《The Hotel》 Chapter 1 She woke up in a strange place. It felt like early morning but she couldn''t be sure. It looked like a hotel room but she didn''t remember how she got there. Next to the bed was a writing desk and a box on a stand. There was a breakfast nook built into the bay window and beside it was a balcony closed shut against the storm. Thunder rolled in from somewhere and rain battered at the windows. She was warm and dry, however, in a bed that smelled of fresh laundry. There was a kitchenette and a bathroom on the other end of the room. She went over and looked into the bathroom¡ªit was very clean¡ªand then she closed the door and looked into the cabinets and the icebox. They were empty and definitely didn''t have any clues on how she got there. Meet me in the lobby. atrium. ¡° She nodded. ¡°Might I ask who you are?¡± ¡° She raised an eyebrow. ¡°You don''t remember anything?¡± ¡° ¡° The boy started crying. ¡°Maybe? I don''t know! This is my place but I don''t remember why.¡± She frowned. But she patted his shoulder and said, gently: ¡°Don''t cry, it''ll be all right.¡± He sniffed. ¡°But I''m being a poor host. Are you hungry?¡± was ¡° She took a breath and decided to just go ahead. "Do you know how you got here? Do you remember anything? He shook his head. This poor kid, He shook his head, then looked up. ¡°Wait. Maybe that''s why you''re here? To help me figure things out?¡± ¡° ¡° She hesitated again, but her stomach rumbled. ¡°Yes, I''m hungry. How far is this dining hall?¡± He walked to a doors off to the side. Inside was a vast space full of tables. A long counter stood at one end, heavy with food that steamed in chafing dishes. She started piling her plate with eggs and sausages and hash browns. ¡° ¡° She started filling out a plate. ¡°Here''s some eggs and sausages, and bacon. And here''s some fruit and toast.¡± She handed him the fully-stacked plate and they found a nearby table. She started eating¡ªit felt like she hadn''t eaten in days. ¡° She paused between stuffing her mouth. ¡°It''s excellent!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° She gestured at herself. ¡°I can''t remember how I got here. I woke up in a hotel I don''t recognize and now I''m here, having breakfast with a boy who doesn''t even know his own name. None of that is normal.¡± ¡° She frowned. ¡°What mailbox?¡± ¡° She frowned again. ¡°Where are the admin office and the mailboxes?¡± ¡° She took a deep breath. She wondered, again, what was happening in this place. Did this boy bring her here? Why weren''t they allowed to see what was behind some of the doors? But for the moment, she was more curious about the mailboxes. ¡°Let''s go see if I have mail.¡± ¡° She looked down and realized she''d cleaned on her plate, and it wasn''t a small one. She''d been hungrier than she thought. She pushed her chair back. ¡°The food was good. Now let''s go check those mailboxes.¡± They went out into the atrium. They were still the only people in the massive building. Natural light poured in from the skylights and from the windows that stretched over each entrance and went all the way up to the roof. ¡° She looked around, mouth half-open. ¡°It''s a beautiful hotel. But why is no one else here? How did it get here?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The boy waved her over to a window, where they saw a robot arm retrieve a good-sized box and place one end of it up to the window. She opened the mailbox and found a slab of glass and metal. The boy leaned in. ¡°Oh, hey, it''s a phone.¡± She picked up the ¡®phone'' and turned it over in her hands. She frowned and tried tapping it a few times. ¡°This is supposed to be a phone?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° Notes. ¡° ¡° huge. ¡° She looked up, then back down at the phone in her hands. ¡°I''m fine. I just don''t understand any of this.¡± ¡° She opened her mouth to say Yes but the boy was looking up at her with his big brown eyes. ¡° ¡° * * * A bit later she found herself lying in bed back in her room. The rain had stopped but the outside was still looking gray from where she was. She turned left and right. The big, fluffy bed was taking some getting used to. She had a smartphone now, whatever that was, but felt no closer to figuring anything out. Turning to the nightstand she saw a little drawer and inside the drawer were blank pads, notebooks, and sketchbooks, plus an assortment of pencils and pens. She smiled and pulled out a sketchbook. She''d barely flipped it open when there was a knock on the door. ¡° ¡° Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. ¡° ¡° ¡° She sat down next to him. ¡°You''ve said that. Why are you so bored?¡± ¡° The boy looked up. ¡°I guess you haven''t tried any of the doors, huh? They''re all locked.¡± She frowned. No, she hadn''t thought to try any doors. She''d just found her way back to her room. ¡°All the doors are locked? That''s weird. Doesn''t that make the hotel kind of like a prison?¡± ¡° She thought for a moment. ¡°How long have you been in this hotel?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°you ¡° ¡° She got up and looked on the desk and the bedside table. ¡°Huh. There isn''t much to read in here, is there?¡± ¡°craaaaaazy. She chuckled. ¡°I''m not going to go crazy. Like I said, sketching is always an option. You don''t need books to be entertained.¡± ¡° ¡°Library. ¡° ¡° * * * As the boy explained, they were on the northeast wing and the library was one floor down in the southwest wing. They went down the central stairwell in her wing, then headed for the walkway overlooking the atrium. From there they crossed the bridge to the southeast wing and then the bridge to the southwest wing. This involved padding down the green carpet for what felt like many minutes. ¡° ¡° ¡° To unlock the library, clean the arcade. ¡° She remembered passing some glass store fronts but hadn''t paid attention to them. They''d been dark and closed shut in any case. ¡° ¡° ¡° She walked among them. It was a bit like being in a cemetery. They were so many cabinets and they all looked the same under the white sheets. She reached out and lifted one up. ¡°House of the Dead ¡° The boy picked up one of the tethered plastic guns. ¡°You shoot zombies on the screen and shoot offscreen to reload. It''s awesome.¡± She smiled at him. ¡°You like it, huh?¡± ¡°TekkenPrimal Rage ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° She looked around. It was a big room and the floor was so dusty they were kicking up clouds just by walking through. ¡°I think we should cover up the cabinets again and take care of the floor first.'' They did that, then put on dust masks and swept the floor. Even with the masks the air got thick as the gray stuff went everywhere. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° She finished sweeping and wiped the dust from her face. ¡°Okay, I think the floor is clear. I think we can start on the actual games.