I awake in a room that I've never seen before. My throat is quite parched and I cannot feel my tongue for it is too dry to be felt. I scan the room for some sign of something to drink. All I can find is liquor and some form of thick red liquid in a big glass container, much like the one containing the brandy. The red liquid has some weight to it. I swirl the bottle around and watch it coat the sides and slowly run down. It left a red stain on the glass. If it wasn't so beautiful looking, I wouldn't have considered what I did.
I grabbed a short stemmed glass with a little petal design on the bottom of the glass and the stem fastened to the glass by a bulb of glass. I closely examined the glass, which appeared to be clean despite it having a small dried red pool in the center of the petal design. Hesitating slightly, I decided to pour the liquid into the glass.
Carefully, I swirled the glass of liquid as I did the bottle of it. It bubbled slightly at the top and didn't coat the walls of the glass as thickly as it did to the container. Desperate for a drink, I stopped playing around and took a sip. It tasted all too familiar, but I couldn't place my finger on it. It had a metallic taste, but it was sweet as well. One thing I could determine was that it had some other form of alcohol in it by the way it stung my throat.
That glass was enjoyable, so I drank another quickly and explored this room I was in. It looked like a luxury motel room; there were two big heart-backed chairs covered in green velvet and a couch of the same material with gold rimming the top near what seemed to be a living area. Dresses and men's clothes filled the floor; I swore I've seen this room before by the dresses that look like mine, but I don't believe I've worn before. I avert my eyes from the floor and see a giant bed with fluffy down stuffing it. It looks overwhelming and like a comforting disaster. Pillows strewn across it, some split open and the goose down scattering the bed. Two long windows sat on either side of the bed with golden curtains half torn down. A mahogany door in the corner caught my eye. As I moved towards it, my foot kicked something prickly and stiff. I removed the clothes covering it and found rope.
I shook it off as nothing because this door interested me. I had never been in a motel room with more than one door before and this plain door was not the entry door. As I drew closer and closer, I started to second guess opening it. I was going to leave. I wanted to leave. This room had all my clothes in it, though, so I must've been through this door before. I grabbed the delicate crystal knob and turned it slightly. Before me was a room with white tile and white walls. There was a white thing that sat in the middle of the room. It was quite odd; attached to the floor, looking of some form of pottery, it had a bowl on it that was mahogany rimmed, and a golden chain.
I walked closer to it. The chain was cold to the touch. I peered inside the bowl. It was filled with water and looked like the water could go somewhere. I pulled the chain and the water vanished down a pipe. Then, I was hit by epiphany; this was a real toilet with plumbing. I laughed for a while at myself. I couldn't be any more foolish!
I filled a pot they had in the room with water from the pump in the corner and heated it on the big black furnace, laughing at myself all the while. Three pumps of the squeaky pump, water brought to a hot boil, and then it being dumped into the cool wash tub made of the same material as the toilet. This process was repeated about six or seven times, until the tub was filled. I took off the little clothing I had on and got into the steaming water. It burned but felt so amazing.
I took my hair out of its braided bun and it was stuck in that position. I laughed at the thought of not having to have my hair held up anymore. My hands worked at each pin and strand of hair, but it was a sticky mess. I reached for the pot, filled it with tub water, and dumped it on my unruly hair three or four times until it was loose. I smiled at the handy work I had made. I, then, proceeded cleaning my hair with what soap was in the room. First, I worked at getting the sticky substance out of the ends of my hair, working the soap closer to my head.
Once my hands started washing my head, it burned. I couldn't tell what was wrong, so I searched for a fault on my head. My fingers found it and I cringed once it had been touched. I felt around it. It seemed to reach from behind my ear to the top of my neck. I pulled my fingers out of my messy hair and they were covered in red. Quickly, I reached for the pot and poured some water over it. Red caught my eye causing me to look at the tub water; it was solid red.
I leaped from the wash and went to the pump. I held my head under it as I pumped the icy cold water on my head and it ran onto my face. I opened my eyes. The white floor tiles became covered in watery red. My breathing got quicker and I let out a yelp. I started pumping faster and faster. Nothing was working.
