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"And you just woke up in your car?" Billy asks, as you munch on [diner food], sitting criss-cross ((applesauce)) on the floor of your van. Tossing Mantis a fry, you go to speak but is stopped. "My oh my! I know you're a magnet for scaaary~ psychos, but I'd didn't think it was gonna be THAT quick!" A thud echoing through the tiny speaker of your iPhone 3G. "Boys, play nicely." You tease, easing them both enough from fighting right then and there, you just continue eating knowing Stu will get his own kind of revenge after the call.
"If anything I was more worried about y'all rather than the 'psychos' I was with." You sightly lied to them. It wasn't completely incorrect, you were worried about them! And well, the men you were with weren't psychos, you hope.
You laugh at yourself.
Throughout your years of living with the Woodsboro boys, you couldn't remember a day they hadn't tried to text, call, or purposely run into you just for that slither of attention. "I wanna ask what you were doing but I think I have an idea.." your voice drifts off to a mumble. "I bet you do." Billy's voice booms through the speaker once more.
Finishing the last bite of [diner food] and giving Manny the last bit of fries, you dust off your [pants/shorts], "Alrighty Bill, I better start on the road again!" You muster up some joy, it's not that you didn't love see all the new AND old things, but you were still in California. And with how the clouds above are looking probably for a little longer too. It was disappointing to say the least.
But you still move on, saying your goodbyes to your boys and climbing up to the front seat, you didn't bother to change from last night. Hell, you found out those punks somehow unlocked your phone and put their numbers in your contacts list.
But hey, at least you got Michael's number! 'Maybe I will text 'em soon'. You thought while humming to the song on the radio. Setting your phone in an empty cupholder. Rolling down your window, the smell of rain practically hitting you in the face.
Pulling out onto the road, praying to all that would listen that you'll make it through the approaching storm
-
Quickly rolling your windows back up at a red light, the rain pouring down heavily hitting your van. This couldn't be safe to drive in. So, you do the best with what you got, and what you have is a pair of eyes to spot any hotels or motels to seek refuge in.
Still doing your best to look for signs, you finally spot one. Your bright, quite gloomy, guardian angel! Pulling over to the eerily emtpy parking lot, a beautiful, just as gloomy, house standing off behind the motel.
The name 'Bates Motel' definitely rings a couple alarm bells in your head, you have two of your own psycho murderers, who like to do their own 'research' on murderers. How wouldn't you know what this place is? Or at least what the articles had said about it.
Okay, okay. Maybe it's just new owners under the same name! Maybe this Norman guy was just falsely accused?
Who's to say?
Happily singing along with the radio as you park, "You better behave while I'm away." You boop Manny on her nose. Rushing out your van, grabbing your backpack full of essentials (locking it on the way out). Your jacket's hood up, running to under the awning. No sign, no light, no nothing. So, once more you take your best option.
Banging your fist on the door, trying to make enough noise that would attract someone.
You look back at the house, a woman's in the window watching, as a lanky man jogs his way down the stairs, umbrella in hand. Your fist still on the door, your head being the only thing facing him. Flashing him a awkward smile, a slight smile tugs on the man's own lips as well but other than that he stays blank. He gestures you to he office, walking in after you.
"Nasty evening" You nod, "Have any vacancies?" He walks behind the counter. "We have twelve vacancies. Twelve cabins," He bends down picking up a registration book, "twelve vacancies." Placing the registration book on the counter, handing you a pen. "Would you sign, please." You start writing, trying to not look at the name above yours, not wanting to see Ms. Crane's alibi.
"Your home address too, just the town will do." You push the book and pen back to him after you're done writing, giving him a polite smile.
You watch as he freezes up, his eyes look up to yours finding your own full of concern, he springs back up. "C-cabin one. It's closer in case you need anything.." he turns, handing you the key "right next to the office!" You take it, the cold metal against your already cold hands make you shiver. "Sweet! Thank you.. Mr. Bates I assume?" He smiles and nods, "Norman Bates" He states before walking to he door, opening it.
