Basketcase

The Hotel

Chapter One

"What is with all these people?"

Lifting my head out the window, a crowd formation near the entrance seemed to clog all traffic proceeding. "Mum, this is a pretty popular hotel,-" I croaked choking an interrupting cough. I quickly forced the water bottle nozzle into my mouth, plugging the cough, and began sucking. The soothing drink smoothly gilding over the inconspicuous tickle in my throat. Releasing the nozzle, and setting it back on the latch of my bag. I wiped my sleeve over my mouth and let out a breath. Pushing the door in, it slammed close. "If you didn't already know," I commented, sighing and inhaled deeply, "Since you were the one who booked our room." I finished cocking my head and sharing my stare with her.

"But this is ridiculous!" she complained throwing her arms up in exaggerated frustration, then crossing them over her chest beginning to glare sternly at the swarming crowd. "There is a line coming out of the building!" she huffed, self calming her conscious rage.

I shook my head walking over to the rear end of the car. Lifting open the chunk of metal, it revealed a month or so worth of luggage for four. Sighing deeply at the site, I swung a back back and I leveled out my arm in front placing one bag flat. "Bad management maybe?" I replied, keeping my eyes focused on the topsy-turvy luggage as I balanced them in my one arm and attempted to shut the trunk with the other.

She huffed out a breath, "If it's still this noisy and crowded when we get to our room, I am going to file a complaint," she announced not looking back.

I grabbed the bottom of the stack, leveling it out. "Mum..." I sighed, "don't do that..."

A ruffle of brown peeked through the back window before Travis rounded the corner of the car. Bumping into me, he flashed off his pale green face and then looked to mum. "Mum... I don't feel so good..." he moaned.

His arms clenched his gut, slouched over at a 135 degree angle, almost as death were to do us part with puke. I wobbled, re-balancing my self as the bags almost topple over and off the tower. Smiling at my success turned to reconnect my gaze with the black stone concrete pavement. And their gone.

~~~~~

"Make way! My babe is gonna hurl," I announce ploughing through the crowd of people. A smiled crept upon my lips before I broke it with a stern serious glare, thoroughly unamused. I squeezed lightly on his hand reassuringly, seeing the front desk in view and finally reaching it within seconds of site and announcement. The man behind seemed to be fidgeting and fretting aimlessly, ruffling pointless papers and opening and closing files. I punched the tiles topped with my fisted and free hand; rattling the desk and catching his attention.

"I need a bathroom," I demanded, "now." The young man pointed to a 'Staff Only' door and I rush towards it. Thank the lovin' lord that we made it. Pushing through the wooden doors, I stopped, inspecting the premises. Several fitting stalls; coloured gold to the touch and encrusted mouse like heads on the doors, along the sinks and the entrance door; two similarly styled sinks and a pearl white tiled counter top with mirrors fitting top to bottom behind and on the near wall. "Wow, even the staff's bathroom is nice lookin'."

"Mum..." Travis ached before his cheeks blew up, his lips holding back the McDonalds' he'd eaten earlier.

"Right, sorry hun," I apologized quickly guiding him to the nearest stall, admiring the unimpeachable and solid hygiene.

The sounds of little dropping, slashing in the toilet and glorious creamy coloured waters, a tremendously strong smell of intolerable foul heave, overwhelmed the clean pure air and Febreze like freshness. I rubbed circles into his back soothingly alternating between small and large in size while he'd bent over, eventually falling to his little knees as the rest came spewing.