A light tapping came at the chamber door. "Miss Edwards? Miss Edwards are you alright? Miss, I am sorry, but we must enter." A young man came into my room. I could hear him gawking at the state of the room as he made his way into the water closet.
The young man entered the room. He was in his 20's; 23 by the looks of it. He was wearing an all-black uniform with a blue stripe up either side. His chestnut brown hair was slicked back and had looked ridiculous. He knelt down next to me and I was hit with the scent of the water and fish. Upon a closer examination, there was a vein pulsing in his neck. I watched it. I could hear it. Thump. Thump. Thump.
He saw I wasn't alright and saw all the blood coming from the back of my head. Thump. He lifted my head and touched my wound. Thump. I didn't feel it. Thump. He looked at the blood on his hands. Thump. He gagged. Thump. He said something thump but I couldn't thump hear him. The room thump was spinning thump. If only I could get to that vein.
"Sir," I spoke with a twisted grin, "might you come a bit closer, so I might give you my dying wishes?" I gently felt my pointed nails. Perfect for clawing. He brought his ear closer to my mouth. The thumping grew faster. Victoria, silence that blasted vein while you still can.
"I must admit to you, sir, that I haven't felt a bit alright in quite some time, but now, I feel as if the world is bowing before me," my grin grew with each word that left my lips.
"Why is that Miss Edwards?" his words left those gorgeous pink velvet lips so slowly. The boy actually believes I'm dying!
I chuckled at the thought and his face turned white. "Oh dear boy, you have much to learn. What year is it child?" I mumbled into his ear with a sharp tone in my voice.
Everything in the room froze. The boy's vein stopped thumping. His face had no colour at all and his body went slightly limp. I found my footing and slowly rose over him. Not a muscle on his body moved an inch. He knelt there looking at the blood on his hand. His shoulders were no longer rising with every breath he took. His body took a very rigid form. No more would he be the happy boy working in a hotel and he knew it.
"Rise boy. I need to know if you are going to help me or not. I shall not put up with dead weight, but if I must then I will." The sharpness of my tone cut through him. His body shook and he took to his feet.
"It is 1830 ma'am. My name is Robert," Robert stammered.
"Good boy, Robert. I am Victoria; Victoria Green. But I happen to also go by Victoria Smith and Victoria Edwards. How long have I been staying in this godforsaken place?"
"You have been in this hotel since 1828 Miss. We have always had complaints about you making a ruckus, but no one has ever been brave enough to enter after what happened to the last keeper that entered here."
"What happened to this keeper? Please tell me I did not kill and hide the body somewhere in the hotel." I put my fingers on my temples. I would be stupid enough to kill and keep the body where I killed.
"Killed?" Robert's face grew with an unknown horror. Tremors all over his face and neck went off like the fault lines.
"Yes, now back to my question. You ask too much. Stop that."
"No, the keeper was found hanging in a closet in his home. We thought you talked him into going through with it."
"Well, I might've talked him into it. People are easily persuaded when it is necessitated. He was already thinking it in the first place. I didn't have to do much to make him jump. Now, do you understand medical things child?"
"Medical things? I am but the keep that replaced the other. I was the bellhop before."
"Oh how ignorance is bliss," I muttered to myself. "Well, you need to get me out of here and they won't need a new keep. Take me to your home. Tell them you must escort me to the nearest doctor. I shall stitch myself in your home. I pray you have needle and thread?"
Robert looked at me dumbfound. Colour came back to his face. He looked angry; almost as if he was going to smack me down. "I shall not take you in!" He bellowed. "I owe you nothing! You are no better than a psychopath!"
"Keep your voice down if you want to live child," I rolled my eyes. "You know too much and I had planned on killing you sooner, but if you wish to go through with it now then that is fine to me."
Robert's colour drained yet again. His body took a rigid form yet again. His vein started thumping again and his breathing grew faster. "You wouldn't," he whispered.
"Robert, I don't remember a thing since April 1822. More than likely I have killed many since then. I was married to Samuel Green and I was the boss of his crime ring. I controlled who they killed and when. I killed those who were no longer needed. No one knows of the crime ring I controlled. No one knows that Samuel was even in a crime ring. I hide well child. Killing you would be easy and no loss. Either you can enlist your help or I must hide your body and stitch myself. It is all your choice."
