Chapter ~ 13# ~ Rat Motel

Ethan ~ POV

Before moving to town, I didn't expect to learn about Mr. Davis and his son living a different life. Though I guess it shouldn't surprise me, it still did. Still, though, even with everything showing Mr. Davis being a lousy guy, something just didn't fit when I looked at everything. I've known them for years, and even if someone changes their name, they can't change who they are. I mean, Mr. Davis was the one who offered me tutoring for my bad grades. After school, I hobbled over to my bike, still sore from before. Noah smiled at me as he stood next to my bike. We had made plans to go check out the hotel, guessing the woman who dropped it might have already left, but she could have left something behind.

Our plans were soon smashed when Noah's dad pulled up alongside us. I knew his father didn't like me; apparently, he thought I was a bad influence on his son. Can't say he's wrong; I did drag Noah into whatever you want to call the mess we're in. Not to mention they don't know about the stuff I did back in Japan.

"Dad?… what are you doing here?" He asked, seeming a little mixed between shocked and angry.

"Mom said…" He began before his dad interrupted him.

"I'm saying no… now get in the car." The anger in his voice was small but unmistakable.

I mostly kept quiet as I watched Noah and his dad argue. Guess his dad didn't want me to be his history tutor after what happened. Noah slipped me the hotel room key when he asked me for notes from class. I gave Noah a smile; he seemed concerned, which is honestly fair. So far, I've been attacked twice, getting a door slammed into me. The other time I got into a fight that destroyed the interior of a house.

"I'll text you later," I said, trying to give Noah some comfort.

As Noah climbed into his dad's car, I could see the hatred-filled glare his dad was shooting at me. I could tell Noah didn't want to go, but I guess he didn't want to make his dad madder than he already was. After watching them leave, I hopped on my electric bike and headed for the hotel. I told grandpa that I would be tutoring with Noah at the library and I'd be late coming home. I parked my bike out of sight behind a dumpster across the street from the hotel. I hung back a bit, watching the room on the motel key Noah found. I mostly waited to see if the woman I fought would leave and come back. The last thing I want is to get into another fight with her, especially where she has the advantage. After a few minutes, I noticed someone walking up to the room. I was surprised to see it was Ben.

He wasn't wearing his deputy's uniform, so it took me a second to figure out it was him. He looked around for a minute before kneeling down; it was hard to tell, but in my honest opinion, he picked the lock. I was even more upset; why would he help a known domestic abuser? He's served the local sheriffs for years. After picking the lock, he stepped inside and gently closed the door behind himself. I couldn't take it anymore and walked up to the room. I wanted answers; I didn't care if I had to face Ben; something wasn't right about this. After walking up to the room, I placed the key into the lock and unlocked it. As I stepped in, I saw Ben quickly turn around, ready to pull something from behind his back.

His eyes were wide in shock and fear as he stared at me. The shock and fear only lasted for a moment before he slowly lowered his hand back to his side. And now he looked purely pissed at me as I returned the expression.

"Ethan…. For fucks sake…." He began before I interrupted him.

"What's going on?" I asked him as I closed the door behind me.

He seemed to hesitate a little after I asked him that.

"Ethan, look, I know there's a lot I need to explain." He said as he walked over to the motel room window and looked through it.

"Ben, for the love of God, tell me what's going on," I demanded as I stepped aside, though I was stuck close to the door.

"Look, there's a lot of things going on. I can't explain… but you need to…." He began to explain before I interrupted him again.

"Just tell me where Mr. Davis and Nathaniel are. Or should I call him Theo?" I asked as I crossed my arms.

When I mentioned the name Theo that seemed to have gotten a reaction out of him. He turned away from the windows, surprised and wide-eyed.

"How do you…?" He began to ask.

I was about to say something when something caught both of our ears. It was an old gruff voice followed by one that sent a chill down my back.

"Remember, lady, you can't keep forgetting your keys." The rough older male voice said.

"Thanks again… I don't know why I keep leaving them inside." Said a soft feminine voice.

Without warning, Ben quickly pushed me towards the bathroom, where he closed the door behind me. I turned around, ready to yell something when that feminine voice called out again.

"I didn't expect to see you here, Ben." She said before the sound of the room's door could be heard closing.

"I didn't expect you to be hunting ghosts, Megan." Ben said with hidden anger. I slowly cracked open the door.

Through the thin crack, I could see Ben and the woman standing and talking from the night of the fight.

"What? A city girl can't enjoy the countryside?" She asked as she set a bag down on one of the beds.

There was something different about her now. She seemed more calm and calculating than last time.

"Considering you broke into a private house and got into a fight with a kid, I have to say so," Ben said as he kept his hands close to his side.

"Can't really call it breaking and entering if I know the people there." She said as she sat and turned her back to Ben.

I looked around the bathroom, wondering if there was a way out. Finally, I found a small bathroom window; I climbed up and opened it; it was barely big enough to let me slip through. Though my curiosity grew as I sat back a little and listened.

"Tell me where they are, Ben… I just want to talk." She said sitting on one of the beds.

"You mean with words?" He asked accusingly.

That seemed to get a rise out of her; her jaw clenched as she took a deep breath. She was getting upset now; what's going on?

"I'm not the one running away." She said, looking away from Ben.

"Of course not. You're the one chasing." Ben said as he stepped away from the bathroom door and now stood in front of the hotel room TV.

Megan, or whatever her name was, got even more upset now. She quickly stood up, glaring at Ben.

"They're my family!" she said through gritted teeth.

"And that gives you the right to do what you did?" Ben asked, seeming to hold back some anger

Megan looked away again.

"Do you realize how much they've had to work to rebuild themselves?" Ben asked as he kept looking at Megan.

"It took Nathaniel…." Ben began but Megan interrupted him.

"His Name's Ezekiel!" She yelled, her voice turning from cold and calculating; to the crazed voice I heard that night.

Ben seemed just as surprised as I was by the sudden outburst. Megan placed her hands to her head as she slowly began showing the crazed side of her from the other night.

"Why couldn't they just listen. Theo just needed to listen for once in his stupid life. That's it…." She said as she began to ramble to herself.

Seeing that staying would only lead to more trouble, I glanced at Ben, who saw my gaze. Though I guess Megan did, too, as she looked directly at me through the crack in the bathroom door. Her bright green-colored eyes looked through her hair right at me. She yelled out in a fit of crazed anger as she charged.

"Who's there?" She said just as she rushed for the bathroom door.

Luckily I was closer to the window and slipped out just as she burst through the door. I fell to the hard concrete outside. I didn't have much time to lay there in slight pain as I quickly got up to my feet and ran as fast as my bruised body would let me. I swear I got the worst luck recently. I managed to run across the street and unlock my bike. I rode away as fast as I could. I'm sure Ben could take care of himself.