" 𝑺𝒍𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏❜𝒕 𝒉𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒊𝒇 𝒊𝒕❜𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒐𝒖𝒍 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕❜𝒔 𝒕𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 "
I leaned back on my bedpost, staring at the piece of paper Mrs Williams gave me. My fingers are itching to just grab the phone and call the number. I am scared. What if I don't find anything? I don't want to be disappointed.
AHHHH. I groaned into my pillow.
Fuck it.
I grabbed my phone and dialed the number.
Trrrringgg...Trrrrrringgg...
Come on, lift.
"Hello. Nephele here. I think you got the wrong number. Don't bother calling again."
Beep.
What the fuck.
Who records this as their voicemail greeting? I did not bother leaving a voicemail. I don't think I will get a response even if I did leave a voicemail.
I threw my phone on my bed beside me and sighed.
I stared at the address on the paper. This is my last straw.
What's the worse that could happen? If I don't find anything then I will just go tour around New York. I never visited New York anyways.
I called my office and asked for a leave. I got it easily because in my two years of working, I never took a single leave. I never had a reason to.
I opened my laptop and booked a flight ticket from Florida to New York. My flight's tomorrow morning at 8:00 am.
I closed my laptop and turned off my bedside lamp.
I snuggled into my warm covers and drifted off into sleep.
***
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome onboard Flight 370 with service from Florida to New York. We are currently fourth in line for take-off and are expected to be in the air in approximately ten minutes time. We ask that you please fasten your seatbelts at this time and secure all baggage underneath your seat or in the overhead compartments. We also ask that your seats and table trays are in the upright position for take-off. Smoking is prohibited for the duration of the flight. Thank you for choosing Ashvield Airlines. Enjoy your flight."
I fastened my seatbelt and leaned back on my seat. I yawned covering my mouth. I feel extremely sleepy today.
After ten minutes or so, I put on my headphones and closed my eyes wanting nothing more than to go to dreamland.
I felt a sudden wave of pain in my nose and I jolted awake from my sleep, to see the old woman beside me hitting me on my nose with her right hand which formed a fist, continuously. Damn, this woman can punch. She seemed deep in sleep.
She lifted her right hand again, I caught her hand with my right hand and rubbed my nose with my left hand. I tried shaking her gently, to wake her up. She did not move a muscle.
I sighed and asked the air hostess, whether I can have an ice pack to place on my nose.
She smiled and asked me to wait a minute.
She came back with an ice pack and I smiled at her gratefully.
Feeling the pain reduce a little, I slowly removed the ice pack and placed it aside.
I looked at the time, and it's hardly been half an hour since I slept. I took out a book and started reading. I was startled when I heard a noise which sounded like a donkey braying.
Since when did they allow donkeys on a flight?
I removed my headphones, as soon as I did that, I regretted it.
The old woman beside me was snoring loudly with her mouth open, I scrunched my nose in irritation. I looked around, almost everyone were sleeping and looked unbothered by her snoring.
I closed my book and placed it aside before I hit the woman with it.
I respect elders, okay? But this woman is testing my patience.
Fuck gentleness. This time I shook her vigorously so that she will wake the hell up.
She was still sound asleep.
I took out my water bottle and poured some water on the woman.
No response.
I pinched her on her hand.
Nothing.
Should I hold her nose for five seconds so she won't be able to breathe and will wake up?
I looked at the woman. She looked way too old. What if she died? I don't want to go to jail.
I sat back in my seat properly and groaned internally. I put on my headphones back with maximum volume.
After what seemed like forty minutes, I saw from my peripheral vision that the woman was waking up.
I narrowed my eyes for a second and closed my eyes acting like I was asleep.
I heard the sound of a water bottle opening, she is probably drinking water.
After five minutes, I acted as if I was dreaming and stretched out my left hand hitting the woman on her face.
She squealed.
She started shaking me.
I tried to snore loudly, just to irritate her more.
She started shaking me again, but stopped when she saw that it was of no use.
