Page 52 of Lucky Night

Three doors down, a large man in a white bathrobe is beating frantically on a door.

While Nick watches, the man gives up and throws himself at the next door, pummeling it with his fists.

Not a firefighter.

Fucking hell, it’s not a firefighter.

The disappointment is like a blow. It’s likea—

Nick! What’s happening?

She’d rushed to the door right behind him, but she can’t seewhat he sees. The stranger must hear her voice, because he turns, sees Nick and with a hoarse cry comes barreling toward him.

And Christ, he isn’t a large man, he’s enormous, hurtling up the hall, growing bigger and bigger and babbling, what’s he babbling? Bare feet, huge bare legs, flapping robe, terrified and honestly a little terrifying.

He feels the urge to duck back in and slam the door. The man is…he’s just so massive, and Jesus he’s fast, and he seems…but there’s no time to think it through, no time to decide because the man is there, looming in the doorway, slowing down but not stopping, his size and agitation forcing Nick back into the room. Jenny retreats behind him.

The man slams the door and sags against it, quivering and sweating, looking none too steady on those tree-trunk legs. He gasps for breath, making sounds like little shrieks.

Luojan kiitos! Luojan kiitos!he says, between gulps of air.Luojan kiitos!

Jenny stares at him. Oh, no! I thought we were—

Tarvitsen puhelimen!the man gasps.Missä puhelimesion?

Let’s give him some space, Nick says. He guides Jenny back into the main part of the room, keeping himself between her and the colossus propped against the door, because he doesn’t know, he’s just not sure about this guy. He must be six-six, six-seven at least, three hundred pounds, maybe more. He’s completely bald and dressed only in a hotel bathrobe. Also…

He smells like smoke, she whispers. Oh God, Nick, he reeks ofit!

Hey. He takes her by the shoulders, looking into her eyes. Jenny? It’s fine. We knew there was smoke out there. We ran into it ourselves. This guy has been through the same thing, that’s all. There’s no smoke in here, right? There wasn’t any smoke in the hallway just now. When he calms down, we can ask him what he’s seen, but right now we’re perfectly—

The stranger launches himself off the door with a cry, practically knocking them down as he lumbers toward the window.

Jesus Christ, man! Take it easy!

But he can’t—he’s full-on panicking. He paces in front of the window, peering out at the snow, rubbing his bald head and muttering.

Nick takes a cautious step toward him. Hey. Hey there.

The man stops pacing and turns.

Do you speak English?

The man points out at the window.Mikä suunta se on? Pohjoinen?

So that’s a no, Nick says.

Tarvitsen vitun matkapuhelimen!The man’s voice is shrill. His eyes are bright and tiny in his wide pink face. He can’t seem to control his breathing. His hands flutter helplessly at his sides. They don’t belong to him right now.

It must be bad out there, she says. If he’s acting like this? It must be so bad.

Jenny, please don’t freak out on me, okay? I can’t handle two—

The giant lurches away from the window, stopping in front of the television. He watches the news, his mouth hanging open. With his rosy baldness, his snowy robe and bare feet, he looks like a huge, confused baby.

Mitä helvettiä tapahtuu?he whimpers.

What the hell language is that? Nick says.

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