Hotel Dusk: Room 215 - Act II, Scene V
Title: Hotel Dusk: Room 215
Rating: PG
Pairing(s): Stevie/Xabi, hints of Agger/Finnan
Disclaimer: This is fiction! Not true! However much I wish, I don't own the players or Hotel Dusk.
Chapter 5
Word Count: 1,817
Summary: Stevie learns about the history of the hotel.
Running his fingers through his hair and heaving a heavy sigh, Steven unwillingly got off the bed. He hadn’t had a sound sleep in three years. Some people work like maniacs to get their minds off a problem. Stevie thought they were just running away from their problems. No, he would rather face up to his. And that’s why he was so determined to pick up on Xabi’s trail. Besides, the big hole left by Xabi could never be filled up by working. Maybe after tonight, he could finally get some sleep.
Guess I have to start searching this dump… With that thought in mind, he exited his room. Finnan was outside mopping the corridor, keeping the place squeaky clean, and humming a tuneless song. Stevie couldn’t believe how anyone could keep his spirits up working in a place like this.
“Exactly how much does Raul pay you for this?” He asked. Striking a friendly conversation with a hotel staff was the quickest way to digging up deep dark secrets about the place.
“Mister Gerrard! Got your package already?”
“I did.”
“Good, good.” Never once did the housekeep stop his mopping or smiling.
Since his previous question never got answered, Steven tried another one. “Why doesn’t Raul hire someone to help you? Pretty large area to cover for one person to clean.”
“Well…” Finna said while wringing the wooden handle of his mop. “It’s not my job to clean the floor, its Dagger’s.”
Stevie knew exactly where Daniel was - goofing around somewhere. Finnan didn’t seem to mind though, in fact, it wouldn’t surprise Stevie if Daniel had somehow bullied the poor housekeeper to do his tasks for him.
“Where is he then?” Not wanting to give away the fact that he knew Dagger, he figured the most appropriate respond was to ask about the bellboy.
“Oh, I dunno…”
It was just like Daniel to vanish whenever there was work to be done. “Why not get a more hardworking replacement?”
Finnan stared at him in horror as if Steven had just suggested something illegal. “W-why?” He asked, then started to swab the same spot on the floor furiously.
Why would anyone want to keep someone like Dagger? Steven looked at the housekeeper in utter puzzlement.
“I-I mean, who’d work in a hotel like this? The stories alone keep the folks away.” Finna said hurriedly, hoping to cover up his blush and unneeded defence of Daniel.
Luckily for him, he had provided Stevie with something else to latch on to. “So… What stories?”
“Oh.”
‘Oh’ was something good, Stevie thought. ‘Oh’ meant he was on the right track and there was indeed something fishy about this hotel.
“Well… I don’t know if I should…”
“You’re the one who brought up stories. Spill it. You talking about the whole wish-granting thing?” Steven asked with dogged determination.
“Wishes? No… It’s about the hotel’s previous owner…”
“Oh really?”
“… Mmm-hmm.”
“… And?”
Finnan looked about uneasily and fixed his gaze on the clock hanging in the middle of the corridor which showed a quarter to 6.
“Oh no! Look at the time! I really should go prepare the restaurant now. I have to go, Mister Gerrard.” He grabbed the mop and bucket and rushed down the stairs.
Steven was just about to do the same when he heard a snoring coming for a room further down the corridor. He missed it earlier because Finnan and he were chatting. Finding the door open, he pushed it open and walked in without invitation. It was the Linen Room, filled with sheets, pillowcases and towels, and what’s this… Dagger!
“Hey.” Stevie nudged the sleeping bellboy’s leg with his foot.
“W-wha…?! I’ve done my cleaning, Mister Gonzales!” Daniel leaped to his feet in an agitated fashion and only relaxed when he realised it was Stevie. “Oh, it’s you… Don’t sneak up on me like that!” Yawning and stretching, he looked around as if he just realised he was in the Linen Room. “What’cha doin’ here? This is where we keep the sheets and stuff. Not a place where folks like you can just… hang out!”
