Finally, the day came for me to leave. This time I went by bus – I had to trasnfer to a lot of different buses and it takes a day and a half so I booked a room and told Natewhere I was staying. He said he'll come and pick me up. I think it was a two hour drive from Mandy's place. I told him not to but he wouldn't listen so I was waiting for his arrival. I had taken a shower and was watching TV when someone was knocking at the door. I looked thrugh the small circle but the person was too short and all I saw was a patch of hair. By now it was about eight at night.
Nate should be here in a few minutes. I opened the door and a little boy was standing there. He asked me if he could hide in my room. He was really scared and I let him in. I asked him to explain what was happening. He said his dad was into bad business and made a bunch of people angry. Those people are trying to kidnap him and someone is chasing him right now and he didn't know where to go. He knocked on the nearest doors but only mine opened. I told him not to be scared and I called the police right away explaining the situation. I made the boy eat some of my hotel service dinner. His name is Francis. He was very thankful.
I asked where his mom and dad were. He said that his parents are probably at home. I asked him what he was doing at at the hotel. He said that his friend was having a party and when he walked out to use the bathroom, a strange man asked him if he was his dad's son and then tried to tie him up but he somehow ran away. This was serious. I was scared for this boy. I told him to be calm and he told me his parents' number. I called them up and told them their son is still at the hotel and is now with me and he's safe. They were on their way. The boy was really scared and then there was a knock at my door. I opened it thinking it was the either the hotel manager, Nathan, the police or the boy's parents.
A heavy set man walked past me and into the room. He saw Francis who was very scared. Francis ran into the bathroom locking the door. Thank God. That kid has brains. The man tried to get into it but I stopped him and asked him to leave. He was in my hotel room without permission and he has no right to be after that kid. He brought a knife out and said he'd kill me if I tried to stop him but I couldn't let him get the boy. I tried to push him out of the room but he grabbed me and pushed me onto the floor and said if I say anything else I will die tonight. He got down beside me and said, "Or you can come with me and show me something nice."
Disgusting. I called him all these names but he brought the knife close to me. I told him to leave and when I tried to pick up the phone to call the hotel again to tell them about the wacko in my room he slashed the knife at my arm. "That's what you wanted didn't you?" Now he was on top of me and I could smell his nasty breath. Comeon gimme a kiss. I was screaming for help but he stuffed something into my mouth and he was trying to take my shirt off but I kicked him in the groin. He said he'd finish me off right there. He twisted my arm and I felt a very painful feeling crawling up my arm and then he was bringing the knife closer. I closed my eyes waiting for my last few minutes. I laid there thinking about Francis in the bathroom, my trip here, leaving my parents house, Mandy, Raj, Juan and Nate, and how Nate will find my dead body here.
I was crying mercilessly and then I heard a thump and the man's body was right on top of me unconcious. Someone kicked him over and picked me up. It was Nate! Behind him were the hotel management, the police and then two people who I assumed were Francis' parents. Then, my eyes had closed and I was out. One second I'm up and the next I'm down.
When I woke up, I was nestled against Nate in a corner of the room where a paramedic was looking at my arm. Francis and his parents were beside me to see if I was okay. The parents were crying and the kid was too. Before all this happened, I was wearing my baggy sweat pants with a t-shirt that had become damp with my wet hair resting on it. I remembered all that had happened and I was shuddering and crying. I found Nate's arms and buried myself in them. I told him to never leave me like that. The hotel management was apologising over and over and the police had left with the man. Turns out they knew who he is already.
The injury on my arm was wrapped up and a smear of blood was across Nate's own white button down. I told Francis' parents that the best thing to do would be to fix their business up so that their family is still safe. They said they had plans to move elsewhere and were ging to move in about a week but this guy had been threatening them for money. They had told the police who were keeping a look out for this person and finally caught him today. I was scared to leave. I wouldn't let go of Nate's arm at all.
He had called Mandy and Raj to tell them that there was a bit of an incident but everything is alright. He didn't want to worry them. I did not want to stay at that hotel at all and I told the management that they need to check their security. They should've caught this man when he entered my room. Francis is smart for locking himself in the bathroom. I thanked him for doing that but he felt bad for leaving me outside with the big scary guy. I told him even if I were in that bathroom with him, the scary dude would've broken the door and got both of us. I wasn't able to let go of Nate. he covered me in a blanket and I told him no matter how late, I wanted to go home and directly home.