¡± They started wiping the cabinets down, cleaning off however many year''s worth of dirt and grime. Now and again the boy would pick up the bucket of used rags and run to the janitor''s closet. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° She straightened and stretched, feeling a not-unpleasant soreness in her muscles. It had been several hours since breakfast and she was starting to feel it. The boy looked down at himself. ¡°We should''ve looked for some janitor outfits too. Dunno if we can sit in the dining hall like this.¡± ¡° Fifteen minutes or an eternity later he came back with a picnic basket. She''d been about to go after him, but just said, ¡°Took you long enough.¡± ¡° She took the sandwich and took a grateful bite. ¡° ¡° He poured her a cup. Music was playing somewhere in the atrium and it wafted up to where they sat. She accepted another sandwich. ¡°You got pretty creative with our lunch problem.¡± ¡° She finished her sandwich and wiped off her hands. Draining her coffee cup, she couldn''t help but notice how dirty her skirt was. It was like a year''s worth of grime had gotten on them. ¡°I don''t know about you, but I''m starting to feel pretty gross.¡± He shrugged. ¡°We can finish before five, shower and change, and then head down for a proper sit-down dinner.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° She accepted it from the boy and took a bite. It was cold and creamy and the egg-white surface was a savoury toasty-brown. ¡° The boy smirked. ¡°Figured you needed feeding.¡± The boy looked at the still-dusty arcade floor. ¡°Looks like it''s time to break out the vacuum cleaners. I saw a couple in the janitor''s closet, be right back.¡± He ran back to the closet and she wandered over to the arcade machines. She ran a finger over one of the screens. They''d wiped the dust off but the glass was still streaked with residue. The boy returned with the vacuums and they started on the floor again. They passed their wands over the floor and the difference was instantly visible. It took the both of them to move each arcade cabinet to clean underneath. Her arms shook and the boy told her to put her back and legs into it. When they finally finished she was trembling a bit and she saw that he was tired too. They began the delicate process of wiping down the machines again, and then spraying vinegar on the screens and cleaning them with newspaper. ¡° She shook her head. ¡°Not really. I don''t remember them being around when I was a kid.¡± ¡° She gave him a smile and continued wiping. ¡° She could feel the ache in her arms. She''d never cleaned this much before. ¡°How long do you think it will take to finish with all the cabinets?¡± ¡° She heaved a sigh of relief and looked around. They''d finished a lot and hopefully would be done before the evening. ¡°Thank God. I don''t think I have much more strength in me.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° * * * ¡°us. She stretched. Every part of her body ached and she knew the boy was feeling it too. She looked at him and chuckled. ¡°I think we''re going to need quite a long shower. You''re looking pretty gross.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° She went back to her room and found her bag. She looked at her grimy hands and clothes and grimaced. * * * She turned off the hot water and stepped out of the shower bath. She slipped on a bathrobe, put her hair in a bun, and dressed. Then she headed out. She found the boy at a dining table, playing with his phone. He wore a white t-shirt and sweatpants. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Her stomach grumbled. ¡°Yeah, let''s get some food.¡± ¡° She looked at what was on offer and her mouth watered. ¡°Hm, I''m not sure what to get. What are you thinking about eating?¡± He shrugged. ¡°I''ll have what you''re having?¡± She looked at him and sighed. ¡°That''s not very helpful. I don''t know what I''m getting either.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° She tried to picture it in her head. It didn''t sound bad. ¡°Is it a real dish or did you just make that up?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡°doesn''t ¡° ¡° She chuckled. ¡°We worked our butts off today. I''m going to head to my room after this.¡± They passed the rest of the meal in small talk, then put their plates away. ¡° ¡° She raised an eyebrow. ¡°You''re actually going to do more work tonight?¡± ¡° She shook her head. ¡°You''re going to be sore in the morning, you know.¡± They headed upstairs. She felt her legs dragging and knew she was going to pass out the minute she got in bed. ¡° ¡° ¡° She stepped up to one of the machines and ran a hand over the controls. Her fingers came back clean. ¡°It looks brand-new. Like it''s been professionally-restored.¡± He gave her a side glance. ¡°Are you saying we don''t do good work?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Of course not. We did an amazing job. I just never expected us to get the machines looking this good.¡± House of the Dead ¡° ¡° She shook her head. ¡°Well, have fun then. I''m headed to my room to pass out.¡± ¡° She gave him a wave and a smile. ¡°Try not to stay up too late.¡± ¡° She chuckled and shook her head again. She turned and headed down the walkway to her room. You can now unlock the library. The library was dark. She walked in, sensed a large complicated space but saw nothing, and then she found a light switch. Click. Things weren''t much better with the lights on. The library was every bit as dusty and disused as the arcade was, with shelves thick with dust and cobwebs everywhere. She stared around the room and her shoulders started to slump as she took in how much work this was going to involve. ¡° Chapter 2 Sunlight filtered through the blinds. She woke up, shifted, and then sat up. ¡° A hot bath, that¡¯s what she needed. Her feet touched the oak parquet floor and she padded to the bathroom. She had to grab the doorframe when her legs trembled, but she managed to turn on the water in the shower-bath. Ten minutes later she undressed and sank into the tub. The water was like a hug from God. She felt her shoulders relax and she sighed as she rested her eyes. She thought about going back to bed but she could stand to eat and there was the boy to think about. The last time she¡¯d seen him, he''d just started a shoot ''em up game in the arcade. She lingered in the bath, and her skin was long past pruney when she started to get up. * * * It was quiet in the vast hotel. Soft music was playing somewhere and soft light seemed to be coming from everywhere. She padded down the hallway carpet and looked around the empty corridors until she found him. Predictably enough, he was still in the arcade. ¡° ¡° He blinked and squinted. ¡°It''s morning already?¡± ¡°It seems so.