To 'Guest' – Hello back at ya! :D :D
To NC – Stop worrying, mailing soon xxxx
Chapter 11
-oOo-
Phil was once again stationed at the reception desk. The brothers sauntered into the lobby at the same time as a sales rep type walked in the hotel entrance. To Sam's extreme embarrassment, Dean brazenly broke into a jog just to beat the man to the desk. The rep threw Dean the kind of look normally reserved for a rude child, but said nothing. Phil simply raised one eyebrow.
"Phil. Soon as you can, me an' Sam need to talk to you, privately. Ok?"
The manager responded politely.
"Certainly sir. If you would both like to take a seat over there while I welcome the gentleman behind you to the hotel?"
Dean nodded,
"No problem."
Turning away from the desk Dean made eye contact with the new guest.
"Hi. Awesome hotel. Huge breakfast. You're gonna love it."
The rep smiled at the crazy guy uncertainly.
"Um, I see. Right. Um...Thanks."
Sam had already very purposefully distanced himself from his brother's company, heading straight to the lobby chairs. Picking up a glossy magazine he opened it at random and began determinedly reading an article on how to extend the life of pot-pourri, despite having no interest what-so-ever in the topic.
Dean dropped himself down into the chair next to Sam.
"Bro', I've been thinkin'..."
Sam cut him off huffily.
"Well done for that, but I've no idea who you are so please don't talk to me again, you complete stranger...I'm very busy conducting vital research into pot-pourri."
Dean began to chuckle, quickly infecting Sam until, eventually, both brothers were simply laughing at their own attempts to laugh quietly. By the time the hotel manager walked over to join them, they had just about managed to reign in their shared laughter.
"Gentlemen, you wanted to speak with me? I'm all yours, shall we go through to the restaurant?"
Not yet open for service, the restaurant was quiet. Leaving Sam and Dean to choose where to sit, the manager disappeared briefly into the kitchen where the head chef and her team were busy prepping for the evening service before joining the brothers at their chosen table.
"Now sirs..."
"It's Dean, remember? An' this' Sam, my brother. Just so's you know, we're not wantin' to make any kinda complaint, this place is great, ok?"
"Oh, well, thank you for that Dean, Sam. So. How can I help you both?...Ah! Tony."
A member of the kitchen team approached the trio bearing a tray of coffee and a selection of small sweet pastries.
"Thank you for doing this Tony...Please, both of you, help yourselves. The pastries are made fresh every day. Enjoy."
Dean's eyes lit up.
"Well my friends. You now have my undivided attention, what did you want to see me about?"
Right then, Dean was experiencing pastry heaven, leaving Sam to open the conversation. He got straight to the point, watching carefully for how Phil reacted.
"Why didn't you tell Dean that two of the killer's victims were guests who were killed right here in the hotel grounds?"
Phil's whole demeanour altered and he only just managed to swallow his mouthful of coffee without choking. The man seemed to shrink in his seat, his shoulders slumped and his expression shifted, becoming a picture of sadness as he remembered the two guests who had died so horribly. He took a moment to gather himself as best he could before answering in a soft voice.
"You might think this' stupid, but the way I see it? Anyone staying at this hotel is under my care until they book out. Those two poor gentlemen should've been safe, here, but I let them both down...One of them was newly wed. Did you know that? The poor, poor girl, his new bride, she was inconsolable obviously. It was a tragedy, a horrible tragedy, for both the victim's families; just heartbreaking...After the second murder I closed down the hotel. Obviously, the staff and I gave whatever help we could to the Sheriff and her team during their investigations...It was nearly a month before the hotel opened up to guests again, and even longer before I felt able to let either guests or staff leave here alone at night...And no, I didn't highlight the deaths that occurred on these grounds to you Dean. I mean no offence but, if you had been interviewing me in an official capacity? I would of course have spoken about the deaths of our guests. However I believed we were simply conversing. What would be the point of me scaring you by talking about two of the appalling murders having taken place in the hotel grounds? You know, all the murders, wherever the victims died, are equally horrendous, equally important, equally sad...Now. If you both are in fact here in some official capacity? Undercover police perhaps? Then I will, of course, happily answer any and all questions as best I can, once you have shown me some official ID?"
Sam and Dean shared a glance and a nod of agreement. Turning back to Phil, the brothers' expressions were equally serious. Dean took a deep breath.
"Ok Phil, here's the thing. No, Sam an' me ain't cops, FBI or anythin' like that. My brother an' me? We're both what's known as Hunters. That's not the normal kinda hunter...It's our job to hunt down an' kill monsters."
Phil stared at Dean for a while without blinking, then...
"Excuse me?"
Sam stepped in to back Dean up.
"I know it sound's all kinds of crazy but, Dean's telling you the truth. We're Hunters and we find and kill monsters."
Phil's stare switched to Sam.
"Excuse me?"
Sam gave the confused and startled man a sympathetic smile.
"Phil, listen to me...Monsters are real. An' I'm so sorry we've had to tell you that."
Phil's gaze switched from one brother to the other and back in silence. Dean tried again.
"Monsters Phil, you know? Ghouls, ghosts, things in the closet? All that kinda stuff's real...Includin' Werewolves. An' speakin' of; are you by any chance a werewolf Phil?...Just askin'."
Hope was stretched out on her bed trying to have a nap, but her intrusive thoughts wouldn't let her. Tomorrow night the moon would be full and once again she would endure the trauma of her transformation. Her emotions, as always, were conflicted. Hope was terrified of the agonies to come, but somewhere deep down inside her was the excitement of the hunt, the power she would have in her wolf-like body, the way she would be able to move, how the world would smell, how it would look, and taste.
Her thoughts drifted to the man who had been sat on her bench today. He was tall, good looking, and he had seemed friendly, but her response hadn't been exactly encouraging if he'd been wanting to engage her in conversation. Hope let out a sigh. What would've been the point in talking to him? Really, what was the point of talking to any male who might show an interest in her? It's not like she was ideal girlfriend material. Some guy's might have to keep their heads down when their girlfriends hit their menstrual cycle, but any boyfriend she had would have a Helluva rougher ride than that!
And what about marriage? Or, God forbid, kids? What the Hell might she give birth to? Would it be a human baby, or more like some kinda puppy? Hope gave a bitter laugh. Would a kid of hers end up going to school? Or dog training classes? And how about Christmas? Would it want an X-Box? Or a Bonio?
Hope's thoughts continued in the same ilk until she finally realised she was crying. Her tears were of despair and a deep sadness for a life she couldn't believe was the kind destined for a creature like her. That life, the one she had dreamed of, would always be way beyond her reach, and it broke her heart.
-oOo-
Chick xxxxx
Reviews/comments always welcome :)