“I heard snoring. Door was open, so I looked. So this is where you’ve been hiding, eh?”
“Hidin’?!” Daniel actually looked offended.
“How’s the cleanin’ coming along? Dumped it all on poor old Finnan, did’ya?”
“H-he told you that?” He looked a little hurt asking that and avoid Stevie’s eye, looking at his feet on the ground instead.
“No, but I guessed-”
“He offered to do it for me!” The injured-puppy look was all gone now that he knew it was all one-sided guessing on Steven’s part.
“Now, why would he do something like that, hmm?” There were certainly a lot of oddly-behaved characters around here.
“I-I dunno… Maybe he… Do you think… h-he…” It was not like Daniel to stutter and Stevie began to wonder if the relationship between the two were more than just colleagues. “You know, maybe he just… pities me.” Daniel didn’t sound too convinced himself. “That Raul’s a slave driver, man. I’m the only bellboy in this hotel. No matter how hard I work, stuff just keeps pilin’ up! Like a total energy vampire!” But he did sound rather energetic complaining about his workload.
“What if you get fired for goofing off?”
“Ha! Yeah, right.” He rolled his eyes. “Ain’t gonna find another one who would work and live here, man. Not so long as those stories are out there…”
Well, this ‘story’ business certainly caught Steven’s attention. Both employees spoke of it. “Stories? What’re you talking about?”
“This place is full of ‘em, Stevie!” He waved his hands about to further emphasis his point.
“Full of what?”
Daniel cast nervous glances around the small room and whispered in a hushed voice. “… Ghosts.”
“Ghosts.” Stevie repeated, eyeing him sceptically.
“Yeah. A long time ago,” Daniel cleared his throat, like an experienced storyteller about to tell his tale. “There was an… an ‘incident’, ya know? Soon as it happened, people were talking ‘bout ghosts and hauntings and stuff. Folks said they heard some young kid sobbin’ during the night. Then when they followed the voice, they found a little boy. And if they tried to talk to him…” He paused for a dramatic effect. “He vanished! Poof!” He searched Steven’s face for some sort of reaction to show that his listener believed him. “Anyway, that’s the story. It’s enough to keep people from wantin’ to work here.”
“Hm.” Stevie didn’t believe in ghosts. Every ghost story had a beginning and there were usually some truth in these beginnings. Over the years, people twisted these truths into myth. “You’ve seen this ghost?”
“’Course not!” Dagger said and chuckled. “It’s just some crazy story. Lived here for three years and I ain’t heard anything.”
“When was this incident?”
“When? Hmm… I heard it was ten years ago.”
“Tell me about the incident.”
“This stuff still interests you? Even though ya ain’t a cop no more?”
“Guess so. Crimes and criminals still get my blood going.” Especially in a place like this, where there were many secrets waiting to be uncovered. “You don’t just walk away. No one does.”
Daniel laughed. “Still the same ol’ Officer Gerrard! You know, you look real weird without a badge and a gun… You always seemed like a ‘cop for life’ kind, ya know?”
“Yeah.” It was what Steven thought too. Him and Xabi, cops for life still either of them broke a leg or something. And then it was still the two of them until the end. But now Xabi went back on that pact. And he was going to find out why. “So about this incident. What happened?”
“This man and his son stopped here for a night. Then in the middle of the night, the boy disappeared!”
“He disappeared?”
“Yeah. Kid was only ten years old, too. Father looked all over for him, but the sun came up and he was still gone. Later on, the cops got a mysterious letter… It told ‘em where they could find the boy’s body.”
“Did they find it?”
“No, that’s the crazy part. They found nothing - no kid, no crooks, no nothin’. Thing’s still unsolved.”
“Hm.” The clockworks in Steven’s head were beginning to turn. What were the father and son doing here? Who else knew they were here? What did the kidnapper, or crook, have to do with the family?
“And after that, the stories started. The murdered kid’s ghost appears at night and… acts scary or whatever. Might have been a crook, but it kept the folks away and bankrupted the place.”