¡± She checked her new phone. It was around ten in the morning. She thought he was joking but his tiredness seemed genuine. ¡°You haven¡¯t slept?¡± ¡° She looked at the two other boys in the gaming room. Both of them had their eyes glued to their games, too busy to notice her. ¡°So you¡¯ve been playing all night?¡± ¡°Unh-huh,¡± the boy said. ¡°You hungry?¡± She thought for a moment and realized she was starving. The last time she ate was yesterday. She nodded. ¡° ¡° As before, she was baffled by the room¡¯s emptiness. With its high windows and elegant tables and chairs the place was made for huge groups of people, but so far they were the only two people she could remember using it. The boy started filling his plate with something savoury and dark, with a side of rice. ¡°I¡¯m going for the lunch offerings but help yourself to the breakfast items if you like.¡± She glanced at the day¡¯s menu, many of which looked exotic. She filled her plate with a few familiar-looking dishes and poured herself a glass of orange juice. They went to a nearby table. She looked at the boy. ¡°What¡¯re you eating?¡± ¡° She looked at it more closely. The liver bits looked tender and smelled of spices. ¡°Is it good?¡± ¡° She nodded and opened her mouth. He grinned. ¡°Here comes the aeroplaaaaane . . .¡± ¡° ¡° still As filled her second plate he called from the table. ¡°Looks like yesterday¡¯s cleaning job gave you an appetite!¡± ¡° She looked at him as she cut another slice of meatloaf. ¡°So . . . can I ask you a question?¡± ¡° She took another bite of her scrambled eggs before speaking. ¡°It''s just that I was wondering . . . You still have no memories, right?¡± ¡°some ¡° ¡° Her eyes went wide. The boy had been alone for some time but seemed normal enough. ¡°You must¡¯ve been lonely.¡± He looked like he wanted to say something, then shrugged. She took a few more bites before changing the subject. ¡°What¡¯s your favourite music?¡± ¡° She shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t, no. . . . But play it. I¡¯d love to hear it!¡± Lone Digger ¡° ¡° ¡° She looked closely at the phone screen. Anthropomorphic cats and dogs spilled each other''s blood onscreen. Her throat had gone dry. ¡°I . . .¡± She shivered. ¡° She took a deep breath. No one was truly hurt. She shut her eyes and exhaled as slowly as she could. She felt him squeeze her hand and felt comforted. ¡°You¡¯re right. Nobody really got hurt.¡± ¡° She thought for a moment, trying to take her mind off the fight scene. She shook her head. ¡°I haven¡¯t thought much about my plans, to be honest.¡± ¡° Her smile faded as the thought about the two boys. Yesterday it had been just her and this boy, and now there were four. She wondered if she¡¯d be left behind now that there were other people in the hotel. ¡°What about you?¡± she asked. ¡° ¡°Could we explore together?¡± ¡° She grinned. ¡°Have you ever been to the library?¡± ¡° She smiled even wider. ¡°After we spent most of yesterday cleaning the arcade, the library doors unlocked. The hotel app told me.¡± ¡° ¡° * * * ¡° She stifled a laugh. There was a ridiculous amount of dust in the library. He got his coughing under control. ¡°I don¡¯t think we''re gonna be able to clean all this today, if that''s what you want to do.¡± She looked around, gazing at the stacks of books and the layers of dust on the tomes, tables, and chairs. She sighed, picturing the work needed to make the place habitable. ¡° you ¡° ¡° ¡° She laughed along before realizing what he¡¯d said. She¡¯d never had a brother before. ¡° ¡° They took one of the glass elevators to the top floor, which seemed to be full of conference rooms, then headed for the stairs to the roof deck. ¡° It was like being in a castle courtyard. There were four towers, one at each corner, and they had just stepped out of the stairwell of one of them. There was a glass pyramid in the centre of the roof deck and four smaller pyramids around it, each at the centre of its own quarter of the roof deck. Each quarter had something different. The northwest quarter had a little guest house, the northeast quarter had space for outdoor dining, the southeast quarter had the playground (and chain-link fencing), and the southwest quarter had a pool and multi-sport court Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. ¡° ¡° She smiled at him, then walked to a bench by the edge of the roof deck. ¡°It¡¯s honestly like another world up here.¡± She closed her eyes for a moment. It was a sunny day, but this high up there was a constant breeze. ¡°This is a nice change from the musty library downstairs.¡± ¡° She looked him. ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± ¡° She but her lip. ¡°Do you remember where you came from?¡± ¡° ¡° He shook his head. ¡°I feel like I should be missing people, but I also know I¡¯ll see them again. I''m used to being alone. And it''s a lot less lonely when I''m with you.¡± She caught his gaze. ¡°You don¡¯t feel so lonely around me?¡± ¡° She smiled, then looked at the grass. ¡°But don¡¯t you miss your family? Your friends?¡± He shrugged. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°N-no! Not-not books on puberty! I just wanted to know about your age. Nothing else.¡± She felt her cheeks redden the slightest bit. ¡°About the question I asked¡ªdo you miss not having a family? A mum and dad?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° Her eyes went wide. The boys parents put him on a spaceship? That wasn¡¯t the usual way of abandoning someone. Was he making it up? He seemed totally serious. ¡°You don¡¯t remember what the fighting was about?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° Her face fell and she facepalmed. ¡° She looked at his pointing finger and rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, shut up. Okay, I fell for it.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°with pictures! She folded her arms across her chest. ¡°I look like I read real, classic literature, not childish comics!¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° She was still confused as to how doodles on paper suddenly became literature. ¡°Hmph. Well then, what¡¯s your favourite comic?¡± ¡°The Dark Knight Returns ¡° ¡°Yes, my dear. Like a cartoon.¡± He rolled his eyes. She folded her arms tighter. ¡°Oh, sure. A cartoon based off of a childish comic is suddenly ¡®literature.'' How sophisticated.¡± ¡° She smirked and leaned forward a little. ¡°What? I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?¡± ¡° The smirk remained on her face. ¡°Aww, is someone too comfy to move?¡± ¡° She huffed. ¡°Puh-lease. I am not a grandma. I''m fifteen!¡± His eyes were closing. ¡°Must¡¯ve been born an old woman.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, very funny.¡± Then, she noticed that his eyes were drooping. ¡°You¡¯re not about to fall asleep out here, are you?