Chapter 7: Outsider

Brenna POV

Was that really what I saw?

It was way too big to be an Akita or a Husky, as I had seen those dogs over and over again in the city, even with the heat being so bad down there. Whatever that animal was that came out of the woods, was at least double the size of a dog.

“There’s just no way. Why would there be one out here?” I asked myself as I tried to get a better look out the window, but the waning light failed me.

I just didn’t believe wolves lived in this area of California. Maybe Washington or Oregon, but a wolf running around in the northern area of the state didn’t make any sense. A coyote maybe, but again, an animal that was much smaller than what I had seen.

I slapped my face a little. Maybe I was just sleep-deprived, and this was the result of the stress I had recently built up.

A buzzing sound came from the nightstand by the bed, when I realized it was the new phone going off.

I looked at the number and felt a smile creep on my face.

“Sorry I forgot to text you earlier, Kat.” I had spaced it.

“I was about to call a search party for you! Didn’t you see the texts I sent?!” Kat was practically scolding me through the phone. She was definitely the sister I never had.

I pulled the phone away and saw a dozen missed texts and eight missed calls in the log.

“I’m so sorry. You won’t believe the day I’ve had here,” I said with a sigh as I rubbed at my eyes.

The need for caffeine would be strong for me tonight.

“Had where? Where are you?”

For some reason, Kat’s voice reminded me of the calls my mom would make it I had been out past curfew as a teen. Thank goodness traffic was always the best excuse and was true nine out of ten times.

“At Varick Manor,” I couldn’t help but say the words with a grin. Even if she couldn’t see, I just couldn’t help but smile at this piece of good news.

“You got the job?!”

Kat didn’t even give me the chance to answer before she squealed so loud, I had to pull the phone away from my ear before she caused permanent damage.

“What’s it like? I bet it’s amazing! I’ve heard so many good things about it!”

“So, you’ve never been here before?” I wonder if she had heard any weird stories or anything about this place. People had a habit of remembering the most random shit about a place.

“Oh, I wish,” Kat said longingly. “I can’t afford it for me and Leo. Too bad he grew up and won’t fit in my suitcase.”

I laughed as I heard Leo saying something to Kat. Knowing him, he was bragging how even though he was the youngest, he was now taller than the rest of us.

“Anyway,” Kat drew out as Leo’s voice got quieter, “I have a buddy from work who has mentioned it before. I’ve always wanted to go. Guess I have a reason to now that you’re there.”

I needed things to look forward to. A visit from Kat and Leo would be a wonderful way to celebrate in the coming months.

“I’d love that. I have to say though, as excited as I am, it’s a little,” I just couldn’t think of the right word, so I settled with, “strange.”

“Strange how?” Kat’s voice cracked.

I didn’t want to worry her, but I had to admit things felt a little too Stepford for my taste.

“Just, strange. Like, everything worked out too well, you know. How could a place be so perfect?”

“Oh, Brenna, you just watch too many horror movies. It’s not like cannibals or anything run the hotel. I’m sure the place has a different vibe than So Cal. Maybe that’s what’s throwing you off.”

Kat had a point. Even though I was in the same state, I found myself in a different atmosphere than what I was used to.

“Maybe. We’ll see how it goes. Tonight’s my first shift.”

“Call me tomorrow whenever you’re awake and fill me in on everything. Got it?” Kat was sounding pushy again. Her telltale sign for when she hadn’t eaten.

“Go eat dinner, Kat,” I said in as stern a tone as I could manage.

“I would if the food would get here already. They are twenty minutes late.” Just as she spoke, her doorbell went off. “Oh crap, gotta go. Love you, Brenna!”

“Love you too, Kat.” I got in just before she hung up the phone to chow down on her delivery.

I put my hair into a high bun and drew a bath. I had meant to before I tried to lay down, but moving wasn’t something I wanted to do.

The hardest part was keeping my bandages from getting wet. I always had the option of getting my arm rewrapped at the infirmary, but the doctor’s actions still confused me. Maybe they just had another patient they were worried about. I was probably just overthinking the whole situation.

As I unpacked the few changes of clothes, it was obvious I would need to get into town and buy more clothes. At least I needed to see if the mail came to the hotel or if I should get a deposit box.

I’d have to make a list of all the items I would need to buy and replace. So I had left behind much, but they were just things.

I’m sure Scott would have gotten rid of it all by now. Even if he expected me to show up, he still would have tossed stuff so I would ‘learn a lesson’. At least, I wouldn’t have to live like that anymore.

Digging through the suitcase, I pulled out a pair of black work pants Kat had bought for me, and a black button-up with long sleeves. The bandage was at least covered. Didn’t want to freak out any guests on my day off.

When I touched my lip, I remembered I needed to clean the piercing. I wasn’t going to take the jewelry out, but it needed to be maintained to keep infection out. After all the trouble it took to get redone, I wasn’t planning on letting it close up again.

I thought about putting on makeup, but I wanted to give my face a rest. I only had one pallet with me, and I would have to go through and replace most of my skincare routine. It was better to give my skin the day off until I could properly cleanse and moisturize.

I grabbed my phone and key card and double-checked my reflection. I hardly recognized myself. Most people would complain about going to work, but here I was excited to have the opportunity of working a job I’ve always wanted.

As I left the room I had to try and remember how to get back to the main hallway. If I could do that, I’d at least be able to grab something to eat and drink at the dining hall before my shift started.

It would help if I could tell these hallways apart from each other. I may have lived in the city, but being directionally challenged made life hell.

There was a group of employees wearing hotel name tags at the end of the aisle. Maybe I could ask them to show me where to go?

The moment I stepped down the hallway though, the entire group looked at me as if I had just walked out of a spaceship. They didn’t look angry but had three sets of eyes staring me down, which made me turn back around in the direction I had come from.

That was weird right? Why would they make that face? My tattoos were covered with the shirt, and my piercing was small, but maybe they felt a kind of way about appearance around here. My hair wasn’t even colored and I was still getting weird looks.

For a moment, I thought maybe it was my skin tone. It wouldn’t be the first time I got weird looks from others. It happened often with Scott’s coworkers when they would mistake me for a server, but looking back I’m not sure those were actual mistakes.

I ended up going in another direction, but now I couldn’t even find my room. Maybe if I went back there, I could start from scratch and get out of this never-ending maze.

The more people I passed on my way, the more I noticed the staring. Each person would look at me with a sort of contempt in their eyes. I wasn’t sure what was going on, but I needed to find my way out of here fast.

I could feel moisture on my cheeks as a few tears slid down. Not now. Not here. I needed to get a grip.

Each step made my breathing more labored. I rounded another corner, still unsure of where I was, and finally leaned against a wall trying to catch my breath.

The harder I tried, the less air I could take in. I felt lightheaded and was sure I was shaking at this point. I slid to the floor, hoping this would pass quickly.

It was bad enough to be having a panic attack gearing up, but to do it in public, was one of my fears. I didn’t want anyone to see me like this, but I had nowhere I could go. I couldn’t even find my room.

I brought my knees up and wrapped my arms around them, hoping to steady myself. There was no fighting it off now I realized as I began to shake. I just needed to ride it out alone.

It’s not like it was the first time. I had always been alone when this happened, so why was it any different now?

The world became quiet around me as my breathing became more rapid. I closed my eyes, hoping this would all be over soon as my panic manifested itself for everyone to see.