ROOM 211

PART TWENTY

24.

Two people, who for the moment are going by the names William and Maggie, are sitting together in the lobby of The Mulberry Hotel, not all so far from its front entrance. Their individual situations could be thought of as being odd, what has brought them together could also be thought of as being odd and as to what will come next for them both will also be quite odd.

Having spent the previous night hidden away in the lobby, having unknowingly received aid from a certain member of staff, it soon will come time to act. They notice two men come down into the lobby together.

'So, what do you think?' asks William. 'Should we say something?'

'I don't know.'

'What else is there? That piece of paper of yours ... it has to mean something. We have been here long enough. We either do something here or go elsewhere. Talking to either or both of them is something. No harm in making an inquiry, if we sound crazy then no harm done, and we can move on from that. If they have something to say ... well, we can take it from there.'

Before William and Maggie make a decision, the two men they have been discussing make an exit out of the bar area. One of them leaves the hotel completely and the other makes a move back upstairs.

'Right, go on then' Maggie says to William, and they decide between them that they should head up to room 211.

Before room 211 is reached, he comes out and indeed out he does come but with intent that suggests as to if he is in a hurry to get somewhere. That somewhere may have to wait a moment or so for he stops in his track with the sight of those who have come his way. The destination, however, may not have very many moments left to wait.

'Can I help you?' Henry asks of the two people standing before him.

William, having taken a second or two to allow Maggie to speak and noticing that she is likely not to speak first, decides to take it upon himself to get this going. 'We have a bit of a conundrum we hope you can help us.'

'I have seen you before, haven't I?' Henry says to the young fellow.

'Yes, but we can discuss that at another time if that is alright with you. I see you may be in a bit of a hurry.'

'You have a keen eye so what is it I can help you both with?'

'This may sound strange but my acquaintance and I both woke yesterday, separately of course, with absolutely no memory of anything ...'

'Really?'

'Yes, and by chance we have come together but there may be a reason as to why we are right here, right now. We have noticed that you are staying in Room 211 ...'

'Yeah ...' says Henry looking from him to her then back to him again.

'Well, my friend so happens to have something, and you know, maybe I will just let her show you. She had it on her when she woke yesterday.'

Maggie opens the piece of paper she has and offers it to the gentleman in front of her. He has a look at it, takes a second or two to think.

'Well then ... I guess you both should come with me.'

Henry moves back to room 211 and gives a knock. The question comes from beyond the door as to who it is. Henry simply states his name and asks for the door to be opened. Blue opens the door.

'We are two more' he says as he stands with a stance which suggests that his two new friends should enter the room and enter, they do. 'Listen, I really need to go. You all can discuss your stories while I am gone'. Looking at Blue he says 'if there is a problem or if you need me or Archer, you can get us on the phone. Hopefully we won't be gone overly long.'

The two new entrants are made welcome, and Henry heads off. It does not take a genius and Henry is very much aware of this too, not that he is short of intelligence, if anything he has it in abundance, that with the two additions the gathered numbers of those in the room along with Henry and Archer heading to hopefully gather what is happening with Sander, there is now at a total of nine, not eight as it had been thought there were.

Eight single beds in a large rectangular room, if one or more of our group stayed within the confines of that room then at least one member did not. The mystery becomes even more mysterious especially with the thoughts of what might occur with Sander. As quick as they can, while also trying not to attract unwanted attention to themselves, Archer and Henry make haste getting to the hospital where Mandy, Sander's coffee house friend, is waiting for them outside the hospital's main entrance and she is clearly worried.

'What is it? What's happening?' Henry asks as soon as he gets to her, wasting no time at all.

'It's not good' Mandy states, her panic obvious to see. 'Sander had a seizure, a really bad one ... they've taken him into surgery, I don't know, this can't be good.'

Henry and Archer look at one another then Henry grabs a hold of Mandy, for she looks like she is about to lose it at any moment. It is not all so long ago when she knew not of Sander or anyone else Sander who he has since become associated with, but as he had previously asked and as she had previously answered, Mandy is all in on this. She couldn't be much more invested.

'Right, where is he?'

'I am not family, I don't know, but I am as close to that as what he has right now I guess, and this is mad. Staff here have told me of a waiting area I can wait within ...'

'So, let's go.'

Questions are asked upon arrival at the appropriate waiting area and given to the unusual circumstances surrounding everything about the patient, answers are given. The policy would be to only inform family though family is a complete unknown. It is indeed a most unique situation.

Sander has been prepped for surgery and the surgery itself is imminent. Archer is inclined to halt or at least attempt to halt proceedings on no other grounds that this can't be the right thing to have happen. He states that this is not a doctor's opinion but one which has gripped him out of fear that surgery on Sander, or any of them for that matter, must be the wrong thing to have happen.

Henry states that doctors here must know what they are doing to go to this extreme otherwise they'd leave it be, until more information can be attained. Whatever it is in Sander's head, doctors may feel it will do more harm remaining where it is so removing it might go so far as being lifesaving.

The immediate concern is for Sander and the continuing concern is for everyone else. Will everyone need to come down this path? Why hasn't anyone else had a seizure? Many reasons, maybe, whatever it is in Sander's head is in his alone, then again maybe not. The next few hours take an eternity to pass, and the wait is done in silence.

Henry, Archer, and Mandy hardly leave the waiting area and when they do leave it is only short term or briefly, for they return fairly readily. Hardly a word is spoken either and at about half past ten, evening time on day two of memory loss, a doctor arrives to discuss the surgery and the worst is instantly feared.

'My name is Doctor Matthew O'Neill ...', a looks is directed towards Archer in the off chance he recognizes this name, he doesn't. 'We have opened up Sander. There had been pressure on the brain, so we have managed to relieve that pressure, this is the good news. The bad news is we have not removed what it is that is attached to our friend Sander. It appears to be something more complex than what we thought it to be, something unlike anything we have ever seen, in fact.'

'So, what does that mean?' asks Henry.

'It means we have closed him up and will monitor him closely and will take further action if and when we deem it necessary. We have his best interests in mind, I assure you as we also have our best doctors and surgeons working together ...'

Alarms begin to sound before another word is spoken. Again, the worst is being feared as Henry, Archer and Mandy all react. The doctor is called for by other hospital staff and he is gone before any other questions can be asked of him. It is soon worked out that Sander has flat lined ...