The Tiger and the Moth

Chapter 10

Emily woke up later that night in a big sweat. Her clothes were also licked to her skin and wet. Humidity. It was called that by Michael. It was the substance that could be felt but not seen, unless you look really closely and quint your eyes at the skyline, it's possible to see a glimmer of it. Emily turned on a small light that was next to the bed. She needed to get cooler but didn't know what to do. She opened her door, and went down the hallway to the sitting room. Through the window, the moon was bright and it shone through the window. Lots of little specks of stars were scattered. Emily sat there for a while, but she heard some noise. She turned to her right, and saw that someone was sitting in a chair.

"Hello?" Emily said. There wasn't an answer. Emily walked over to where she thought the person was. When she approached it, it was the girl she had just met. But her face looked like a pile of bricks. Before Emily could do anything further, Delilah's eyes began to rapidly blink. It was disturbing to watch. Emily didn't know what else to do but to put a hand on her and wait.

"Delilah wake up!" Emily said. Then nothing. Delilah's eyes stopped and stared forward. Emily looked at her closely.

"Help!" Emily yelled, jumping back from the chair. "Somebody help!" she screamed. Emily ran out into the hallway, her bare feet sliding on the wood floor.

"Someone help me! Something's wrong!" she continued to yell. A door opened and she noticed a couple girls open their doors. Other doors quickly opened. An older couple cracked their door open and was quickly putting on their robes. Larry appeared from the bottom of the stairs.

"What's happening?" he yelled while running upstairs.

"You need to come here. It's Delilah," Emily said. Larry ran to where Delilah was sitting in the library.

"I can take it from here." He was rubbing her shoulders that were stiff like a statue. Emily heard Larry but couldn't bring herself to move. She stood there watching him prod Delilah. Michael leaned through the door.

"Everyone can go back to bed, everything is okay" Michael said.

"What's going on?" Emily asked.

"She sometimes sleep walks. I'm sorry if it spooked you," Larry said. "You can go back to bed."

Emily walked out of the library. She turned and saw Larry snapping his fingers in front of her eyes. They didn't blink.

"How long does it last?" Emily asked.

"No more than ten minutes," Larry said. "It runs in my family. The doctors have said it's catatonic-something or other. But I don't think they really know."

They sat looking at Delilah while her green eyes were off and looking at something unseen in the room and she looked far away.

***

The next morning, Emily got up and felt tired. It must of only been a few hours later than when she fell asleep, but she couldn't get back to sleep. The air conditioner was working well and chilling the room nicely. Emily sat up and stretched, and looked out the window. The trees in the back of the hotel were tall and green. Vines hung on them, tangled in sticks and branches or leaves. It was quiet, but Emily could hear the bettles, and birds making waves of noise, making the forest and trees seem alive. Today she would have to get her car out of the stream. She brushed her hair out and changed her clothes, then made her way down stairs. When she reached the bottom of the stairs, she smelled something delicious. She walked through the swing doors and realized she was in the kitchen already and sitting a small round table was Michael. She sat at the other small table next to him. He looked up from the paper. Emily looked at him without saying anything for a moment.

"Morning," she said, looking at him. He didn't say anything else.

"Morning," Michael lowered his eyes and shook the paper back. The chefs working there looked at Emily.

"Yew' need something honey?" one of the heavy set ones said.

"Coffee if you have it," Emily said.

"If we have it," one of the other ladies laughed. One of them put a pot with a cup and a tray with milk and sugar on the table.

"Thanks," she said, but the chefs were looking at the food they were preparing. Emily made her coffee as milky and sugary as she could take it. She couldn't remember the last time she made her own coffee. Once she made it, she finished most of the cup already. Michael continued to read the paper in silence. Emily would watch as he would raise the cup to his lips and take a small sip before setting it back down. Emily counted about three ladies working in the kitchen. They were talking loudly to each other about the baking, and cooking. Emily continued to drink her coffee. She didn't think they minded her being in there. This made her feel more comfortable and she liked hearing them chat. For the first time since arriving, she felt at peace for a moment.

"Thanks Cat," Michael said to one of them.

"You're welcome," she said. Emily noticed a black cat tattooed on her neck. He walked out the hidden swing doors on the side of the stair case and made his way back to the lobby desk. Emily sat there and made another cup.

"Where you from?" Cat asked. Emily choked on her coffee.

"California," Emily said.

"You're a long way from home," the big one said. Yes I am, Emily thought. Emily drank the rest of her coffee.

"Thanks," Emily said. She left before they could talk more. She didn't want to talk about herself. She needed to get moving.