Chapter 10: The creepy-looking man at the hotel.

Sofia's POV 

She lifted her head immediately after she saw me. I tried faking a smile when I made eye contact with her.

"You are welcome Miss. Do you need a room?".

She asked, tugging loose strands of her long black waving hair behind her ear, before giving me her full attention.

 I nodded and she bent over her desk and brought out an iPad. She placed it on the desk, and swiped it open ." Fill in your information as it is stated there".I drifted closer and keyed in my credentials. She looked at her computer and told me the available rooms and their price tag. The least amount was 1000USD. I almost choked on my breath. I needed somewhere to stay for a month and figure myself out and if I had to pay for a month, it meant  I would run out of cash and would have nothing to afford even a one-course meal. I explained my worries to her and she advised me to do otherwise. 

"Since you are new here and have nowhere to go at the moment, you should pay for a month and I believe by the end, you must have gotten a job or something to help you pay further if you would like to stay or you could get an apartment if you want to leave ". She told me, with her elbow resting on the desk and waving her fingers like she was in some class. She seems nice though. 

No Sofia, no one is nice. I said mindfully, before agreeing to what she said.

She nodded with a smile before handing me the keys to the room I had chosen. 

As my eyes would normally look at things around, I looked at the keys the receptionist handed to me. What I saw did not matter, but I suddenly came to an abrupt stop, when I remembered that, it was the same word the ice-blue-eyed man said to one of his men back on the train when it caught fire.   "GODA". Yes, that's it. My eyes widened as I looked at the word again. Does this have a link to him? Or is it just my imagination? Does he own this place?. I needed to get answers because if there was any connection between the two, then I was going to leave this hotel as soon as I could.

His men, friends, and workers, or whoever they were, called him boss, and from what I know so far, bosses are powerful and can do just anything they want. He almost choked me to death earlier today and what would happen if he finds out I'm lodging in his hotel.  Dear Lord, just another murder case.

I took a few steps back, turning around to get answers from the receptionist because I believe she is the only one to answer them. When I spun around, looking over at the receptionist's desk, I saw a strange-looking man, talking with her. His attention was not focused on her, but rather focused on me.

Did I just get into another trouble? Who is this creepy man looking at me like he found someone he has long been looking for. I averted my gaze and quickly got into the elevator and made my way to the 25th floor, where my room was.

When  I stepped out of the elevator, I put my hands behind my back and took slow steps in the long corridor which had rooms on both sides.  I looked up at each door frame carefully, so as not to miss my room number.  A few persons were walking past me, some giving me weird looks and others minding their business and amongst those looking at me, I could spot some men trying to strip me naked with their eyes. They better not try it.

I finally found my room. Goodness, I heave in heavily, before stretching my hand to open it.

 I opened the door and slid my head inside, behold the strong luminous light that caught my eyes and almost blinded them. I vividly stepped back outside, to get a hold of myself. I didn't want to get blind, not just yet.

I summoned the courage one more time and pushed the door wide open and got inside. Still, the light got me again.  I struggled to keep myself together. I blinked a few times before I finally opened them. I moved closer to the center of the room. It was all painted white. And there was this shining light in the room, no doubt it almost blinded me. It was all white, even the bedspread. It has a small closet on one side of the walls, and a small flat-screen TV hanging on the wall opposite me.

I could not admire the entire room in just one night.

I paced towards the closet and dropped my backpack which was now more than dirty in one of the drawers of the closet.

 I lazily dragged myself into the small bathroom that was enough to contain my size. I stripped off my clothes and stepped under the shower. I let the water run down my body and for one second I forgot the misery I was living in. But I knew all that was going to come back immediately after I stepped out of this shower. Only heaven was going to save me from this.

*****

I woke up the next day, feeling fresh and relaxed. I had this new feeling of relief within me. I guess this is the best I have ever felt, since my last day with Rochelle. The thought of her made me numb and a tear rolled down my cheek. She was the only family I had after my parents passed on. I couldn't just be myself to get over her. How she was killed is something I can not still fathom till today and that was the same way my mother was killed. I wonder who on earth is trying so hard to get to me and why they would not kill me instead, rather than killing my family. 

Lost in my thoughts, when I heard a knock at the door. My instincts told me that was an attack, I climbed down the bed and stamped to the closet where my backpack was, opening it, I removed my only defensive weapon.  The knife I always use. I held it behind my back as I tiptoed to the door and pressed the door knob, opening it slightly, before asking who it was. "Who are you and what do you want?".

I asked with a breathing voice. "Room service Miss!". The voice replied and I rolled my eyes in relief, before opening the door for her.

"Good morning Miss, hope you had a good night's rest in our hotel?"

Yes of course I did, not until you startled me with that funny knock on the door.

 "Yes I did, thanks for asking. What do you want?". I asked, trying to get her to leave fast. I wanted to be left alone.

"It's morning and I came up to clean your room and also asked if you would be needing anything, maybe food or something else ''. She said, waving her fingers in front of me and all I could picture were the ugly long artificial nails she was wearing.  I just wonder what is wrong with all these women. Long nails, long fake lashes, fake boobs, and many more.

 "Oh, thank you for your services. But I can manage the cleaning. You could just bring me something small to eat". I told her, not letting her get into my room. And I discovered that the whole time, she was struggling to see what I was holding behind me.

"Alright, Miss. But are you hiding something ?".

She asked with a weird expression on her face.  Are you just going to leave and let me be? "Nothing that concerns you. So you can leave now.  Thank you". I said with a deadly glare, with my voice sounding murderous. People need to mind their business and just let others be. What is wrong with that?

"Ok fine, I'm leaving".

And make sure not to show up again.

"Better". I slammed the door shut when she finally left and climbed back on the bed.

I need to figure out something.  I wouldn't just stay here all day doing nothing. I needed to put my past behind me and get a new life for myself.  I need a job and how I'm supposed to get one if I stay in bed all day. 

With that, I left the bed yet again.  I freshen up and put on some new clothes. I emptied my backpack and put just a few important stuff in it.

I made sure to fix the bed and keep everything in order before leaving. 

Locking the door to my room, my eyes landed on the key holder and the word GODA showed up and it kept me wondering. 

I gave a small smile when a thought lingered in my mind. Before stepping out of the hotel, I was going to ask the receptionist who gave me this key about GODA.

I have this strong sentiment in me that there is some sort of connection between the ice-blue-eyed man and this GODA thing.

I launched into the elevator and made my way downstairs.  I looked at the receptionist's desk and saw her spot empty. Well, maybe she has not come yet. I left the area with a sad expression on my face and walked slowly towards the front door of the hotel. 

Somewhere I don't know.  I was going to try my luck.