unbuttoned over the top. Her toes were painted a bright gold and she wore some old looking sandals with bronze buckles. A pair of thin rimmed, circular glasses perched on her nose.

   “Really” I asked, smiling back. She seemed really nice and she wasn’t bad looking either. “I’ve never heard of him. I’m more into like… Envy on the Coast and My Chemical Romance.” I replied, running my finger along the buttons.