¡± But he was snoring gently. She shook her head. He had just called her a grandma for not reading comics and now he¡¯d fallen asleep in the middle of the conversation. On one hand, she could leave him and find something else to occupy her time. On the other hand . . . ¡° ¡° ¡° She chuckled. She began to use both hands to poke his cheeks. ¡°Come on, sleepyhead. Wake up.¡± ¡°comfortable. She laughed. ¡°Just get up for a moment. Please? Come oooonn¡± She began to poke his cheek relentlessly. ¡° ¡° ¡° Her smirk widened, and he started to take off one of her shoes. She was right behind him. She held her shoe high over his head and let it drop. ¡° She burst into laughter. Both of her hands flew to her mouth in a vain attempt to muffle it. She just couldn¡¯t help it. His face was priceless! ¡° She stood in front of him, her hands on her hips. ¡°Serves you right for calling me a grandma.¡± He sighed. ¡° ¡° She rolled her eyes. ¡°You were playing video games all night, which was such a childish thing to do. You wasted your time.¡± ¡° She watched as he walked away and she spoke to get the last word in. ¡°You¡¯re not even going to say good night?¡± He waved with his back turned and then he was gone. ¡° She leaned back on her hands and looked at the sky. She sighed. ¡°This day is going to go on forever, isn¡¯t it?¡± The wind picked up, rustling through the grass. She let out another sigh. She must have dozed, because the next thing she knew the sun was low and the sky was streaked with orange, pink, and gold. She went down to the dining hall. The food was as fresh and tasty as always but she didn¡¯t see the boy at any of the tables. She sat down and started slowly eating. As she absently pushed the food around on her plate, it occurred to her that she didn¡¯t know where his room was. He had a keycard, yes, but she¡¯d never spotted the number. She pushed food around with her fork. The hotel was too quiet. She thought for a moment before nodding to herself and pushing her chair out, leaving her half-eaten dinner behind. She began walking toward the closest staircase leading up the rooms. She wondered for a moment whether this was a good idea before beginning to climb. She walked down a hallway on the fourth floor, her shoes making soft sounds on the carpet. She walked past the doors, reading every number. ¡°SE440 . . . SE441 . . . SE442 . . .¡± She turned a corner and went down another hallway, her eyes flicking to the door numbers. ¡°SE445 . . . SE446 . . .¡± She hesitated again. Was he really in one of these rooms? What would she do if she found the room? Intellectually, she knew that the hotel actually had quite a few rooms. She could search for days and never find him. Still, she pushed on. ¡°SE447 . . .¡± She turned a corner and wondered how she¡¯d even tell which room was his. It''s not like they had nameplates. And what was she going to do, just knock? She felt her cheeks starting to warm. Her? Knocking on his door? Ridiculous. job As she turned to head back in the direction of the stairs, a sound caught her attention. Her head whipped around¡ªit was the sound of a door opening. She took a few tentative steps down the hall. She could feel her pulse in her throat. Only a few more doors . . . She heard footsteps. Someone was definitely in one of the rooms. Her heart pounded in her chest. For a few moments she stood at the end of the hall, waiting. Listening. She heard footsteps again and she walked to one of the doors. Holding her chest, her pulse thudding in her head, she brought her hand up and knocked, the sound of her knuckles on wood shockingly loud. She waited for a response from inside . . . Nothing. She waited, and she was just about to give up and leave when she heard footsteps again. Her heart leaped and she placed her ear against the door. Someone was shuffling around on the inside. ¡° She swallowed before opening her mouth. ¡°I-I''m Emma.¡± ¡° She bit her lip. ¡°I-I wanted to talk to . . .¡± ¡° Why had she come here looking of the boy anyway? She suddenly felt very silly. ¡°N-Never mind.¡± ¡° anything else. Eventually her wanderings brought her to the library. Her mood worsened as she looked around. She needed cleaning supplies but didn¡¯t know where she could find a janitor''s closet. She let out a huff. The only thing to do now was to look for that stupid closet. Her footsteps sounded louder than usual as she padded down the hall. Her pace increased and she glanced around, feeling like she was being watched. She found an un-numbered door where she would expect a janitor''s closet to be, but the door wouldn''t budge. She groaned. She wasn¡¯t going to get any cleaning done without the boy''s help. She thought about searching for him and realized she was going in circles. Which was all she''d managed to do that day: go in circles. She sighed. She might as well give up and have something to eat. She turned on her heel and begrudgingly returned to the dining hall. Once again, soft music was playing somewhere, but the silence rang loud. Her shoes clicked on the tile floor. She took a seat and scanned the room. It felt like someone was watching her again, but the buffet was there as always. She got up to fill a plate. She had some roast beef, some macaroni, and a slice of sweet potato pie. As she cut the meat into small pieces, she glanced around the huge room. It felt like someone was looking right at her, and yet she was alone. She turned her attention back to her plate, savouring the taste of good roast beef. She leaned back and sighed as she finished her meal. It was time for bed. * * * She pulled the blanket over her. At least in her room she never felt like she was being watched. She remembered how her father would hold her close when she had trouble sleeping. She¡¯d crawl to his bed and slip under the covers and he would hold her until she fell asleep again. She was still dreaming of happier times when she woke up. She blinked: she was fully-awake, and not groggy at all. She sat up, noticing that her hair was tangled from tossing around. She rubbed her eyes and her stomach rumbled. It was earlier than she usually began a new day but the sun and risen and it was as good a time as any to got out of bed. She stretched and reached for her robe. * * * She shut the door behind her. Her slipper-covered feet padded down the carpet as she scanned from side to side. The Pyramidion was as eerie as ever but she reached the dining hall without anything happening. The breakfast buffet groaned under all the dishes. There were sausages, tender bacon slices and crispy bacon slices, and eggs cooked several ways. There were also hash browns, fluffy pancakes and crispy waffles, and a big bowl of sliced fruit. Emma''s eyes bounced from one option to another, her mouth watering. She took a plate and moved down the table. She had to go for the pancakes of course, and some hash browns, and a few slices of bacon. She went over to the drink station and grabbed a glass of apple juice. She sat down at an empty