The Hotel

The Beach

   Chapter 10

T h e b e a c h

Claire was white faced as Ally came out of the room without looking back. She saw that Matthew's face looked distorted and gray. She only got a small glimpse of him before Ally slammed the door. She remembered that Charles was Matthew's Uncle and he might've been working with him.

"Let's go to the beach! You know, to clear our heads! It'll be fun." Claire quickly said.

"That's a great idea! Let's go." Charles enthusiastically replied.

"No." Claire quickly changed her wording, worried he would know she was onto him. "I mean, it could be just a girls trip. Without... you."

Charles quickly responded "But we could all go, to talk about Julia."

"Or we could not." It was more of a demand than a suggestion from Claire.

Without waiting for a response, Claire swiftly went out the door. Ally followed closely behind. As they were walking down to the beach, Ally asked, "What was that all about?"

She was no longer as worried about the Matthew situation and more worried about Claire.

She had never seen her this worried before. "The first night... I saw something. I woke up and you weren't there. I looked out the window because I couldn't sleep and I saw-" Claire stopped. Suddenly she started breathing heavily and crying.

"Wh-what happened? Why are you crying?" Ally was starting to get scared at this point.

Claire never cried. No matter what. "I'm not crying." Claire said as she gasped for air. She was fully sobbing. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head and her tears turned red. Blood. Ally just stood there in complete and total shock. Claire started shaking uncontrollably.

Charles mysteriously came running. "I saw everything. I called an ambulance." Charles said, panicking.

But the ambulance never came.