Hotel Selten

Coming Out

“Blaise!”

Ophelia shouted as she saw Blaise who just exited from the back of the public bath. “Oh, Ophelia. Why are you here?” He asked while carrying a bag full of clothes. She looks at him, kinda nervous, “Uhm, just wanna help you out.” He smiled, “Just in time.” He gave some of the bags to her. “Come, I will get some more in the main building.” They went in the door of the three-story building, its shadow is dominating the other housing units there. 

“May I ask something?” Blaise looks at Ophelia who was looking around. The brunette girl looks at him back, “Yeah?” “Well, I noticed you have your backpack in the camp. I can’t help but suspect.” Her eyes widen as she realizes where will this lead to, “I didn’t know they will attack, I swear!” Blaise chuckles, “You are sounding more suspicious, I didn’t even say anything yet.”

Ophelia just realized she did something wrong, she doesn’t have any involvement in the attack or whatsoever. “I just know what you are pointing to, I can sense it, you don’t have to sound like that.” She said in her defense again. “How about you? Why am I hearing voices earlier?” Blaise's eyes widen.

They were in an unplanned confrontation in the hotel. At least Ophelia was shocked that Blaise confronted her, she knows she was at fault when she became defensive. Now matters get worse. “Now you are shifting the topic, don’t you?” He said as he snickers. “I am not, I was about to ask you that until you asked me about the backpack.”

“Then defend why you have a backpack, I don’t think it’s an accident.” Ophelia sighs, “I am leaving the hotel.” Blaise froze as he looks at her, “Say that again? I think I misheard—” Ophelia shook her head, “No, you didn’t. I am leaving the hotel.” He looks at her, his squinting face became a worried one. “Is there something wrong?” 

Ophelia sighs, “Well, some residents start to get scared towards me after that, I got chased by police then the barrier stuff. They think that I am a criminal under this face.” Blaise comforts her, “Why didn’t you say to me or anyone?” She shook her head, “Nah, I thought it will be better. But then that night, I just said, ‘Eh. Whatever I can survive in the forest and if I get caught by the police, so be it.’”

“I am sorry.” Ophelia looks at him, “Uhm, for what?” Blaise sighs, “I supposed to help you out, earlier I suspected you of something irrational.” She caresses his shoulder, “It’s not irrational, you just want justice for the recent events, right? I feel the same, this is not right. We weren’t harming someone and you guys didn’t before, right?” He sighs once more, “I don’t know in particular, Ophelia. But I am sure in Miss Eve’s reign she didn’t hurt anyone, or at least we don’t know anyone in particular.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, looking at him in concern. “As a mother figure and leader of the hotel, she will do anything to protect her residents. Just like the past leaders, especially she has promised herself that in her reign, she will bring joy to everyone residing in the hotel. Anything could be something bad or anything worse. We don’t know really the capabilities of Miss Eve.”

“Isn’t she transparent to you guys?” Blaise holds his chin, “She has different transparencies to us, especially on Thilda and Hugo, whom she trusts the most. She has different transparency to me, to everyone. Some of them pledge to not tell some particular thing about her, so we can’t really solve the puzzle of her well-being. Everybody has secrets.” 

“Well, secrets will be revealed sooner. My grandma said no secrets can be hidden forever, no matter how deep you sunk it in an ocean, it will rise on its own.” Ophelia preached to him, which made him gulp. “That’s scary, I don’t want my secret sock collection to be revealed.” She giggled, “You just said it.” Blaise scratched his head, “Oh. My bad.” They both laugh as they continue to get some clothes for everyone.

They arrived back in the camp, Miss Eve was happy to see them both again. ‘The lady must have been thinking about her residents so much.’ Ophelia shrugs as they distribute each clothes to everyone and they went into their own hiding places, changing their clothes. It was already noon, it’s time for lunch. Hugo and Thilda start distributing some of the canned foods again. 

“Gladly these trees give us some good shades.” Blaise starts chomping on his canned pork and beans, “This tastes so good.” Meanwhile, Ophelia was helping the lady to eat her food since she is still weak. “This is embarrassing.” The teenager giggled, “Don’t worry miss, reserve your energy.” Miss Eve is chewing her food, “I am not impaled.” 

A tall man approached them, “It was my orders, miss, just eat please.” The lady looks up at him, “You are treating me like a child.” He snickered, “Yeah, like what you do to me.” Three of them laugh. “Just rest and eat, Miss Eve. You deserve it.” She smiles as she feeds the lady, she smiled back too as she chews her food. “Thank you, Ophelia.” 

“You are welcome, Miss Eve.” She stirs the food in the can. “Ophelia?” Miss Eve called her as she turns to her, “Yes miss?” She holds her left hand, “Tell me, why are you planning to leave the hotel?” She was shocked, “H-how… Did you know?” The lady plays with her fingers, “Blaise told me. I was shocked also, but then I remembered that in these past few days, you seem sad, I fell on your excuse. I am sorry, dear.” 