The freezing rain makes you run after him. Though the rain had noticeably had slowed down, he smiles at the fact. :)
He unlocks your cabin door, pushing it open, you walk in after him. "Stuffy in here" he says while opening the blinds, light pours into the room. Not enough though, so he turns on the lamp behind him. The rooms quite cozy, the floral wall print, both stuffed birds and paintings alike are placed around the room, a cute little painting of two ducks just above the bed. You hum, "Do you like birds Mr. Bates?" You face towards him, cringing at the feeling of your wet backpack swish with your jacket. "Oh, not quite." He looks at you "My hobby is stuffing things."
"Hm, taxidermy? That's quite the hobby, Birdie." He blushes at the nickname and nods, "It's not as expensive as you'd think either" You nod letting him ramble, "Cheap, really. Needles, thread, sawdust.. The chemicals are all that cost anything!" You nod, rotating yourself as he moves. His company isn't unwelcomed, you just don't like your back towards him. From both fear and it's impolite.
"Well, the mattress is soft, there's hangers in the closet and.."
He gestures to the night stand "stationery with 'Bates Motel' printed on it in case you want to make your friends back home envious..!" You chuckle, looks like you found yourself a businessman!
Taking off your soaked jacket (and backpack), hanging it up on a hanger, you turn as you hear him start to speak.
"Where are you heading? I-i don't mind to pry." He asks, you hesitate for a moment but decide to just tell him, it doesn't seem like he'll use it for anything malicious, just curiosity. Gosh, this birdie's handsome face has already won you over. "Canada" the word comes out dry, as if you hated that place you were going to or the people who you're going for.
"Are you running from something?" Just one small question, but it sent your brain into a panic. You're not running from anything. Softly shaking your head, you speak. "Nothing in particular, why do you ask?"
"People never run away." He looks over to the window, 'okay.. getting a little dramatic there bud.." "You know what I think?" He once more turns to face you, "I think we're all in our private traps, clamped in them," you listen as he talks, he must of really been thinking about this. He finishes talking, "Woah, that's... That's dark" safety from the rain is all you wanted, but here you sit, talking to a man who definitely had more time to himself than needed. 'Little worried for his mental health here..'
"It's getting late, I should head off to bed now." You tell him softly, his demeanor saddens "I'm very tired, and I'll have a long drive tomorrow. We.. we can talk in the morning if you'd like."
He sighs, nodding "I'd like that, I'll see you in the morning then, if you need anything just t-tap!" A sleepy smile tugs on your lips, as you two wish each other a goodnight.
-
You put your bag on the bathroom sink, humming some random tune as you pull out an old shirt and sweatpants (and other necessities), undressing from your wet clothes the world falls silent, the rain stops, cars stop honking and you stop yourself from pulling down your wet pants as a feeling of someone looking you up and down makes you shiver.
Your body still stiff as a board, you somehow find the courage to quickly put on a shirt and walk out of the room, running to your van, checking on Manny, making sure she has enough food and water for the night. You sit there longer than needed, just petting Manny.
You finally walk back into your room double checking to make sure you locked your door and crawling under the cozy covers 'Maybe I should triple-check to make sure?' No, no. you're fine! Yeah, you're completely and utterly safe in this room at this motel.
Yet, you still can't find yourself sleeping. You just lay there staring at the ceiling.
'Maybe I could call Micheal? Would he even be up by now??' you reach for your phone but stop shortly, spotting a tall shadow walking past the front window. Watching as the doorknob twist aggressively, grabbing your phone running to the bathroom and locking the door behind you.
The front door creaks open and you listen intently as their footsteps, surprisingly soft, draw near the bathroom door, twisting the door knob, stopping halfway from the lock.
Listening as keys jingled, the knob twists open, you hurriedly grab a shampoo bottle and rush to behind the door, it opens slightly, the person walks into the bathroom, knife in hand. Without hesitating you jump out of your hiding place and strike the bottle against their head twice, the impact causes them to collapse onto the floor.
You stare quietly, zoning back in you quickly pick up the unconscious Mr Bates, softly setting him on the bed, pulling a blanket over him.
You didn't hit him hard enough that it would have killed him, just enough to keep him down for the night. After checking his pulse to make sure, you drag your tired being to the chair just across from the bed, flopping down onto it for an uncomfortable night's rest.
~