The High Place

[yarri]

Chapter Three Part one

“No matter how long the night may be, the day is sure to come� Nigerian Proverb

Bekka kept me on my feet as we made our way up and into the hotel. She forced me away from the main stairs and the elevators and into the fire escape. “It’s clear we can make the run to the top and our room is on this end� I concentrated on putting my feet one after the other on the cement steps as floor after floor passed me. Bekka was behind me I could hear her breathing fast as we chewed up the distance from the lobby to the 5th floor. I hit the door hard it opened with a jolt and slammed into the wall leaving a dent. Bekka closed the door behind us making sure it was locked. Then she let us into our room. Before I put the duffle down I could see what she’s been doing. The bathtub was full of water.

“Dump the duffle and help me block the door.�

We moved every bit of furniture In front of the door wedging it closed.

“What happens if they get in?� I asked with sincerity. “

“You’ve got two choices, a bullet or the window.� She was to the point. I fell silent and continued to follow her directions. Bekka kept talking her voice barely a whisper

“I don’t know when those things will hit the building but they will find this place and they will hit us hard. My hope is to remain hidden and quiet allowing them to take the other hotel guests� I started to protest and she slapped a hand over my mouth her eyes blazing with intensity her whisper became a hiss. “I have one box of rounds for the .38 and five clips of rounds for the .9mm and that’s not counting what’s in the .9 now and that’s half gone already. That’s seventy eight shots, Hill. Not enough to protect us and the people in this building. If I have to choose what to protect I’m choosing us.�

She was right. God damn her and for a brief second I hated her for it. I stopped talking as did she and we waited in that silent room.
The door handled rattled startling me and Bekka. She took up a defensive position next to the wall pointing the 9mm at the door and waited. I could hear whatever was outside breathing hard its voice a rasping growl. Bekka motioned me to hold my position. It continued to sniffed and scratch at the door like a dog. In the next few seconds the worst sound imaginable happened. The door across the hall opened and the creature’s roar reverberated off the walls as it attacked the people who came out. Something large hit our door and the stench of ammonia, and pine oil filled our room as the hotel was overrun.