table. She ate a forkful of pancake. It was syrupy and hot. She tried to enjoy it but couldn¡¯t help but look around for the boy, who was still nowhere in sight. She shook the thought away and continued eating. She didn''t get distracted from cleaning the library. She took a bite of bacon this time. It tasted like smoky heaven and she groaned. As she ate, she thought about the hotel, which was getting more mysterious by the minute. She wondered if she should go for seconds. She hadn¡¯t cleaned her plate but the buffet was tempting her back. And it''s not like there was anyone to see her be a pig. She pushed her chair aside and went back to the buffet. She picked up a fluffy waffle, a crispy sausage, and two more strips of juicy bacon. She also poured herself a large glass of milk. Again, it was all perfect. The waffle held just the right amount of syrup in its honeycomb pattern. She continued to stuff her face, occasionally washing things down with cold milk. A few minutes later she leaned back, feeling warm and full and just a little uncomfortable. She let out a little burp and smiled. It had been a good breakfast . . . but now she was thinking about him again. ¡°those * * * When she arrived, she breathed deeply. After all her time spent wandering inside yesterday she appreciated the fresh air and open sky. She went to the parapet and looked out over the grounds. It looked like the hotel was on a grassy hill and the hill was on a forested island. Only a few little cabins dotted the landscape. The grass, the trees, and the rolling hills in the distance looked like a painting. Emma looked straight down at a drop of over fifty floors. She wondered if it was possible to climb from her own balcony, which was on the fourth floor, high enough to be scary but low enough to seem doable. She¡¯d never been much of a climber¡ªand her father would disapprove¡ªbut she seriously considered it. For now, though, she decided not to test her luck. She heard splashing. Someone was in the pool. She turned. The sound could mean only one thing! She quickly made her way to the pool and sure enough she saw the boy doing laps. Part of her itched to stop him, but another part made her hesitate. She sat on a sun lounger and watched him swim from one end of the semi-Olympic pool to the other. Her eyes followed him up and down the length of it and she felt her cheeks getting warm. After a while he stopped at the near end and poked his head his head over the edge ¡°Nice bathrobe,¡± he said. She froze, suddenly remembering she was in her bathrobe and slippers. She wrapped the robe tighter to cover her legs, her cheeks burning. She shook herself, realizing she¡¯d been staring at his hair. She turned away. ¡°I¡¯m-I''m looking for cleaning supplies.¡± ¡° She nodded, her face averted. After some minutes he emerged from the stall all dressed and smelling of soap, though his hair was still damp. ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± she asked, as they walked into a stairwell. He looked at her. ¡°Y¡¯know, you haven''t even apologized yet for dissing my hobbies.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± she said. ¡°All right. I¡¯m sorry for disrespecting your precious hobbies.¡± ¡° Chapter 3 ¡° ¡° not ¡°So we start down here. I¡¯m thinking the bookshelves and books first. And the tables and chairs after that?¡± She hadn¡¯t seen a single spider or flying insect but there were cobwebs everywhere and the dirt in the library was thick enough to plant crops on. Just from them moving around, enough powdered filth was rising into the air to make her cough. ¡°This is going to take ages!¡± ¡° She followed, still coughing. She was curious to see what was inside the fabled closet. ¡° ¡° ¡° Emma joined him in changing into a pair of overalls. He saw her slip out of her bathrobe and turned his back. She giggled. ¡°Such a gentleman!¡± Her set was a little big on her, but it would serve. She tied her hair up to keep it out of the way. He cleared his throat. He stood next to two large industrial vacuum cleaners and a cart loaded with cleaning supplies.¡°Would you push the cart while I lug the vacuums?¡± ¡° * * * He went out into the hallway pulling the vacuum cleaners after him. ¡°So here¡¯s my idea: We vacuum the floors and the shelves first, get most of the gunk that way, and then we can start wiping the shelves down.¡± ¡° ¡° She shrugged. ¡°It won¡¯t hurt to try.¡± ¡° As she began pushed the cart, Emma wondered the same thing. Would it lead them closer to understanding where they were? ¡°I guess we¡¯ll find out.¡± They returned to the library and the boy found a couple of electrical outlets, one for each vacuum. ¡°Better mask up,¡± he said, handing her a heavy-duty dust mask. Emma took the mask and tied it on, then picked up her vacuum. ¡°Ready when you are,¡± she said, her voice muffled. He nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s do this.¡± They walked into the library, vacuuming the floor as they went. They worked their way around the big room, sucking up the dirt from the floor and the bottom shelves. Slowly, tediously, things started to look brighter. ¡° ¡° She laughed. ¡°That was terrible and I love it.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° was He gave her a pointed look. ¡°I got us the snacks last time. Shall we say it¡¯s your turn?¡± ¡° She nodded and took the shortest route to the atrium. She reached the dining hall and goggled at the food. The buffet table hadn¡¯t gotten any bigger but it felt like there were so many more choices today. ¡° ¡°Hah! Sorry for taking so long.¡± She hefted the basket onto a reasonably-clean table. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect there to be so much to choose from.¡± ¡° ¡°Oh, c¡¯mon, I just wanted to make sure you had a good variety. Plus I didn¡¯t want to risk not having enough.¡± ¡° She frowned. ¡°I . . . I guess you could say that. I spent the past few years not having a lot. Not a lot of food or stability, so I take what I can, when I can.¡± She spoke quietly, almost shamefully. ¡° She looked at him. ¡°You¡¯ve . . . been here for years and years?¡± He held up a hand. ¡°That¡¯s right. But please, no more questions about what I can and can¡¯t remember. If anything comes up you''ll be the first to know.¡± She offered him a small smile. ¡°No more questions, I promise.¡± He rolled his eyes. ¡°I wish. But I won¡¯t hold you to that when your curiosity gets the better of you.¡± She giggled. ¡°You know me too well!¡± ¡° Emma picked up her own sandwich and took a careful bite. ¡°Mmm,¡± she said, feeling more normal. ¡° She looked into the picnic basket and picked out a bottle of soda. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what you¡¯d be in the mood for, so I grabbed a few different flavours.¡± ¡° She looked at the bottle, noticing the Pyramidion¡¯s logo. ¡°I guess they¡¯ve got everything, huh?