Tell Me a Story

Chapter 12

"Kate?"

I opened my eyes to see the man from behind the front desk, Carl according to his nametag, standing over me, but the voice saying my name wasn't his. Eli was on one knee, leaning over me.

"Eli? How did you--"

"I may have broken a few laws getting here. Come on, let's get you on the couch."

I sat up slowly as Eli slid an arm around my waist. I held on to his shoulder and walked over to the couch, my legs wobbling. Carl stood in front of us, looking lost.

"I called an ambulance."

I shook my head. "That isn't necessary. I'll be okay."

Carl fidgeted. "I don't know. You were out for a bit. I think I'm supposed to call if someone falls, for liability reasons or something."

Eli spoke up. "You're right, Carl, probably hotel policy for slips or falls. Is that what happened, Kate?"

"No, I just got a little dizzy." I held the edges of my long sleeves, keeping my wrists hidden, then added, "Probably low blood sugar. I think I just need to eat a something and rest."

Eli looked up at Carl and smiled. "Would you mind giving us a moment to sort things out, Carl?"

"Oh, um, sure. Of course."

Carl ambled back over to his place behind the front desk. Eli watched him walk away, then turned his attention back towards me. He leaned in, his voice barely above a whisper. "Are you sure you don't want to go to the hospital? You're not hurt?"

I pulled my arms in, hugging myself tight trying to stop the shaky feeling in my gut as I argued with myself. I should go to the hospital and call the police. After all, I was abducted and stuffed in a tree. 

That isn't something you shrug off, right?

But hospitals made me anxious, and the idea of answering questions I didn't have any answers to only made that feeling worse.

"I'm okay, I think. To be honest, the last thing I want is to sit in an ER for hours, then get poked, prodded, and questioned."

"I understand." Eli gently placed a hand on my arm. "Do you have any idea who the men were?"

I shook my head.

"None. I didn't recognize their voices and their faces were covered. The only thing they said was that my 'friend' was going to get me in trouble."

Eli frowned, his forehead wrinkling. "Sit tight. I'll be right back."

I watched Eli walk to the front desk, leaning in to chat with Carl. Their voices blended with the hum of soft jazz and the occasional crackle of the fireplace, but I could make out pieces of what Eli was saying.

"...got lost hiking by the falls and took a bit of a spill...totally embarrassed, you understand...just need's a proper night's sleep...I'll handle everything..."

 I looked down at my arms, lifting the edge of one sleeve slightly to examine the self-inflicted wounds from my escape. The combination of dirt and dried blood made it difficult to assess how bad the cuts were, but I reassured myself that the lack of bleeding was a sign that it wasn't serious enough to change my mind about the hospital.

"Come on." Eli was standing in front of me, holding a bag and hotel key in one hand. I slowly pushed myself up off the couch. 

"Where are we going?"

"You are going to get some rest." He walked me towards the elevators and handed me the key and gift shop bag. "Room 402."

"You don't have to do this. Just take me home."

"I don't think that's a good idea just yet. We don't know who these people are or what friend they're referring to. You'll be safer here for the time being."

The elevator doors opened and Eli waited for me to step in. I entered the elevator and stood quietly, unsure of what to say.

"I'm sorry I dragged you out here."

"You don't need to apologize, Kate. I'm glad you called." He grimaced for a moment, adding, "Not glad about what happened, of course. I'll check in on you in the morning."

He reached into the elevator and hit the button for the fourth floor. "You'll be safe here, Kate. Rest tonight. We'll figure things out tomorrow."

I nodded, watching Eli take a step back as the elevator doors closed. When they reopened, I made my way quickly down the silent hallway to my room. I entered to find a spacious suite with wooden floors and a stone fireplace.

With the door closed behind me, I opened the gift shop bag as I walked towards the bathroom. Inside was a t-shirt, sweatpants, and matching sweatshirt, all embroidered with the resort's name. I turned on the shower, set the gift shop duds on the counter, and peeled off my damp clothes. I stepped in, the hot water relaxing my sore muscles but making every little cut and scratch burn.

The more my body relaxed, the more I felt myself ache and shiver. The adrenaline coursing through my body since that moment in the alley was finally gone, allowing me to respond to the horror of the evening. I wanted to lie on the cool tile and curl into a ball, but there was too much to think about.

The shower off, I wrapped myself in a towel and walked over to the bed. Climbing on to the downy comforter, I grabbed the pen and pad sitting on the end table and began writing.

Meera

Anton

I paused, tapping the tip of my nose with the pen. My circle of friends was, well, barely a triangle. But I couldn't imagine Meera or Anton doing anything that would get me involved in the events of the evening. Maybe the masked man was talking about someone I'd been seen with. I went back to writing. Someone from the rink, maybe? Outside of Anton, I didn't socialize much with the guys from the rink, at least not individually. Who else was there?

Red

Red, while not a friend, was my roommate, not to mention the fact that she was the reason I was out on the street that night. I stared at her name for a moment before adding one more name to the list.

Eli

I held the pen firm, the ink spreading in the spot where I dotted the 'i'. We'd only met recently, but to an outsider, he would have appeared a friend. The ice rink, the coffee shop, the mattress; what if he was the 'friend'? I tossed the pen and paper back on the table and squeezed my eyes shut.

My mind kept going back to his name on the list. 

How did he get here so fast? He was quick to support my decision to dismiss the paramedics, which would have likely involved the police. And then there was his insistence that I stay here, rather than go home. I shook my head and turned over on my side, hugging the comforter. It was late and my mind was running wild.

Why else would it choose Eli as a likely suspect over someone like Red?

I was tired. I needed to rest. I hit the light switch and burrowed under the massive  comforter, pulling it up to my neck. Slowly, I counted my breaths, hoping sleep would come quickly and calm the unease in my stomach.