Stevie raised a brow. Bankrupt, huh? Interesting…
Daniel sensing Stevie’s interest went on saying, “Place was deserted until Raul rolled in ‘bout five years ago. He picked the place up for nothin’ and bam! Hotel Dusk is open for business. Anyways, that’s all I know. Raul and Finna don’t like to talk about it.”
Stevie nodded and digested the whole story, Daniel nodded along with him, then suddenly remembered something. “Hey, hey, Officer Gerrard! Lemme ask ya somethin’!” Stevie jerked his head and indicated that he could. “So you quit the force and left the city, yeah? Why? I mean, why’d you come out all the way here?”
“Well… I’m looking for someone.”
“Lookin’ for someone? But you ain’t a cop no more!”
“It’s not like that.” He said, shaking his head. “It’s just a guy I used to work with who went missing.”
“A guy you worked with? What, like a cop?”
“Yeah, my partner, Xabi.” Stevie never got used to think of Xabi as his ex-partner.
“Why’s he missing?” Daniel was an annoying one. He never gave up. Almost like Stevie, in a way.
“He got shot at the docks three years ago and took a dive in the Thames.”
“Well… if he’s been outta sight for three years… It’s kinda safe to assume he’s dead, yea?”
“No. He’s alive.”
Daniel looked a little sympathetic, almost as if he understood. “You guys were close, huh? That’s why you want him to be alive… But you gotta let go… Dead’s dead.”
Want’s got nothing to do with it. He’s alive, I know it. Stevie thought.
When Stevie said nothing, Daniel went on. “I understand. You and me, we’re the same.” He was about to leave when Stevie stopped him.
“Wait. What do you understand?”
Stopping at the door, Daniel hesitated for a moment before replying. “We’re the same, mate. A buddy of mine died three years back. That’s all. Hey, I gotta go. You’d better too. I told ya, this place ain’t for guests, you got it?”
“Got it.”
Satisfied with Steven’s response, Daniel slipped out of the door followed by Stevie. They parted ways at the foot of the stairs - Daniel going into one of those ‘STAFF ONLY’ doors and Stevie walking towards the front desk.
Rating: PG
Pairing(s): Stevie/Xabi, hints of Agger/Finnan
Disclaimer: This is fiction! Not true! However much I wish, I don't own the players or Hotel Dusk.
Chapter 5
Word Count: 1,817
Summary: Stevie learns about the history of the hotel.
Running his fingers through his hair and heaving a heavy sigh, Steven unwillingly got off the bed. He hadn’t had a sound sleep in three years. Some people work like maniacs to get their minds off a problem. Stevie thought they were just running away from their problems. No, he would rather face up to his. And that’s why he was so determined to pick up on Xabi’s trail. Besides, the big hole left by Xabi could never be filled up by working. Maybe after tonight, he could finally get some sleep.
Guess I have to start searching this dump… With that thought in mind, he exited his room. Finnan was outside mopping the corridor, keeping the place squeaky clean, and humming a tuneless song. Stevie couldn’t believe how anyone could keep his spirits up working in a place like this.
“Exactly how much does Raul pay you for this?” He asked. Striking a friendly conversation with a hotel staff was the quickest way to digging up deep dark secrets about the place.
“Mister Gerrard! Got your package already?”
“I did.”
“Good, good.” Never once did the housekeep stop his mopping or smiling.
Since his previous question never got answered, Steven tried another one. “Why doesn’t Raul hire someone to help you? Pretty large area to cover for one person to clean.”
“Well…” Finna said while wringing the wooden handle of his mop. “It’s not my job to clean the floor, its Dagger’s.”
Stevie knew exactly where Daniel was - goofing around somewhere. Finnan didn’t seem to mind though, in fact, it wouldn’t surprise Stevie if Daniel had somehow bullied the poor housekeeper to do his tasks for him.
“Where is he then?” Not wanting to give away the fact that he knew Dagger, he figured the most appropriate respond was to ask about the bellboy.
“Oh, I dunno…”
It was just like Daniel to vanish whenever there was work to be done. “Why not get a more hardworking replacement?”