¡± ¡° She took another bite of her sandwich. ¡°Yeah, and the company isn¡¯t too bad either.¡± ¡° She glared at him. ¡°Hey, I¡¯m a great conversationalist!¡± ¡° She leaned back. ¡°Well, you¡¯re perceptive, maybe even a little too much. You¡¯re stubborn in a way that can be endearing and annoying. You''ve got a sarcastic sense of humour, but underneath that, you care about others. Is that good enough for you?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡°facts ¡° ¡° She paused. Did he tell her his name? ¡°Umm . . . yeah, I think you did. But, uh, remind me again just in case?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°that girl ¡°that girl ¡° ¡° ¡°talkativeirritatingscrawny ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° She got up from her chair. ¡°I suppose we ought to.¡± They started up the vacuums again and moved on to the shelves, using the long hose-attachments to reach higher. Emma groaned as she felt the familiar tedium set in again. They vacuumed for what felt like hours, cleaning shelf after shelf, with only the steady roar to fill the silence. Her mind wandered freely. She glanced over at the boy next to her. Despite the conversations they had shared, she still knew so little about him. As he suspected she would, she wanted to ask him more questions. ¡° She blinked and realized she¡¯d been staring. ¡°Oh, nothing much,¡± she said. ¡°Just thinking about how tiring this vacuuming is.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Henry had indeed finished hoovering his area. She looked back at her own area and saw she was close to finishing as well. ¡°Thank goodness. This contraption is starting to weigh me down.¡± ¡° She nodded. Wet-dusting the shelves seemed easier after such a long time vacuuming. ¡°You go ahead.¡± She began with the first bookshelf. She worked steadily, moving from shelf to shelf, making sure to get into all the little places. The library took up the space that on the residential floors was taken up by the hallway and stairwell. As Emma worked, her mind wandered again. She dumped the dirty rags in a bucket and Henry replaced it with a fresh bucket, taking the full one back to the janitor¡¯s closet to wash. They moved as a team, with her wiping the shelves and him taking away the rags and replacing them with fresh ones. ¡° ¡° Her stomach grumbled. ¡°You¡¯re right. Let''s call it a day.¡± They wheeled the cleaning equipment back the janitor¡¯s closet and stripped out of their boiler suits. The sink was big enough for both of them to wash at the same time. Emma felt fresher already. She looked over to see Henry doing the same. His face was wet and his hair was falling in tangles.Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. * * * ¡° Her eyes roamed over the dishes. ¡°That¡¯s a tough question. After today, it all looks good. But I¡¯m in the mood for something light. Maybe a nice salad or soup?¡± There were, in fact, several choices of soup and also a salad bar. Henry pointed them out. ¡° ¡° They sat at their usual table and she looked at his plate¡ªit was identical. He shrugged. ¡°You looked like you were having fun.¡± ¡° She took another spoonful of soup, enjoying the hearty flavour, before continuing the conversation. ¡°You could have gotten something different, you know.¡± He shrugged. ¡°I wasn¡¯t craving anything in particular, so I just went monkey see, monkey do.¡± She rolled her eyes. ¡°Oh, so now I¡¯m a monkey, huh?¡± ¡° She laughed and took another spoonful. ¡°Well, in that case, we make a pretty good pair of monkeys.¡± ¡° ¡°partner-in-crime ¡° She stroked her chin with one hand and tapped her lips with her forefinger. ¡°I suppose we could start small. Maybe stealing some chocolate from the pantry, or staying out past curfew.¡± ¡° She glanced towards the food bar, looking at the sweets. It was very tempting. ¡°No curfew? So we can stay up all night?¡± ¡° She took a sip of water. ¡°You¡¯ve got a point there. There''s no point in battling sleep if we''re missing out on life.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° She looked around. ¡°Definitely more exciting than some candy heist.¡± She lowered her voice. ¡°But where do we even start? Breaking out of this hotel isn¡¯t exactly easy, is it?¡± ¡° Her smile disappeared as she remembered that she''d thought about climbing down from her fourth-floor balcony. ¡°Hey, Henry. I remember I thought about climbing down the other day . . . Would that actually work? Just dropping down from my fourth-floor balcony?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° He rolled his eyes. ¡°Of course. I happen to be an escape artist.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° She rolled her eyes. ¡°Whether it¡¯s three days or a lifetime, you still have more practical sense than I do.¡± ¡° She watched him for a moment, trying to figure out what she might have said wrong. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± ¡° She decided not to press the matter. For now, at least. ¡°There¡¯s a chocolate cake on the shelf over there. Looks pretty good.¡± ¡° She was still puzzled she was determined to bring back the banter. ¡°Chocolate cake it is, then. And I might steal some extras for our escape later. Heh. A basket of cake for our daring escape!¡± He looked up. ¡°What were you thinking of doing for the rest of the night?¡± ¡°Well . . . I was hoping we could just spend some time together, maybe talk a bit, just . . . enjoy each other''s company, y''know?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° She laughed. ¡°Oh, I know. But now that you¡¯re always on the lookout, I''ll have to get even more creative. Don''t worry. I promise I won''t be too cruel.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° * * * She stepped out into the roof deck and into the evening air. She tightened her bathrobe and looked around. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°YAAAAAAAAUUUUGH!¡± ¡° ¡° The pool was underlit with chilly blue lights but she was never one to back down from a challenge, especially not from him. She untied her bathrobe, draped it over a sunlounger, and took a few steps back for a running start. ¡° heated The boy could barely tread water, he was laughing so hard. ¡°Gotcha! I gotcha!¡± Emma laughed and splashed some water at him. ¡°I can¡¯t believe I fell for that. You''re too sly for your own good!¡± ¡° She took a moment to appreciate the warmth. ¡°Maybe I do.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° She floated beside him, close enough that she could feel the movement of the water as he paddled ever so gently to stay on his back. She turned her head toward him. ¡°You knew exactly what I was thinking. It was almost like you could read my mind.¡± He thought about it. Finally he said, ¡°I missed you.¡± Heart skipped a beat. She reached out and put a hand on his shoulder, the touch both comforting and seeking. ¡°I missed you too.