"But, I have a wife and a child ma'am. You can't kill me. My wife would have to become a mill girl and my baby girl her assistant."
"I do not discriminate against who I kill. I kill all I need. They took my husband from me 8 years ago. If you ask me it is only sweet revenge. Now I have no more time to talk with you. You have two seconds to help me or die."
Robert didn't move an inch. "I cannot help."
I struck him down with a quick flick. My nail sliced his main artery. His body collapsed to the floor in a small heap. He was choking on the blood leaving his body. Blood covered the white tile floors giving me complete satisfaction. I knelt down next to him and whispered, "Robert, next time someone gives you a way out, do be smart. Now I must find your wife and child. You've only made my job bigger. Thank you for the place to stay. It is quite a blessing. Have a lovely death." I smirked and scooped his blood into my glass. I took a sip and chuckled. "You are sweeter than the last bloke I killed!"
I changed into a new dress that lay upon the floor. I snatched up a clutch purse and my drink bottle. Who knows how many I had to kill to get that sophisticated blend! I was not about to leave it behind! I fastened a hat to my head and looked in upon my victim.
"Don't hurt them," he sputtered choking his bittersweet blood out.
"Who said I would? I am just going to shelter myself with them. Do take-care Robert. No one will be the wiser and I shall grow victorious off ignorance."
I swished my skirts in his face and was off. Hurriedly, I left the room so I wouldn't be caught leaving. Once in the hall, my pace slowed to not raise any concern. Deliberately paced, I went into the lobby. I calmly walked to the front desk, carrying myself as a lady should, and spoke with the attendant. "Hello sir, I just walked past room 403 and heard screams. The door was open, but it wouldn't be right for me to intrude. I think you shall need all staff to go up there immediately."
His face lit up, "Thank you ma'am!" He smiled at me. "We've got her this time," he muttered to himself happily. He started off into an office, but turned around like he had forgotten something. "I am sorry miss. Please excuse me." The short stout man ran off almost clicking his heels in sheer joy.
I smirked at him as he left. Stupid man. The lobby was clear and I went behind the desk. There was a drawer labeled employee information. The drawer opened with ease and I rummaged through the files looking for a Robert. There were two men named Robert, but only one had recorded information of a wife and child. I scribbled the address on a stray piece of paper and left the building.
I hear running from down the hall. Oh, how I pray it isn't the crazy woman. It sounds like more than one person. Maybe they shall save me so I can save my Emily and our little Violet. I think they just entered the room. I can hear rummaging in here. They did enter.
"We have you now Miss Edwards!" A man calls out to whoever is in the room. I know that voice. It sounds like Emmett. Oh, how I never thought I would be happy to hear from that stout mess.
"Emmett!" my voice comes out raspy and in sputters. "Emmett! I'm in here!"
I hear them draw closer to the water closet. "Robert? Robert!" Emmett answers me questioningly. He tears into the room and gasps at my unsightly appearance.
I smile, but the blood comes in thicker. She didn't cut my artery very deep. That damned whore. I cough, choking on my blood even more than I have been. I feel my lungs filling with the heavy sloshy liquid. She didn't cut me right at all. She must've tried to make me suffer. That damned whore. First, she plans on killing me slowly, then my family! No consideration for life at all. I hope she kills them swiftly.
"Was it her, Robert? Please don't die! SOMEONE CALL THE DOCTOR!" Emmett kneels by me.
"Emmett, I wish to die in peace," I choke out. "Be quiet and listen to these words." I cough and try to compose my thoughts. I vomit from too much blood. "She was married to Samuel Green." I cough again. The room starts to go dim. I cannot die yet. He doesn't know of my wife and child! The room is growing darker and darker. I no longer feel control of my body. I cannot see. There is nothing to see. There is only blackness. I now feel as if I am in a different place. I am in control again. I stand and gaze at everything. Nothing anywhere. I can see a light now. It is faint. Maybe if I go towards it I can find my way home. The light touched me and now I see nothing. Everything is drowned in a blinding white light. I can no longer see my beautiful Baltimore. I will never again see my Emily or my Violet. I hope they don't forget me. I hope they don't die by that wretched woman's hand.