Two Villains

Ch. 1- Welcome to The Hotel Caelus at Como, Italy

But before I could scream, the alarm's beeping woke me up.

Slowly and peacefully.

It was 3:30 a.m., and the alarm clock kept emitting its soft, persistent beep before I shut it off. It had been a while since I had a nightmare.

The sky was still shrouded in darkness, and the streets of London had yet to stir. I had not expected this level of cold in late March, but here I was, greeted by the unrelenting chill. Last year, it was warmer at this time. The year before that, London bid farewell to spring with a milder touch. But this year, the city surprised me with its harsh cold.

I rubbed my bare feet against the warmth of the bed beneath the thick duvet, which retained the heat of my body. Coziness filled me with unfathomable happiness because today marked the beginning of what promised to be the best week of my life. Every cell in my body danced with excitement.

I shook off my drowsiness and glanced around the room to assess what needed to be done before I left for the airport. I never slept with the lights off, so the apartment was bathed in a soft, ambient glow. It did not take long to figure out my pre-departure tasks.

And calling it an apartment would be an insult to the injury that was named "poverty." It was a mere pigeonhole compared to the homes scattered across the city. Yet, I paid double the rent for this pigeonhole. I knew, as a doctor, I should not complain about my salary, but if you were a Londoner, you understood the struggle. In this city, everyone but millionaires and property owners is considered poor.

However, if I could pass the first part of my membership of the Royal College of Surgeons Examinations this year, maybe next year I would relocate to Glasgow for advanced surgical training. Perhaps there I could save money for future adventures and, who knows, a place to call my own................

Maybe, someday.

Anyways.

My flight to Italy was scheduled for 7 a.m.

As a proud owner of a desi brain, I could not help but worry the night before whether I had packed enough for my dream vacation in Italy. Actually, the whole of Europe had always been my dream destination, but as an NHS worker, saving money for such a grand tour across the continent was no easy feat. It was a challenge, but I was determined to explore all of Europe. And after that, Asia. Then, I would venture into Africa. And who knew what awaited me beyond that...

Oh, Switzerland! How could I ignore my dream country? Maybe, if fate allows, I will find a way to move there someday...

I continued mentally listing all the places I intended to visit while also giving my luggage a final check. Two suitcases filled to the brim with my summer-themed clothes, exclusively purchased from Primark and Covent Garden. I had been planning this trip for nearly a year, meticulously saving every penny because staying at a luxury resort by Lake Como was far beyond my usual budget. These luxury hotels rarely had sales, but I lucked out and managed to secure a small room. It might not have the most breathtaking view, but anything that was not a damp London street was a treasure to me.

After taking a refreshing shower, drying, and curling my hair, I ate a mini breakfast of eggs on toast while I called for an Uber to pick me up from my Camden apartment and take me to Heathrow Airport.

When I checked in for my flight, the time displayed on the clock was 5:30 a.m. My heart was again filled with blissful anticipation because I knew that not only was I treating myself to a trip to Lake Como, but I was also fulfilling a promise I had made to my younger self—a promise that had now become a beautiful reality. As I approached the boarding gate, I couldn't resist taking a few selfies and a photo of my passport next to my tickets for my Instagram!