ROOM 211

PART THIRTY ONE

37.

Down for breakfast on the morning of day four, no mention of any room number is made. Staff definitely must be recognizing at least some of the faces who have been roaming the hotel over the previous few days and no matter the fact that at least one breakfast is in a way already paid for in the way of coming as part of the package for the occupant of Room 211, each member of this group ensure that their breakfast is paid for and that too is no matter the fact that William and Maggie already got to have a free breakfast on the morning of day two having spent much of the previous day in the hotel lobby.

Archer and Sue both feel an uncomfortable and unspoken dread. Sue's feet still need to make a full recovery, but she is up for an upcoming trip, she'll bare any incoming pain if it aids her or the group as a whole. Still, that building they both woke separately within, there is something about it that gives them both the creeps.

Neither Archer nor Sue have really discussed the building with the other or the fact that they had come into close proximity with each other prior to making any exit and neither have discussed the dread they individually feel. Bonnie has gone on about that room within that building on occasion having spoken of eight beds and the likes but with Bonnie being Bonnie, she has not been pushed by anyone else within the group in any attempt to try and get any more out of her.

Henry, of course, will be going too to that place, and he may be the driving force that may be needed to ensure that an investigation of any significance will come. His presence will ensure that neither Archer nor Sue back track upon going inside. Surely there will be some trepidation for them both. Henry will also ensure he is effective in aiding Bonnie with feeling safe enough in taking part in the upcoming investigation.

Right away and upon arrival, Archer feels something, or he at least has himself a moment that he did not have the last time he came here with Henry and Bonnie, sure that last time too was when Sue came into the fold.

The moment Archer has himself in, brings back the sound of a brief echoing, something distant yet near, a sound of barking. He, Henry, and Bonnie are indeed properly accompanied by Sue. Once again, they are taking a moment to take in the building from outside so there is no real way Archer can hear a barking echo from here. Perhaps it is a memory surging through him, a memory both from his first moment of waking with memory loss and of something from before.

No dogs can be seen in the immediate vicinity, and none of his companions appear to take any notice of the barking, it may be possible they don't hear it. So, he can take it that may just be a memory? The dog-related moment he had upon first waking in this building, this too must have been a memory, one he almost immediately forgot again.

'D-d-d-dog' he barely manages to quietly speak.

'Archer ... you alright?' asks Henry not quite making out what it is Archer had just said.

'Dog ... dog ... there is a dog inside.'

Henry for a moment tries to take in how Archer appears to be then he looks towards Sue.

'I had not seen a dog, there was a woman with glasses and before her, there was a man, might have been Archer, but there was no dog.'

Henry then turns to Bonnie to see if she might have something and she simply says 'no, no dog, only people but maybe not now.

'Maybe it was a memory' Archer says. 'I might have had a dog, a pet maybe not all so long ago, a Doberman, I think. Damn, if I did then wherever it might be now, I hope it is alright. Dang, if I do have a dog, I better not have called him Archie.'

This remark lightens the mood and eases the fear and tension a little for head into this spot. Henry places a hand on Archer's shoulder and smiles. 'Whenever you are ready ... lead the way. We have your back.'

Whatever it is about Henry, he sure has some kind of touch or ability. It definitely makes it difficult for Archer to continue to doubt him and since they are in a position with which they are facing Archer would rather feel trust than anything negative. Negative thoughts though may just keep him on edge for if anything unexpected were to come then he may at least be some way prepared for it.

'Right, time to do this.'

And so off they go, indeed time to check out an oddly frightening place. There are a couple of emergency exits for this building none of which Archer or Sue had noticed or come across in their attempts to get out on days one and two. There is a main exit/entrance, and it is open, no keys, swipe cards or having to break glass is needed to gain access. The entrance too is on the same floor with which the rectangular room containing eight beds is on but there is distance to cover from one point to the other.

If an exit is needed in a hurry ... well ... they'll worry about such a thing if it comes into play. Why it should come into play is an unknown but then again, most everything is an unknown

The area Archer woke within, and Sue had gone wandering to is down a level, there were and are steps going down but maybe it is not a full lower level. It raises up to the same height the ground floor rises up to. Before entry into the building is made Archer takes in a deep breath through his nose and Sue does the same. If time was spent in this place, was it so bad that a return is feared? Under the circumstance including memory loss and a possible multiple amount of brain implants then maybe, yeah.

Archer goes in first and is followed by Sue first then Bonnie and then Henry. Preparation had been foreseen mostly on Henry's part, and so happens to have torches with him. There is lighting in here to some degree and what is known is that there are dark areas, some very dark areas so any decent investigation will need additional lighting. Archer is still unsure though again and as it is, answers need to come, there might be some here.

The smell, it is noticeable right away and it is a lot stronger than what it was a few days earlier, a burning rust kind of smell, maybe electrical even and it is not at all pleasant.

'Aw' says Henry. 'How did either of you put up with that?'

The question is somewhat rhetorical and directed at of course Archer and Sue.

'It wasn't quite so strong a few days ago and it wasn't everywhere either' responds Archer.

This area they have come into ... it is small but reception like. Perhaps people came here, as in members of the general public, if so, then is this place some kind of treatment center. This may be why Henry and Bonnie were here with what is known about them, Henry's Motor Neuron and Bonnie's possible personality disorder. If the others joined them then Henry briefly wonders as to why and to what for?

There is a small desk area opposite and slightly to the right of the entrance. Possibly no more than two or three people might have worked there behind the desk at any one time. Henry moves beyond the desk. There are no computers or any kind of electrical equipment there but there may have been at one time. If something could have short circuited here in this spot, then it is long gone.

Dead center and directly opposite the entrance, there is a hallway, and this hallway is rather dark. Any lighting that may have been down here is definitely no longer operational and Archer takes this as a sign to turn back and leave. Those who don't move forwards won't find any answers. Archer can almost hear Henry speak, though Henry doesn't in this moment, a glance Archer's way however does say it all.

The journey of discovery moves on ...