The Tiger and the Moth

Chapter 17

After what felt like a long morning, Emily took a nap upstairs. When she woke up, she realized that most of the hotel was gone. The sun was out, and a lot of people were in town shopping, and doing there city things. It was nice having the hotel almost to herself. She decided to spend this time investigating the south and why she was there. How did this part of the country get forgotten and why don't they believe the rest of the country, or the world, exists? She first decided to go on Michael's computer. She walked down the stairs, and turned to sit at his desk. She put a hand on the counter, and was about to turn.

"Hey!" Michael said. Emily's heart skipped a beat.

"Hey Michael," Emily said.

"What are you up to?" he asked.

"I was just going to get something to eat," Emily said.

"Okay, well most of us are going to the Festival of Lights and are helping out," Michael said.

"What Festival?" Michael said.

"I thought you were done with that joke about not being from here..." Michael said. "I heard about it. Look you're not fooling us."

"Yeah I know..." Emily said. "Well I'll see you down there later. Should I bring anything?"

"Well you could bring some candles if you find some," Michael said.

"Hey, do you mind if I type something on your computer?" Emily asked.

"No go ahead," Michael said. He left through the front door with a hand full of lights and candles.

That was very close, she thought. Emily looked around one more time and went to the desk. She was nervous because anyone coming on either side of the hall could peer over and look at what she was doing, and she wouldn't know they were coming. It didn't take her long to log onto his computer and open all internet and files. She also learned how to delete her search history and a few other things in order to not be traced... just in case. The first thing she did was look up what the Festival of Lights was. The Festival of Lights is described as parade of light arrangements Emily knew, but she couldn't find anything on the computer to help her. She looked up information about the south. She found a map that was a completely different one that she had seen growing up. The map was a lot larger and with more cities. The boundaries were still smaller than when her parents were little. The water levels had risen then fallen because of the warming trend. She researched California, and when the headlines showed, Emily felt her stomach rise to her throat:

"California and West Coast: Dried and Gone."

"Fires Storm West Coast. Mass Devastation."

"Few survivors in Brush Fire."

The list went on. How is this possible? Yes the west coast is dry, but the what Emily saw gave her the impression that, just like the south, the truth wasn't there. Why did these parts of the world want to believe it is gone? Emily pulled out a map that was buried under deep records when she found an early date, starting with Emily's birth. The map showed the South and the West as separate islands, and in the middle was water. So water was in between the two areas... So Emily wondered how she here?

Emily stood up from the computer, and was in disbelief. Emily went out from behind the desk and into the hallway and began to pace. She walked into Larry's office without knocking. In the chair behind the desk was a man. He was wearing a yellow raincoat and had his head down on his arms, his arms resting on the desk. He popped up once she opened the door.

"Who are you?" Emily asked.

"I'm Donald Trackner. I'm the groundsman." He seemed nervous and loosened his collar. He fixed his pastel-yellow button up shirt under his raincoat.

"I think he is helping the town get ready for the festival."

"Well then, I'll just have to wait for him to get back," Donald said.

She cleared her throat. "You said you are grounds man? What do you do?" He looked at her and shrugged his shoulders.

"I take care of the hotel's outdoor areas. In the front with the trees, the flower beds on the sides, the gate in the back" Donald said. Emily felt a wave of panic. Donald was the first person to talk about the gate.

"I can give you a quick tour myself?" Donald said.

"Okay," Emily said. Donald got up from his seat and waved an arm. She walked out of the study and Donald trailed behind her.