The Call of Camelot

Chapter 4 - First day jitters

My eyes snapped open as I sat bolt upright in my bed.  I took a few deep breaths to steady my nerves, my body was trembling and my hands shook terribly as I rubbed them across my tired face.

I'd woken up to my hotel room, empty and looking exactly the same as I'd left it the night before. My high heels and dress laying in a heap near my hotel room door, my handbag emptied on the other side of my bed.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I grabbed my mobile phone, yes I hate them but come on, they're convenient for some things.

I'd woken up only minutes before my alarm was due to go off. "What the hell was in that wine!" I muttered to myself, then jumped at the urgent, thudding knocks vibrating my bedroom door.

"Hold on a sec!" I replied frantically, looking around for something to cover my naked body... I don't like pyjamas, they're constricting!

I reached for one of the fluffy towels still folded on my dresser, wrapped it round myself and opened the door.

Laura was standing there, her hair stuck up on one side, her eyes looking at me with a kind of panicked fury, dressed in a yellow nightshirt with a cartoon cat on the front.  I guess not everything she owned was black!

"What the hell was that scream!" she spat at me.  I noticed she was panting and assumed my scream had shaken her awake.  Well, it looks like Laura and I are neighbours. Yay!

"Oh I..."  had a terrifying nightmare, I wanted to blurt!  Was viciously attacked by my imagination! I was totally freaked out by some horror story type shit my brain had conjured up because I drank too much Merlot!

"I saw a spider... Sorry Laura." was the explanation I eventually settled on.

"A spider! Bloody hell Cara I thought someone was trying to murder you! If you scream that loudly at spiders then may I suggest you avoid any actual digging while you're here!" and she left mumbling something under her breath about having to look after wimpy girls.

I closed the door and perched on the end of my bed, I thought that scream had been in my head, but clearly not.  I needed to calm down, so I boiled the kettle and reached in my suitcase for one of the packs of my herbal teas.  Ask any English person anywhere, the answer to many problems, a cup of tea.

With the tea now warming my body and the relaxing scent of chamomile and lavender already soothing my shaking nerves, I stepped into the shower hoping that the water could shake away my nightmare.  My body felt tender and abused like I'd spent last night in a boxing ring rather than a meet and greet, so I spent twice as long as I normally would under the scolding waters to try and wash the tenderness away.

The mix of herbs and water relaxed me enough to put the nightmare to the back of my mind as I excitedly got ready for the day.

I had the usual fight to tame my freshly washed hair and used far too much hairspray to keep it in a semi decent ponytail.  I adorned my black tank top and green canvas shorts and by the time I'd finished my make up and applied my sun lotion, I was cheery enough to hum a tune while I tied the shoelaces of my boots.

The dining hall was filled with the familiar faces from last night, though slightly less animated with the absence of alcohol and a few were clearly feeling the effects of last night's merriment.  I felt ravenous so helped myself to a large portion of bacon, toast and eggs and joined Niall at the table who was rubbing his temples and chewing unenthusiastically on the corner of a piece of toast.

I smiled at his obvious hangover and made a joke about how teenagers don't know how much is too much. Laura joined the table.

"At least he didn't wake half of the second floor up screaming at a spider!" she sniped.