“You don’t have to be sorry, miss. It is no one's fault.” She lowered her head. “It is someone’s fault. I should have been with you and guide you.” The lady gently massages her hand, “I left you getting poisoned with negative thoughts.” Ophelia looks at her, “Miss, it’s okay. Please don’t blame yourself for my immaturity.” The lady looks at her in the eye, “It is not immaturity, my dear. It is emotions, for your situation, it is a valid emotion. You are allowed to feel sad whenever people start to hate you. It is your reaction and I understand it. As for people like me, who cared about you, we should be there for your emotions. Sadness is dangerous, honey. It can kill.”

“Don’t mind it miss, I am used to be hated by people. Only a few people love me.” Miss Eve holds her hand tight, just enough to comfort her. “And those people who love you need to make you feel love. You deserved to be love, my dear Ophelia. As the leader of the hotel and you as my new resident, I am your new mother, I know you have a terrible past. Let us make your present and future happiness. Enough with you are used to this and that, because sometimes, it’s already tiring, isn’t it?”

“Well, it is… I sometimes wonder why I get hated so much. I am getting insecure to everyone.” She caresses her cheek, “I told you. So please, if you have a problem tell me. Regarding others hating you and getting scared, I can’t change their minds since they might see me as getting biased with my leadership. Let them be, some are just getting cautious since they are afraid of these recent events. Just mind your own business, I am sure they don’t hurt you, do they?”

Ophelia shook her head, “They are just talking and stuffs.” Miss Eve puts her hand away and sits properly, “Then, don’t mind it, and don’t think much about it. You are doing great, I am happy that you are doing something with initiative. Thank you.” Ophelia smiles, she feels better with the lady’s words. She never felt like this for a month or so. Since the death of her grandmother, everything just feels nothing for her. She’s that kind of person that is already used to getting fed encouragement from others when she is feeling down. She never encourages herself, or at least, find hope within herself. Today, she was thankful she found the hotel.

After lunch, the fighters, Blaise, Hugo, Ophelia, and Miss Eve piled up in one tree. Thilda was in front of Miss Eve, holding two maps, a map of Europe and a map of France. “According to what we gathered last night from the lost men of our long-time enemies, their base is in Rennes, France.” She pointed to the city on the map of France, which is far side northwest of the country. “No town, in particular, I didn’t extract so much information, I can say. So, he said he was a recruit.” Adam entered the conversation, “So, they are just mere recruits? That’s why some of them were admiring the hotel before they attacked.” He snickers, “Stupid.” 

“Well, some of them didn’t want this or all of them. The guy said he was scammed by his French friend.” Ophelia explained as Alice, one of the fighters, raised a question. “So, they are luring people in their organization? And, they seem to have a lot of connections.” Thilda looks at them, “Well, he said that he was involved attacking the mansion, you know, the Martin Mansion. We are not the only one getting victimized here.” 

“Seems they have one goal.” Miss Eve suggests. “What is it, miss?” The lady fixes her sitting, “I am not sure. But I can say they want to get these places wherein strange people live, like us.” Thilda nods, “Seems a good reason, it might be for research purposes or stuff. Which is not good.” 

“And hey, they always keep some of us alive, they could have killed us all with a bomb, but they choose to combat us and take some of us. So I guess the research reason was fitting.” Adam suggested. “Or… They are building an army, just like how they do with normal people.” Thilda looks at Blaise, “Maybe…” 

“We can’t just stay with maybe’s anything more?” Ernest blurted. “Okay, another information is they were lead by General Trepagnier.” Peony’s eyes widen, “I’ve just realized, his name was familiar. I can’t remember when did I heard his name. Probably when I was young.” They all looked at her, “You know that I am bad at names and people.” They all sighed and grunts. 

“That will be a good hope, Peony might remember him when she sees him,” Ophelia suggested. “Yeah, she might be an alarm for us. Since he can be the way to answer our questions and finally, let this all end.” Hugo crossed his arms. “And… Remember the spy before?” They all nod except Ophelia, who was clueless. 

“Their statements contradict a bit. She said it was in Ireland.” Thilda said as she holds her chin while looking at the map of Europe. “And, she was a captured victim, but they came from the same persons, our enemies,” Blaise said as the others nod. “Maybe they are different.”

All of them looked at Ophelia, “I mean, look at us, we have people for fighting and we have people who we use their intelligence to get the best thing we got for the hotel. It might mean that they have different purposes.” “And they have a different headquarters and leaders… Ophelia, you are a genius.” Thilda said as she marks two places on the European map. “Even they are different, they have the same root.” Thilda looks at Hugo, “An evil root. Going back to what they came from can answer our questions and finally, we can live peacefully, at last, no headaches and less training for this crap.” They all look at her, “So what’s the plan?”

“This time, we will go to them.”