¡± ¡° She repeated herself, her voice softer. ¡°I missed you. I missed being with you, talking to you.¡± She paused and looked him squarely in the face. ¡°I missed everything about you.¡± He frowned. ¡°That¡¯s great, but how did we get to talking about this?¡± I missed you ¡° ¡° He shook his head. ¡°Nope. I was looking at the stars. I was thinking, ¡®What a fine night this is.''¡± ¡° ¡° So he did say it, but he didn¡¯t recall why. ¡°You don¡¯t have any idea why you would say you missed me, if you weren''t thinking about us?¡± He thought a moment. ¡°D¡¯you know that sea otters hold hands so they don''t drift away in their sleep?¡± She blinked. ¡°Ah, yeah, I¡¯ve heard about that. Otters holding hands to stay together. Why do you ask?¡± She felt his hand reaching for hers. Her breath caught and then their fingers intertwined in the water. ¡° She glanced at their joined hands, then back at him. ¡°Rafting,¡± she said. ¡°That¡¯s a nice word.¡± She gave in to the silence and floated closer to him. ¡° She took a deep breath. ¡°So, you don¡¯t always understand why you do things, yeah? But you go with it anyway? It just . . . feels right?¡± But the boy had drifted off another way. He was asleep. She extricated her hand and moved closer, kicking under the surface to gain some height on him. She studied the way his eyelids fluttered and his chest rose and fell. He said he¡¯d missed her. She brushed a strand of hair from his face. Much as she hated to ruin the moment, she needed to wake him up. Falling asleep in a pool wasn¡¯t safe. She shook his shoulder. ¡°Hey,¡± she called out. ¡°You need to wake up. You¡¯re asleep in the water.¡± ¡° She shook him again. ¡°Wake up. You¡¯re asleep in the water. You need to wake up!¡± ¡° Emma gasped as she was yanked underwater. She found herself sputtering and giggling when her head reemerged. ¡°Hey! You can''t just pull me underwater like that!¡± ¡° She ran her hand over her face, trying to clear the water out of her eyes. ¡°No, this isn¡¯t your bed. You''re in a swimming pool!¡± ¡° She laughed again and splashed him. ¡°Yeah, you are. ¡° ¡° * * * The next day saw them cleaning the bookshelves and as much of the books as they could reach without pulling them out. They worked side by side, wiping down the bookshelves and the book spines. Luckily for them, the tomes were bound in leather and could take a little damp. Emma watched Henry as he worked. He¡¯d run his rag over a shelf, the same sweeping length each time, his hand moving from left to right, left to right, as steady and as regular as a machine. Then he¡¯d flick up the rag to a clean side and start running it down the books, working his way back to the side of the shelf he''d started at. ¡° The Hardy Boys Casefiles ¡°Animorphs Her eyebrows arched. ¡°Child soldiers? That . . . that sounds intense.¡± ¡° She paused her cleaning. ¡°Body horror? What does that mean, exactly?¡± ¡°ooze She shivered. ¡°Sounds horrific.¡± ¡°Goosebumps ¡° He pursed his lips. ¡°I wish we only had horror-movie monsters to worry about.¡± ¡°Yeah. If life were just a simple, clich¨¦d horror film we''d know the villains and we''d know how to survive.¡± ¡°Army of Darkness Emma looked sheepish. ¡°I haven¡¯t. I''m not that well-versed in those types of films.¡± ¡° This was the first that she had heard of a supermarket. ¡°There¡¯s one in the hotel?¡± ¡° She placed a hand on her hip and quirked an eyebrow. ¡°It seems you may have conveniently left that detail out.¡± ¡° ¡°Army of Darkness ¡° ¡°What made it so good?¡± ¡° ¡° She couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I suppose it¡¯s not so bad after all. At least we''re not alone.¡± Later, she found herself in the janitor¡¯s closet washing the rags. The repetitive action of scrubbing and wringing allowed her to circle back to the conversation. Still holding a wet rag, she paused. It was strange, really, this mix of comfort and fear. The hotel felt like a refuge. But at the same time, it was a prison. She paused again, staring at the now-clean rag. She wondered if she had the strength to use a climbing rope. And was she ready to face whatever lay beyond the hotel walls? She leaned on the sink and turned over her thoughts. The reality was that they had no idea what would happen once they escaped. It could be another set of dangers. She clenched her fists around the rag, her knuckles whitening. Could she survive them? She wouldn¡¯t be alone, she remembered. The boy would follow her, and that made her smile. Yes, she wouldn¡¯t be alone. But she wondered if it was fair to drag him into the unknown. She sighed and picked up another dirty rag. She scrubbed it furiously. * * * Working steadily, they managed to finish the library in time for a late dinner. As they stepped back to look at the shelves, Emma glanced over at Henry. ¡°Lovely, isn¡¯t it?¡± she said. ¡° She glanced at the bookshelves one last time. It was calming to have some sense of order. With a sigh, she leaned against the shelf. Emma tried to think. ¡°I don¡¯t know . . . something simple? Do we have any bread and butter left over?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° They regrouped at what was becoming their regular table. Emma settled down with her sandwich. It was mostly cheese and melted cheese between two slices of toasted bread. She took a nibble. She noticed the boy taking a big bite of his own sandwich. ¡°Hungry, are we?¡± ¡° She took another bite of her sandwich and chewed. ¡°I wonder the same,¡± she said between bites. ¡°There must be so much we have yet to find.¡± * * * The next morning she woke up to him knocking on her door. ¡°Hey, wake up in there.¡± She stirred, her eyes fluttering as she slowly emerged into wakefulness. ¡°I¡¯m awake, I''m awake,¡± she called. Slowly, she sat up in bed. ¡° ¡° She followed him as they made their way down to the west lobby and toward the entrance, which was a large revolving glass door flanked by two smaller glass doors. ¡° She approached the revolving door and gave it a light push. The door began to turn. She pushed a little harder and the door spun faster, depositing her outside. She was outside! Henry was right behind her. ¡°Pretty cool, huh?¡± The hotel stood on a hill that was flat enough for an expansive lawn. There were paved paths and park benches and what looked like a stage for events. Emma stood in the fresh air and sunlight and open space. ¡° The haze made everything feel like a dream. She took a few more steps forward, her footsteps muffled. The air was crisp and the fog made it feel like she was exploring another world. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°Quite a change from the library.