Kiss My Assimilation

Chapter 3 - Screams in the Night

The next week was a blur. Annie worked fifteen hours days to get the boys ready for their move to Los Angeles for the new year's show. She received her e-mails through the set manager. Since she didn't have a phone, she was basically cut off from the virtual world. She didn't really need a phone, but the guys complained constantly that they couldn't reach her. Good, she was their facilitator, not their nanny. She got in the groove of things pretty fast. The guys weren't that hard to satisfy. She stayed in the same hotel as they did, so if they needed her, all they had to do was knock on her door.

And knock they did. Pretty often. At all times of the day and night. Like now. Someone was frantically trying to knock her door down. It sure sounded like it.

Irritated, she got up and looked at her watch. 3AM. Really? She got up and opened the door. A very disheveled Mathew Henkel stood there looking very unhappy.

"Hey Mathew, are you okay? You look flustered." Annie asked him.

"Flustered? You would be if someone left a bloody cat in your room. I got a note from Peter to take care of it. He went out and hoped I could feed, and give him water to drink! I'm too tired. Could you take him?" Mathew asked her in supplicating tones.

"Of course, I'm allergic but I'm sure I can manage. Where is it?"

"You're allergic? Forget the whole thing. I'll manage. Sorry to wake you up. I'm a princess sometimes and I'm really tired, but I remember Peter's note asking specifically for me to take care of it. He must have known about your allergies. I couldn't figure why he wanted me to take care of it. Now I know. Well, sorry for the bother. Good night." Mathew said as he turned to leave to return to his room.

"Wait! Are you sure? I can put the cat in my bathroom and I should be okay." Annie said.

"You don't know Peter, if I shy away from this when he specifically asked for me to take care of it, I'll never hear the end of it. No, I'll take care of it. Besides, I can always call room service to bring up some cat food or tuna. I'll manage."

"Thank you Mathew, it's very considerate of you."

"Believe me, I do this for my peace of mind. But I'm glad it helps you too. Good night."

"Good morning you mean."

"Don't remind me." Mathew walked back to his room which was a few doors down on the other side.

The damned cat kept popping up like a furry jack-in-a-box. Sleep, I need sleep. Thought Annie as she groggily made her way back to her waiting bed.

Before she lay her head back on her blessed pillow, there was a horrible scream. It came from one of the rooms next to her. She heard it quite distinctively. Fully awake now, she burst out of her room in the corridor forgetting she was wearing her Mickey Mouse pajamas. John and David Thompson were also there with a few bewildered guests.

"What on earth was that?" Asked David.

"Sounded like Mathew." Annie piped in.

"Sure sounded like it came from Mathew's room," John said as he rushed to Mathew's room.

They tried to open the door, to no avail. Shouting and banging on the door for Mathew to open up. Peter showed up putting a soothing hand on Annie's shoulder. She was near hysterics. If something happened to one of her uncle's charges under her watch...

"I've called the manager. He's coming with a pass key. He'll open the door for us in a few moments." He said coolly.

"Thank God. Good thinking Peter." David said relieved.

"Are you sure it came from here?" Peter asked them.

"Yes, pretty sure, he's right next to me and it sounded like he was in the same room. That scream was horrible. It was so... visceral. Like when someone really believes that they're going to die." Annie said.

"Let's not jump to conclusions. All we heard was a scream. We'll know in a few seconds." Peter said, trying to calm everyone. Annie really admired his coolness in such a scary situation. His friend might be unconscious or... worse. She couldn't bear to think about it. The worst scenarios kept popping in her head.

"Where is that blasted manager?" Spat John impatient.

As he was saying those very words, the manager came and introduced his pass key in the door's slot. Everyone rushed inside, pushing the poor man aside, almost sending him to the floor for all his troubles.

They found Mathew sucking his thumb and looking at all of them in surprise. "Er... yes?"

"Are you okay mate?" David almost shouted.

"Of course, why wouldn't I be? Why are you all here? It's not my birthday isn't it?" Mathew said innocently.

"You screamed bloody murder just now! We thought you were seriously hurt. Why didn't you open the door?" Annie said flustered but relieved he was okay.

"I cut myself and I'm afraid of blood. Sorry." Mathew said apologetically.

John wiped his forehead with his hand. "We thought you were seriously hurt man. God, what a scare. What were you doing cutting stuff up at 3am?"

"Bloody Mary, I was cutting a lemon in quarters and the knife slipped." Mathew said. "I'm okay guys, go back to bed." He pushed them out of his room and closed the door cutting off their protestations.

"Well, all is well," Peter said as he went back to his room.

"A Bloody Mary at 3am. Honestly." Said John disgusted. He turned around and left for his room.

"God, that was nerve-racking," Annie said to no-one in particular.

"You'll be okay, Mathew is fine and it turned out to be nothing but a little cut. Go to sleep, we have a big day tomorrow." David said soothingly. Annie took his advice and went back to her room and slept the rest of the night without further interruptions.