Looking For Space // Josh Kiszka

XXI

I had a lot of fun with this chapter (well, 20 & 21 were one single chapter before, but it was so long that I split them apart), so I hope you do too. 

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Tip-toeing around a hotel on Christmas was not anything I'd anticipated. Jake was turned around, facing our the door to our room, and counting out loud. Sam and Danny scampered down the hall to the left while Josh and I went to the right, eventually finding a stairwell and taking it up to the third floor, which looked exactly the same as our second floor.

"It's like The Shining," I remarked as we passed through, everything still and quiet. There wasn't even a maid's cart in the hall, the only sign of other life was a couple of Do Not Disturb signs on various doors, and no one seemed to be coming around anytime soon.

"I feel like--like it's hard to find a place to hide in a hotel," Josh said, gesturing as we walked and poked around. "Or an inn."

"There's not even a vending machine we can wedge ourselves behind."

"Supply closet!" Josh announced in an elevated whisper, pointing at a door at the end of the hall. "Maybe it's unlocked."

Much to our surprise, it was unlocked and, peering inside, it seemed like a good place to hide--messy and dark.

"You hide in there," I said. "We can't both hide in the same place."

"Why not, darling?"

"Because if Jake finds both of us, then half our team is already out."

Josh pouted. "Where are you going to hide?"

"I don't know yet," I answered. "But I've gotta be quick."

Josh grabbed my arm and pulled me in for a hasty kiss. "Okay. Don't get captured."

"I'll try my best."

After Josh shut the door, winking at me before he was totally in the dark, I looked around, surveying the same space I'd come through. Nowhere to hide, literally. I turned around and went back to the stairwell, thinking about if going outside would be considered cheating. Then again, it was freezing outside and, if Jake didn't find me, I might actually die with my pride. I tossed out that idea and, at the bottom of the stairs, peered out the little glass pane to see if Jake was sauntering around.

The coast seemed to be clear. As I continued on, I wondered where Sam and Danny had scampered off to. If there was another supply closet on the second floor, I'd go there, but I doubt it would be unlocked again. The main floor would be my best bet, since at least that was truly the "inn" part--the rest was just like a hotel, totally flat and exposed.

I quietly and quickly made it to the first floor. Still, no one was around, not even anyone at the front desk. I assumed it was too late for them to be hanging out there, maybe there were no more expected guests. With that coast being clear too, I slunk myself under the counter at the front desk after taking a single rolling chair with me, positioning it in front of me.

A minute later, there were light footsteps which I assumed were Jake's, and it was as if the child wonder of the classic game had never left, because my heart started to race and my breath caught in my throat, my body going into fight or flight mode. The footsteps were getting closer, then further away--then closer again, like he was pacing around.

I thought I had him fooled when they distanced again, but then they were close, and I saw the unmistakable Chelsea boots in front of the chair, turned away from me. I actually covered my mouth to silence myself, feeling too giddy with anxiety to think of myself as just a foolish adult, but when Jake pulled the chair back and peered down under the desk, I let out a shriek.