Now You Know ✅

Chapter 7: Like Children

Pelham and Roshon practically raced their way to their assigned cabin - like primary school children - while heaving their bags after them as soon as they had gotten their key. Evidently, they were fortunate enough to have had been assigned to the largest cabin - even if it did look as ordinary as the rest. Naturally, Pelham was looking forwards to the biggest bedroom, like Franco Lolan had mentioned. But Roshon was not going to give him the satisfaction, not after Pelham had suggested that Roshon sleep on the floor.

It was clearly a joke. But, owing to the fact that they were best friends - and sometimes best friends took jokes way too seriously - Pelham thought it was more intense than the Hunger Games itself.

Since Pelham was holding the key, he was the first one to admit himself into the cabin. Once he and Roshon were inside, they stared in awe as they revolved slowly on their spots, engrossed by the interior. It was as archetypal and convivial as any cabin should look, and it blended well with the cool atmosphere outside. The main room consisted of a chestnut two-seated couch, an armchair that was placed against a wall facing a window, right next to a fireplace, completed with an ancient Toshiba 27" television sitting on top of a table and a burgundy rug right at the centre. It was as though nobody bothered to modernise the furnitures in there. But then again, Pelham found that he didn't mind watching movies from a thick television. On the other side of the wall behind the sitting room was the kitchen - its fridge and stove visible enough from the entrance.

And three russet doors told the two boys that they shouldn't be wasting any more time admiring the interior of the cabin.

If it weren't for their little competition of getting the better bedroom, they would have had inspected the whole cabin first like any prudent person would, like making sure there was a back door or a fire alarm - to which Pelham's main concern about the latter was put towards Roshon.

Without further ado, Pelham dashed towards the nearest door while Roshon went for the other pair of doors. He opened it and his stomach plummeted; it revealed a bathroom. He cursed under his breath and panicked. He went to hurry towards the other two doors - either of them - when he heard a cry of triumph from the other side of the room.

"CLAIM IT!" Roshon yelled.

Again, Pelham cursed - loudly, this time.

The bedroom was wide. Even if it only consisted an old queen-sized bed, a drawer, an arm chair that faced a small fireplace and a wardrobe, the huge window that brought in the heavenly exterior landscape made the whole interior design pleasingly aesthetic. The colour of earth was everywhere.

"See? Those who stay patient always end up getting the good stuff," Roshon said smugly.

Pelham could only roll his eyes in exasperation. But, being the good friend he was, he gave in and went for the other door. As expected, it was smaller than Roshon's. Though, at least it was better than what he had expected. The same queen-sized bed that faced a window. A wardrobe stood near a door that probably led to the bathroom. There was a rug at the centre of the room, where an armchair stood, facing another ancient Toshiba television - perhaps older than the other model in the main room. A small desk stood just near the bed, along with a high-backed chair instead of an armchair. All of them looked considerably old. But they were there, all right.

Pelham threw his bags into the room - not bothering to check where they landed - and hopped onto the bed, which bounced under his weight.

He gave a low whistle of astonishment when he saw a clock staring down at him as soon as he was settled on the bed. It was a transparent clock - perhaps already built into the ceiling like windows - with neon numbers and hands, so he could see it at night as well as the sky behind it. Right now, it showed that it was half-past four in the evening, and the sky outside was darkening, as it was going to rain soon, just like Franco had stated.