She mumbled something like "youngsters these days are such a nuisance."
I rolled my eyes mentally and drifted off to sleep.
I woke up after almost an hour. I stretched out and turned towards my left, to see the women giving me a stink eye.
I smiled sweetly at her and turned front.
The flight's going to land in almost 20 minutes.
***
I took a taxi to the hotel where I booked my room. It was the nearest hotel I could find, to the address.
I got out of the taxi and paid the fare.
I looked up at the giant building and started walking inside.
The receptionist smiled at me.
"Hello Ma'am, welcome to the Grandiose."
"Hello. I booked a suite online," I smiled back at her.
"What's your name, Ma'am?" she asked me, typing something on the computer.
"Eirene."
"Last name, Ma'am?"
"Just Eirene."
"Okay, Ma'am. Here's the key to your room. It's on the twelfth floor. Have a safe and nice stay," she said handing me the keys.
I entered the elevator and told the guard twelfth floor.
I got out of the elevator and made my way to the suite.
It looked elegantly furnished with a King-size bed. The view from the window was magnificent.
The New York streets looked busy, just like I saw in movies or online.
I took a bath and changed into high waist jeans and a simple crop-top.
I stepped out of the hotel and started walking towards the cafe, opposite to the hotel.
I looked underdressed when compared to the New York people who looked like they just walked out of a fashion show.
I ordered a CAFÈ MOCHA.
I walked out of the cafe with my drink in my left hand.
I booked a cab to the address in the paper. It was a twenty-minute drive. When I googled the address, it showed an apartment.
***
I stood in front of a decent and normal looking apartment.
It said flat number 705 on the paper.
There was no guard outside so I just shrugged and made my way inside.
I acted as if I was texting someone on the phone so that I won't have to talk to anyone on the elevator.
I sighed in relief when the elevator made the ding sound.
I walked into the hallway and stopped in front of the door, which had the number 705 written on it.
I rang the doorbell.
There was no response.
I rang it again.
"I did not see the girl living there from a week," I turned my head towards the voice.
The woman looked like she is in her early thirties. She probably was the neighbour.
"Oh. Do you have any idea when she is going to come back?" I questioned the lady with a small smile.
"No, child. She rarely stays here. She doesn't talk to anyone. She just minds her own business," she answered and went inside her house.
I frowned with disappointment. I kicked the door, trying to cool down my anger.
But to my surprise, the door opened.
What a careless girl? Did she leave her house unlocked?
I looked around the hallway. When I saw that there's no one, I slipped inside the house and locked the door.
I know. I know. This is illegal. But I am desperate.
I looked around the house. It had many plants.
This girl must be a nature lover.
I walked inside the house trying to find anything.
I searched everywhere, but to no avail.
I sighed.
I heard a crow cawing and jumped, hitting a photo frame.
Thud.
A book fell down.
I lifted it up from the ground and dusted it off, coughing.
I opened the book and it had only one line written.
What is with all these books having all empty pages except one?
I tried reading it out aloud.
ostende mihi ianuam
My eyes widened when I saw a door like a thing suddenly appear in front of me. It had green plants crawling all four sides, glowing bright purple and pink in the middle.
I slowly stretched out my hand and put it inside the door like thing.
When I saw that nothing happened, I completely walked inside.
I looked around my surroundings and I felt like I walked into a fairytale.
It looked coruscating, to say the least.
I looked back at the door and saw that it vanished.
Oh my god. Oh my god. How will I ever go back?
Did I die? Where's the grim reaper?
I don't think I am in Hell because it looks like Heaven here.
I walked for what felt like 10 minutes admiring my surroundings.
I saw a house and almost danced with happiness.
I started making my way towards the unknown house.
What did I get myself into?
A/N: Flight 370? 👀 I really really want to know what happened(- @loveishatedbyme).
Translation:
ostende mihi ianuam - show me the door.
Hope you guys liked this chapter.
With love,
astral_being_ & loveishatedbyme