The Hart Hotel

Chapter Four 13th May 2019. The Hart Hotel.

"Are you ready to go in now?" Beatrice asks timidly, Nathaniel had been staring at the house for over twenty minutes. A storm of memories crash and tumble in his mind. His knuckles white as he continues to grip the steering while tightly. Nathaniel lets out a shaky breath, "Y-yeah, I am," he replies. He loosens his grip, letting his fingers spread out as he takes his car key out of the ignition.

"Have you got family here?" Beatrice asks, trying to keep his mind occupied. Nathaniel sniffs, "I guess you could say that". He opens the car door and gets out, slamming the door shut as he heads around the back to the boot and opens it up; taking out his big suitcase as he puts it to the ground. Shutting the boot and locking the car.

"Are you sure you're ready to go inside? Maybe you need to get yourself together first lovey," Beatrice suggests, crossing her arms as though she is cold from the icy weather.

"It's now or never," he replies tonelessly.

He presses the button on his car key, click, the car locks. He picks his bag up and walks towards the house, Beatrice struts behind him. He looks back to check on her, but she's gone. He straightens, where's she run off to?

He turns his head back to the house; she stands there tapping her left foot at the front door. He hurries towards her, shaking his head at her; "Can't exactly do that can I?".

"I'm discovering new things I didn't know I could do; I quite like it actually," Beatrice announces proudly.

Nathaniel ignores her and takes hold of one of the metal knockers, cold to the touch as he knocks it against the door.

A minute goes by before the door jolts open, "You can just walkthrough, it's a hotel sir," a young man informs. Nathaniel takes him in, the man has dark-rimmed circles under his eyes, his eyes a light blue. His hair short, brown, and his build thin and tall.

"Sorry, I'm not quite used to visiting with the idea it's a hotel now," Nathaniel excuses. The man nods and pauses for a moment; "Oh, yeah. Bonnie said you were coming. I'm the receptionist" he sticks his hand out towards Nathaniel, who takes it and returns it with a firm shake.

"I'm Nathaniel," he introduces.

"I'm Liam," he replies, opening the door wider as he steps aside.

Nathaniel walks inside, it was the same as he remembers except for the big reception desk on the left-hand side. Each corner rounded, old fashioned and a shiny effect beams off its clean sides.

Behind it is a glass cabinet, full of hung up keys. Nathaniel walks towards the reception and waits as Liam walks around behind.

"Bonnie said you're in your usual room. We keep it closed off to guests, she won't rent it out. I'll get your key for you now," he informs, opening up the cabinet and grabbing the key with a white tag attached.

"Thank you," he mumbles in reply, giving Liam a short nod.

Liam hands him the key and Nathaniel takes it, shoving the key in his jacket pocket.

"Nathan!" a woman's voice pierces throughout the entrance. Nathaniel squints his eyes, the sound going through him. Nathaniel snaps his head to his right and see's Bonnie pace towards him, tears in her eyes as she opens her arms up. Nathaniel walks towards her as she squeezes him in her grasp, "It's just awful! Awful what happened! I know it's been a week or so since it happened, but I didn't have any way of contacting you!" she blubbers, her face reddening. "I know, I should have bought a burner phone, but I just didn't have the money," Nathaniel whispers sadly, feeling the dampness of her cheeks and she holds him in her embrace. She pushes him out, holding him at arm's length; "I didn't know, I promise... there were no signs," she cries.