¡± She looked at the gym area and estimated the amount of cleanup that would be needed. Like the library, the gym was a large space that on the upper floors would''ve been taken up by the stairwell and the space fronting each room. There was a dance studio, a boxing ring, and floor space for cardio machines and free weights. There were mirrors everywhere, all covered in dust. ¡° ¡° They¡¯d left the library clean the previous night, but just like the arcade it had somehow gotten a final deep-clean overnight and was full of polished surfaces. Henry ran his finger over a row of books and found nothing gritty. Even the leather bindings looked newer. Emma looked around in bewilderment. ¡°How does it look so good?¡± He shrugged. ¡°The hotel does what it does.¡± She heard a clink. She turned and saw a young woman, not yet twenty, who was reading at one of the tables. She wore big round eyeglasses and had her dark hair up in a bun. She occasionally broke the sound of the distant lobby music by turning a page or putting her cup into its saucer. ¡° The woman looked up, her eyes going from Henry and Emma. She smiled and shook her head. ¡°No, I just read here. You¡¯ll find that the books eventually find their way back to the shelves.¡± ¡° Chapter 4 ¡° Emma spooned up more potato salad. ¡°Have you noticed how big and empty the place is? Granted, it hasn¡¯t affected the amenities, but how does management afford to keep us fed like kings?¡± my ¡° As far as Emma knew, there were only six people in the Pyramidion. There was herself; Henry, whom she''d met the first day; Obie and Prospero, the two boys who hung around the arcade; the old man on the fourth floor, whom she''d never actually seen; and finally there was Elisabeth, who hadn''t shown up until Emma and Henry had cleaned the library. ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Henry shrugged. ¡°Maybe the actual cleaning staff comes out when everyone''s asleep. Like vampire janitors.¡± ¡° ¡° Elisabeth frowned. ¡°From my perspective, the library has always been open.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° "Then you''d be stealing from yourself. Isn¡¯t that the sort of illogical thing that faerie kings get up to?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° * * * After that heavy breakfast they walked slowly to one of the glass elevators. ¡° ¡° Elisabeth pushed up her glasses. ¡°It''s rammed earth, an ancient building technique. They poured dirt into wooden forms and pounded it into sandstone.¡± ¡° The older girl looked up the airshaft. ¡°The hotel''s probably steel-reinforced but you can build pretty tall with just rammed earth.¡± Emma stretched her neck upward. She had no idea how the Pyramidion had been built but it looked like it had taken a lot of work. ¡°How old is this place, do you think? I''d almost think it was some kind of temple. ¡° Henry looked up from his phone. ¡°Wikipedia says Art Deco first appeared in the 1910s and flourished between the world wars. So, the place is from the last century.¡± "A hundred years old,¡± Emma said. ¡°And yet it looks like it was only built last year, with how new everything looks. I wonder how they keep it so well-maintained?¡± You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ¡° They stepped into the glass elevators and Henry pressed a button. ¡°B is for ¡®Basement.¡¯" ¡° ¡° The door opened and they walked out into an enormous supermarket floor. Emma stared up at the towering shelves. ¡°It¡¯s incredible. I can barely see the end of this place!¡± ¡° ¡° "Clothes for the ratty girl, check. What else?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Elisabeth had been following quietly. ¡°When I first arrived in the hotel, I hoarded food in my room.¡± ¡° ¡° Emma and Elisabeth exchanged looks. ¡° ¡° Henry was suddenly beside her. ¡®It''s all right.¡± He placed a hand on her back. ¡°It''s okay.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡°when "You make it sound easy. I''ve never been able to stop thinking and worrying. I feel so small knowing so many other people have nothing and I''m just sitting here¡ªwith everything I could ever want!¡± ¡° She looked at him, her own eyes full of tears. ¡°I''m sorry. I''m always making everything so difficult.¡± ¡° Elisabeth said nothing, but slowly looked away. ¡° Emma smiled, just a touch. The idea of watching a movie in her room was very appealing. ¡° Henry stood and took hold of the shopping cart again. ¡°Lead the way, girls.¡± Emma and Elisabeth stood up as well. They followed him through the aisles, picking up clothing, toiletries and personal items, and, of course, food. Emma was particularly happy to see that they sold chocolate and she found herself with a few bags and boxes of it. They were rolling down the cookie aisle when Henry sighed and reached for something. ¡°Sugar-glazed egg crackers. I''ve been looking for these for ages!¡± Emma smiled as he added the crackers to their shopping cart. ¡°I take it they''re good?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° Emma rolled her eyes. Henry turned to Elisabeth. ¡°So, you found the supermarket on your first day here?¡± Elisabeth nodded. ¡°When I first arrived in the hotel, I was starving. And I was afraid that the feeling wouldn''t go away, so I searched the hotel.¡± ¡° ¡°kept ¡° Emma laughed. ¡°Of course you did!¡± She giggled. As for herself, she''d been too intimidated by her new surroundings to consider just pressing random elevator buttons. ¡°Perhaps the better question is, when did you stop pressing buttons?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° think ¡° ¡° ¡° She shook her head. ¡°No, I never noticed any. Too distracted by the bathtub, I suppose.¡± ¡° "Of course I do, I''m not an idiot. I just . . .¡± She gave a sheepish smile. ¡°I really don¡¯t remember anything like that in my room.¡± ¡° ding With two shopping carts, Emma and Elisabeth had to shuffle closer to Henry. Emma took a deep breath, suddenly aware of how close he was. She looked to the side. They were practically shoulder-to-shoulder. ¡° She looked down at herself and wrinkled her nose. Her clothes were clean, but old and worn. ¡°I¡¯m running out.¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° They reached the fourth floor and wheeled the carts into the hall. Elisabeth turned out to have a room close to Emma''s, which was comforting to know. ¡° ¡° Elisabeth shook her head. ¡°It''s not really needed with modern detergents.¡± Emma''s eyebrows shot up. ¡°How will the detergent tell the colours apart from the whites?¡± ¡° ¡° ¡° ¡° The older girl nodded. ¡°Just give me a minute.¡± A few minutes later they were squeezing into the elevator again. Emma stood next to Henry once more, wondering what he might be thinking of her old clothes. ¡° ¡° ¡° Emma laughed. ¡°Oh, I should''ve known. You''re clearly a true Ferengi at heart, whatever that is.¡± Emma looked around, fascinated at this new area. She looked at her laundry basket, then over at the washing machines and dryers. They looked pretty good considering all the hand-washing she¡¯d done over the years. ¡° She gave a small smile. ¡°I suppose I am.¡± ¡° ¡°