Finnan stared at him in horror as if Steven had just suggested something illegal. “W-why?” He asked, then started to swab the same spot on the floor furiously.
Why would anyone want to keep someone like Dagger? Steven looked at the housekeeper in utter puzzlement.
“I-I mean, who’d work in a hotel like this? The stories alone keep the folks away.” Finna said hurriedly, hoping to cover up his blush and unneeded defence of Daniel.
Luckily for him, he had provided Stevie with something else to latch on to. “So… What stories?”
“Oh.”
‘Oh’ was something good, Stevie thought. ‘Oh’ meant he was on the right track and there was indeed something fishy about this hotel.
“Well… I don’t know if I should…”
“You’re the one who brought up stories. Spill it. You talking about the whole wish-granting thing?” Steven asked with dogged determination.
“Wishes? No… It’s about the hotel’s previous owner…”
“Oh really?”
“… Mmm-hmm.”
“… And?”
Finnan looked about uneasily and fixed his gaze on the clock hanging in the middle of the corridor which showed a quarter to 6.
“Oh no! Look at the time! I really should go prepare the restaurant now. I have to go, Mister Gerrard.” He grabbed the mop and bucket and rushed down the stairs.
Steven was just about to do the same when he heard a snoring coming for a room further down the corridor. He missed it earlier because Finnan and he were chatting. Finding the door open, he pushed it open and walked in without invitation. It was the Linen Room, filled with sheets, pillowcases and towels, and what’s this… Dagger!
“Hey.” Stevie nudged the sleeping bellboy’s leg with his foot.
“W-wha…?! I’ve done my cleaning, Mister Gonzales!” Daniel leaped to his feet in an agitated fashion and only relaxed when he realised it was Stevie. “Oh, it’s you… Don’t sneak up on me like that!” Yawning and stretching, he looked around as if he just realised he was in the Linen Room. “What’cha doin’ here? This is where we keep the sheets and stuff. Not a place where folks like you can just… hang out!”
“I heard snoring. Door was open, so I looked. So this is where you’ve been hiding, eh?”
“Hidin’?!” Daniel actually looked offended.
“How’s the cleanin’ coming along? Dumped it all on poor old Finnan, did’ya?”
“H-he told you that?” He looked a little hurt asking that and avoid Stevie’s eye, looking at his feet on the ground instead.
“No, but I guessed-”
“He offered to do it for me!” The injured-puppy look was all gone now that he knew it was all one-sided guessing on Steven’s part.
“Now, why would he do something like that, hmm?” There were certainly a lot of oddly-behaved characters around here.
“I-I dunno… Maybe he… Do you think… h-he…” It was not like Daniel to stutter and Stevie began to wonder if the relationship between the two were more than just colleagues. “You know, maybe he just… pities me.” Daniel didn’t sound too convinced himself. “That Raul’s a slave driver, man. I’m the only bellboy in this hotel. No matter how hard I work, stuff just keeps pilin’ up! Like a total energy vampire!” But he did sound rather energetic complaining about his workload.
“What if you get fired for goofing off?”
“Ha! Yeah, right.” He rolled his eyes. “Ain’t gonna find another one who would work and live here, man. Not so long as those stories are out there…”
Well, this ‘story’ business certainly caught Steven’s attention. Both employees spoke of it. “Stories? What’re you talking about?”
“This place is full of ‘em, Stevie!” He waved his hands about to further emphasis his point.
“Full of what?”
Daniel cast nervous glances around the small room and whispered in a hushed voice. “… Ghosts.”
“Ghosts.” Stevie repeated, eyeing him sceptically.
“Yeah. A long time ago,” Daniel cleared his throat, like an experienced storyteller about to tell his tale. “There was an… an ‘incident’, ya know? Soon as it happened, people were talking ‘bout ghosts and hauntings and stuff. Folks said they heard some young kid sobbin’ during the night. Then when they followed the voice, they found a little boy. And if they tried to talk to him…” He paused for a dramatic effect. “He vanished! Poof!” He searched Steven’s face for some sort of reaction to show that his listener believed him. “Anyway, that’s the story. It’s enough to keep people from wantin’ to work here.”
