Is This Safe?

Chapter 15

"Where have you been?"

Chelsea, lunging forward, wrapped her arms around my neck in a tight embrace.
"I thought I'd never see you again. Let alone, think you'd left us and wouldn't return."

"Now, Chelsea--"
I soothe her by softly patting her back.
"That's just an irrational fear. And besides, I would never leave you guys without a reasonable excuse. I was--was looking for that--little girl that was missing."
Chelsea's grip on my shoulder only tightened at the mention of the little girl, but I wasn't completely sure what significance it was to her. Had she seen Mary before? Or was she simply worried about me?

"What little girl?"
Jordan asked, completely ignorant about all the facts. Leaning over, he checked Chelsea's package of ice on her knee after she leaned back from giving me a hug.

"The little boy with the dinosaur pajamas, Robert, that's his twin sister."
I answered rather hastily with my hands rushing through my hair.
"Have you seen him or their parents because when I came back down from the elevator, I didn't see either of them?"

Chelsea was the first to answer,
"I did see him playing with some of the other kids, but it's been awhile since I last saw him."

"Ten minutes at the most."
Maggie commented with her arms crossed who was sitting beside Jordan.
I hope she wasn't mad at me again. After all the courage it took me to apologize!

Craning my head behind me, my eyes scan the front lobby. Guests were pacing back and forth nervously while children either played among themselves quietly or sobbed softly onto their mother's lap. Unsure of what to do, I spot Colin striding towards us. Excited for news, I stand up hurriedly to meet him.

"Have any news to what's really going on?"
I ask him quietly.

"No, I don't."
He rubbed the back of his head anxiously.
"John is still unsure of what happened, but it's pretty clear what he saw: overturned furniture, ripped up carpets, and a running shower with no occupants. This is strange business we're dealing with here, but the police are here so they can take care of everything."

"I'm not so sure the police can handle everything let alone figure everything out."
I answered with my arms crossed looking at the small chaos behind him.

"What do you mean?"
He asked with a confused expression.
"You said this has happened to you before, right? In what way exactly? How is that possible?"

"I--I don't even know."
I stutter as I begin to lower my head, but raise it back up to meet him the eyes.
"Back in the summer, all of us went on vacation. Everything was going smoothly until--well, until things started to happen."

I paused to make sure Colin was listening, but his eyes never blinked as I spoke.
"They began as small issues, but as the short time grew on, things began to take a gradual turn. Each of us disappeared at one time or another with no remembrance of what occurred. Unexplained wounds were on their bodies from unidentified objects. Even the police had no idea what happened. They didn't believe us. Even--even the mother and daughter we encountered. Or the--little girl."

"Was that the little girl you were looking for?"
Colin asked after some deep thinking.
"Robert's sister?"

I nodded my head slowly after recovering from thinking back into my haunted past.
"Yes, that was the little girl that I was looking for, but--I did end up finding her until she decided to disappear again like her family."

Colin didn't answer me right away, but he kept looking around at everyone in worry.
"I hate to say it, but they can't stay here."
He turned back to face me again.
"Not another minute. If what you said is true--"

"It is."
I nodded in reassurance.

Nodding back to me be continued,
"--then we're dealing with serious issues. Who knows what could happen next. Sean! Steven!"
Colin waved them over as they quickly walked over, but not too indiscreet to cause the guests to panic.
"How are they managing?"
He asked in a hushed whisper.

Steven sighed before answering,
"Not sure. Some have mixed emotions about it. Some are indifferent, ignorant, or practically patient with everything."

"Some want explanations too."
Sean added.
"I almost got a fist to my face for it. What could I possibly tell them besides the police are working on it?"

"The truth?"
I decide to speak up clearly not sure if that was a good idea or not.

"If we did that, then we'd really have chaos on our hands."
Colin added as I nodded my head in advance since I had expected that to be his answer.

"Yeah, how's come you're here?"
Steven directed his question to me.
"You should be with the other guests. The staff and police here should be able to handle this."

"She has some--information."
Colin paused for the right word as he came to my rescue.
"Information about this whole thing that we could use since she and her friends have gone through this type of agenda before."

Steven and Sean both look at me in disbelief as my cheeks warm up a bit. I wasn't necessarily proud that we were of so much help since we've gone through this before. I didn't know what else to say.

"So--you're saying spirits are the cause of this?"
Steven asked me.

Before I could even answer, the police emerged from the security room. One burly man, in particular, steadily marched up to Colin along with the manager of the hotel trailing behind.
"We'd like to speak with you, sir."
The policeman quickly ushered Colin away from us to speak with him privately.

"What do you think is going on?"
I ask no one in particular. Turning around, I notice my friends are giving me strange expressions as to what is happening, but I give them a thumbs up to let them know all is good. For now.

"I'm not sure."
Sean answered honestly.
"I just work here."

I smiled at his use of comic relief, but turn serious again when a worried Colin comes walking back to us.
"Steven? Sean? I have a job for you. Do it politely and calmly and if anyone wants refunds, give it back to them hurriedly."
Before anyone could ask any questions, he continued,
"Everyone is leaving. Now."

Giving me one last look, Steven and Sean regroup with the rest of the hotel staff to spread the news to the hotel guests. Several, if not most, complied, but others grew rather angry at the sudden change. After all, it isn't every day you're woken up at early hours let alone, being made to leave for security reasons.

"I'm really sorry about this."
Colin turned to me.
"I hated to do this, but the police here have the building on lock down so the only people allowed here are the police themselves, and the staff."

"No, it's all right, I completely understand."
I rubbed my upper arms to keep them warm.
"I'll find a place for us to stay."
And deep in my mind, I knew the right place. I just wasn't sure how the others would react.

"Jenn!"

I hear my name being called when I finally approach my friends.
"What's going on? What'd they tell you? Where is everyone going? Do they know what happened?"
A bundle of questions hurl at me all at once as I just give them a simple, but straight reply.

"We're leaving."