He was furious at the man and at himself for everything that happened. He said that I should've just picked you up from your house. I told him it doesn't matter because I'm with him now but he was still fuming. We got the police to escort us all the way back to Montreal and when we entered the city, they left for their patrol duty. So we got home a bit quicker than two hours. I was still crying. I couldn't forget the way he had held me. I didn't want to remember. I wish I could tear off the places he touched. He had ripped my shirt and half of it was exposed when Nate had come in. He took off his coat and put it on top. When we left the hotel, there were media stations looking at the incident. They had already caught the intruder getting arrested and wanted to see Francis' family and myself. Nate was able to get me to his car without anyone coming near us. I was already freaked out.
In the car, I didn't let go of Nate's hand at all. By the time we arrived, it was about 12 in the morning. Even as I changed into something else, I made sure Nate was at the door. Just in case. Everyone was sleeping when we got in. No one knows about this yet. I couldn't stop bursting into fresh tears every five minutes. I couldn't help it. Nate changed into something else and hugged me before laying me down in bed. Before he left I caught his arm and asked if he could stay with me tonight. I was desperate and needed him, he agreed and pulled up a chair but I wouldn't let go of him and buried myself deep into the crook of his neck. He laid down with me on the bed and wrapped a blanket around me and talked to me. He reassured me that everything was okay as he rubbed my back. I stared at the shirt I was wearing earlier. The spot where my shirt had been ripped could be seen – there were small scratches. My arm was also hurting. He rubbed my back pulling the shirt I had changed in order to massage my bare skin. It felt good but I wasn't going to turn around. I had literally locked myself in this position. He moved my hair back asking me – "Do you have any idea how much I missed you?"
"When I saw you today, my heart had dropped. I thought I walked into the wrong room." I told him I felt very insecure and unsafe and when he came in, I knew everyhting would be alright. I hope it all goes okay. Soon, my head was resting on his shoulder and he was rubbing my back and I fell asleep. It was probably about one by now. I woke up once during the night with nightmares about being felt all over but Natewould put me back to sleep and make sure I was okay. It was about nine when Mandy walked into my room exclaiming how much she missed me with Juan on her hip. I had woken up a few minutes before that when Juan had cried upstairs. He was still in his jammies.
I remembered everything that happened last night and had turned around to stare at Nathan who slept beside me. He looked so sweet. Mandy saw us sleeping together and kind of walked back out. I was getting up and was about to get out of bed when Nate's arm which had been around me pushed me down again. He was awake. He asked me if I was okay and then he said we need to tell our friends and my parents too – I had called my parents up to tell them I was okay once I arrived at the hospital. They don't kow about this. Mandy had gone back upstairs with baby Juan. I quickly washed up and went up to explain to her what happened. Before I could do any explaining, Raj called everyone over to the TV. The TV was saying the news, woman saves the son of a pretty big business man in Quebec from being kidnapped.
Uh oh. A picture of Francis was shown and a recording of his parents thanking me went on. The news woman went on to explain the story how the man had shown up in the room and the woman had hid the boy from him in the bathroom and risked her own life for the boy and had gotten injured. She says the woman left the hotel later that night and we didn't get a chance to interview her and then a video clip was shown of the "lady" walking out of the hotel. She went onto say that the little boy Francis knows her name, Kate and would like to thank her. The man was arrested for breaking in and all this other stuff he had done. I was shocked to find this story on the news.
Mandy turned around and asked why I hadn't mentioned this at all. Nate jumpd in saying it was late and they had police escorts back home. Mandy also saw the bandaged arm. A police officer came by later that day saying they need me for investigation to confirm charges. I went with them and saw Francis again who was happy to see me and even gave me a hug. His parents asked if they can do anything at all to help me and that they need to give me something in return. I told them we should keep in touch and when I do need any financial help or anything, they can help me out. Their business was actually a family winery and they asked me to take a bottle of really expensive wine back with me. The mom cried saying if it weren't for me, her baby wouldn't be alive. I told her it was no problem. Nate also came with me to be interrogated. The police officer asked me a few questions about how the dude came in and all. Thankfully, it was over with that.
The police revealed that the man that was arrested was someone who had done burglaries before and was threatening other business people too. It was hard and I did get upset but I told the police officer about my ripped shirt which when we later got back was still sitting in my room. He said they can use it as evidence and the polce visited the house to pick it up. I can't forget that night. Mandy was shocked to see my shirt like that and she was such a mother, hugging me and making sure I was okay. I called my parents and told them I was safe and somehow the news had reached them too. My cousins thought it was cool – I fought a bad guy and saved someone. That was a day in the house.
After that, whe I go out for any reason, I make sure someone is with me. The hotel sent me a bunch of promotional things – free nights here and there, coupons for meals and tours and sights. It was coming in the mail, my e-mail which I had given when booking a room and also in delivery. It really wasn't the hotel's fault but I think they felt bad for the whole incident. My parents did react badly but that's parents for you. Mandy's parents came by to see me and congratulate me on saving someone's life and asked me how I was doing. The rest of my summer went like that.