“Hm.” Stevie didn’t believe in ghosts. Every ghost story had a beginning and there were usually some truth in these beginnings. Over the years, people twisted these truths into myth. “You’ve seen this ghost?”
“’Course not!” Dagger said and chuckled. “It’s just some crazy story. Lived here for three years and I ain’t heard anything.”
“When was this incident?”
“When? Hmm… I heard it was ten years ago.”
“Tell me about the incident.”
“This stuff still interests you? Even though ya ain’t a cop no more?”
“Guess so. Crimes and criminals still get my blood going.” Especially in a place like this, where there were many secrets waiting to be uncovered. “You don’t just walk away. No one does.”
Daniel laughed. “Still the same ol’ Officer Gerrard! You know, you look real weird without a badge and a gun… You always seemed like a ‘cop for life’ kind, ya know?”
“Yeah.” It was what Steven thought too. Him and Xabi, cops for life still either of them broke a leg or something. And then it was still the two of them until the end. But now Xabi went back on that pact. And he was going to find out why. “So about this incident. What happened?”
“This man and his son stopped here for a night. Then in the middle of the night, the boy disappeared!”
“He disappeared?”
“Yeah. Kid was only ten years old, too. Father looked all over for him, but the sun came up and he was still gone. Later on, the cops got a mysterious letter… It told ‘em where they could find the boy’s body.”
“Did they find it?”
“No, that’s the crazy part. They found nothing - no kid, no crooks, no nothin’. Thing’s still unsolved.”
“Hm.” The clockworks in Steven’s head were beginning to turn. What were the father and son doing here? Who else knew they were here? What did the kidnapper, or crook, have to do with the family?
“And after that, the stories started. The murdered kid’s ghost appears at night and… acts scary or whatever. Might have been a crook, but it kept the folks away and bankrupted the place.”
Stevie raised a brow. Bankrupt, huh? Interesting…
Daniel sensing Stevie’s interest went on saying, “Place was deserted until Raul rolled in ‘bout five years ago. He picked the place up for nothin’ and bam! Hotel Dusk is open for business. Anyways, that’s all I know. Raul and Finna don’t like to talk about it.”
Stevie nodded and digested the whole story, Daniel nodded along with him, then suddenly remembered something. “Hey, hey, Officer Gerrard! Lemme ask ya somethin’!” Stevie jerked his head and indicated that he could. “So you quit the force and left the city, yeah? Why? I mean, why’d you come out all the way here?”
“Well… I’m looking for someone.”
“Lookin’ for someone? But you ain’t a cop no more!”
“It’s not like that.” He said, shaking his head. “It’s just a guy I used to work with who went missing.”
“A guy you worked with? What, like a cop?”
“Yeah, my partner, Xabi.” Stevie never got used to think of Xabi as his ex-partner.
“Why’s he missing?” Daniel was an annoying one. He never gave up. Almost like Stevie, in a way.
“He got shot at the docks three years ago and took a dive in the Thames.”
“Well… if he’s been outta sight for three years… It’s kinda safe to assume he’s dead, yea?”
“No. He’s alive.”
Daniel looked a little sympathetic, almost as if he understood. “You guys were close, huh? That’s why you want him to be alive… But you gotta let go… Dead’s dead.”
Want’s got nothing to do with it. He’s alive, I know it. Stevie thought.
When Stevie said nothing, Daniel went on. “I understand. You and me, we’re the same.” He was about to leave when Stevie stopped him.
“Wait. What do you understand?”
Stopping at the door, Daniel hesitated for a moment before replying. “We’re the same, mate. A buddy of mine died three years back. That’s all. Hey, I gotta go. You’d better too. I told ya, this place ain’t for guests, you got it?”
“Got it.”
Satisfied with Steven’s response, Daniel slipped out of the door followed by Stevie. They parted ways at the foot of the stairs - Daniel going into one of those ‘STAFF ONLY’ doors and Stevie walking towards the front desk.