Hotel Pathway

Part - 2 (2/2)

Fuck.

Fuck.

Fuck.

Things just kept going down hill. The company was only a few knocks away from getting bankrupt and my only hope was this deal which I messed up.

Why did they even decided to call this meeting in the middle of nowhere?

My entire world was crumbling down.
And the cherry on the top, I was practically stranded here in the middle of a national highway.

I wanted to get back home. My car barely had any fuel left and there was no pump for miles. It was already dark and I was hoping to find a place to stay for the night.

I didn't want to sleep in my car at night near a deserted road.

Just as my fuel gauge was about to hit zero. I see a neon glow.

It was a signboard.

Hotel Pathway : An Experience for lifetimes.

I wasn't happy to stay in a run down motel but it was either this or my car.

I preferred a bed.

I get out of my car and it starts to drizzle. The door was automated, not something I was expecting. The general appearance may look bland from the outside but the inside was well furnished.

I was having some trouble believing that this was a motel in the middle of nowhere. It felt more like a high class hotel.

Anyways I walk up to the counter and see a young man sitting on the other side.
He had a black box right next to him. His gaze felt like he was staring right into my soul. I tried to break eye contact and go ask for room and what were the charges.

Without saying a word he takes out a key from the black box and slides it across the counter to me.

"Thank you."

I felt offended by such treatment.

"Excuse me? This was rather rude. Is this a way you treat your customers? I-"

Before I could continue he pointed to his right, there was an elevator.

"Listen, I am not done talking to you! I will not tolerate being treated like this. I would like to talk to your manager. Right now!"

I sounded obnoxious but I was tired and stressed. I really needed to vent out and the young man was a good target.
This was one of my bad habits, and had cost me my trusted staff. Still I wasn't able to get rid of it.

But this guy. He was pissing me off more and more. No matter what I said he just kept nodding and pointing towards the elevator.

I was angry but I knew something was off. He wasn't annoyed or anything. He looked more like he was scared. Then I noticed that he was shaking. He still looked me in the eyes but they weren't looking at me.

How do I describe this?

It like when you look through a glass plane.
You are looking at the glass but also simultaneously looking at the thing that's on the other side of the glass.

It creeped me out a bit.

After hearing "Thank you" for the thousandth time. I just took the key and walk towards the elevator.

I get in and it felt weirdly familiar. Maybe cause I had spent half my life in a elevator while working in the corporate world.

I get out and in front of me was a long, dimly lit corridor.

My room was at the end. I unlock it and go inside.

The room was pretty decent.

A normal sized bed, a cabinet, a small couch in front of of the TV.

The bathroom wasn't clean but what can you expect.

I unpacked and got straight to bed. I was exhausted. It didn't take be long before I dozed off.

I wake up at 6 am the next day. I was in the worse possible mood, so when I received a call from my assistant tell me that I had another meeting to attend I snapped.

She cut the call almost crying. I felt bad but she shouldn't be calling me at 6 am. Why do I even hire these people?

I get out of bed, dress up and go downstairs. In the reception was empty. Weird.

I wait for about 30 min before getting pissed off and leaving. Why should I pay for service this crappy?

As I was exiting I see a young lady stand up from behind the counter. As if she was hiding.

THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH THIS PLACE!!!! 

I get in my car and drive off. 

The meeting doesn't go smoothly. Nothing can satisfy these old farts. We will go bankrupt if this continues. Wait. Something isn't right. My head hurts.

Fuck.Fuck.Fuck.

All I wanted was to get back home. My car barely had any fuel left and there was no pump for miles. It was already dark and I was hoping to find a place to stay for the night.

       Hotel Pathway : An Experience for lifetimes      

A hotel. Beggars can't be choosers. A bed would be better then the car. My car had just enough gas to make it to the hotel. 

Pretty fancy for an establishment in the middle of nowhere. 

Got a room. The Guy at the reception must be drunk, handing keys like that but its not my headache. I just want to sleep.

2678. 2678. 2678. Again. 2678.

I wake up at 6:00 AM. My assistant called. Some clients nearby want to strike a deal with us. If this goes well we can turn the entire thing around for us. 

I thank her profusely, this was the best news in days! Maybe this would be the turning for which we were so desperately waiting. I hurry to my car, completely forgetting to pay for my room.

I calm myself thinking I would pay after the meeting was done. I wasn't running away with debts or something. 

 In my defense, there was no one at the reception.

I drove to the town nearby. It felt like it was lost in time, kids were playing with things that had practically went extinct in the 21st century. Women were dressed in ambiguous clothing. Weird fashion sense.  

The meeting  went fairly well but I don't think it will work. Maybe I should sell the company. No use of trying to milk a dead cow.

Lost in thoughts I completely ignore the fuel gauge, now i was about to run out of gas in the middle of nowhere. 

                                         Hotel Pathway : An Experience for lifetimes.

This was hopeless. What am even doing? The company is gone.  I am sorry grandpa.

This Room. Something is wrong with room. 2679.

Help.

It was a nightmare. Thank god. 

My assistants call woke me up. 

A meeting. 

I will be there.