Page 32 of The Making of Jonty Bloom
Make sure the front door is locked and bolted.
Thanks for that, Tay. It won’t stop the zombies for long.
What about Brad?
Would a locked door stop Brad? It should, but… Jonty let out a shuddering breath. He did his circuit of the ground floor, checking every door, testing every window. All the emergency exits had to be inspected too, to ensure they were illuminated, able to open from the inside, and not blocked in any way. Most of the lights on the ground floor were off now. The background lighting was sufficient to allow guests to find their way around, so Devan would be able to come and ask him for that back rub.Ha ha.The bar was shut and locked. Guests were all tucked up in their beds.Don’t think about Devan in his bed.
Jonty could hear the building settling down for the night, creaks and groans of timbers and pipes interspersed with whispers and gurgles. The hotel had a comforting language of its own. Some guests had complained about noises, a few had asked if the place was haunted. Maybe it was, but Jonty liked the sounds the building made.
Back behind the reception desk, he made sure that Colin, who’d been on duty until Jonty took over, had made a note of who’d ordered what newspaper for their room. The wake-up calls had already been programmed into the system, but Jonty double-checked it had been done because it was him who’d get a mouthful in the morning if the guests didn’t get their call. Though why they couldn’t use their phones, he had no idea.
Once he was in the room behind reception, he took off his jacket, hung it over the back of a chair and sniffed his armpits. He’d had to wear this morning’s shirt and socks because he’d not been able to go home to get clean ones. He’d asked Mike to bring him straight here so he wasn’t late. He’d ironed his dirty shirt and trousers.
When he’d first started here, even though he’d been told it was okay to sleep, he’d still thought he ought to stay awake all night in case there was an emergency. Heart attack in Room One. Vampire in Room Two. Poltergeist in Room Three. Orgy in Room Four. Blow job in Wave. When it became clear that didn’t often happen—okay, never—he slept when he could.
The hotel had been a convalescent home after the second world war and when some guests had talked about seeing ghosts, Jonty wondered if those who’d died there had left a sort of imprint on the place. Maybe people didn’t even need to die for that to happen. Those who’d lived in the hotel while they recovered from their injuries, guests who’d made love, guests who’d come here sad, maybe they all left bits of themselves.Including me.
Since the parcels had started arriving at his bedsit, he felt safer in the hotel than he did where he lived. The hotel took care of him and he took care of the hotel. But now that a package had been delivered here, Jonty had to take that as a warning. So much for thinking it was all over. Brad had been spoken to by the police after the…assault, and everything had gone quiet for a while. But he’d clearly not given up. The collection of packages under Jonty’s sink proved that, along with the feeling that he was being followed and watched.
He loosened his tie and unfolded the camp bed. Once he’d grabbed a pillow from the cupboard, he kicked off his shoes and lay down with his phone next to his ear. All calls to the front desk from inside or outside the hotel would be directed to him now he’d activated the app.Please don’t let there be any calls tonight.Except maybe from Devan, though if hedidcall, unless it was a legitimate reason for wanting him such as his room being on fire, Jonty needed to say no, even though he’d practically thrown himself at him.Not while I’m working.Not even when I’m not working.
Jonty rolled onto his side. He’d been glad Devan had been with him in the sea, even though it was selfish. If he’d been on his own, he’d probably have drowned. The sea had pushed him down and the board had hit his head and… He drew in a deep breath and jolted as he smelt seawater. It had to be his imagination but…
I didn’t panic when the rip caught me. I was scared, but I didn’t panic. Ididpanic at the thought of hospital. I hate hospitals.The light in the room dropped as if someone had turned a dimmer switch, except therewasno dimmer switch. He closed his eyes, seeking oblivion, and immediately found himself back in the water, reliving what had happened.I nearly died. Not just me.That sea had been…intense. As if he’d been attacked by a wild animal, dragged one way, then the other, pinned down and unable to do anything about it. Like being attacked by Brad.
Fucking hell.
Stop thinking about it.
I nearly died.
But you didn’t die. You’re warm. You’re dry. You’re safe.
Jonty’s heart was beating too fast. He wasn’t thinking of the sea now, but Brad. He curled up on the bed, pulling into as tight a ball as he could. The less of him that was exposed, the less there was to hurt.I need to relax.But he couldn’t. His legs and arms wouldn’t unfurl. Nor could he slow his breathing.
Shit. Tay!
Breathe!
Tay couldn’t help him. No one could. He might not have died in the sea, but maybe he was going to die now. No one to save him, his damaged heart finally breaking for good. Nothing he could do about it. The more anxious he became, the faster he breathed. The faster he breathed, the tighter panic gripped him in its claws. Even though he knew breathing fast made everything worse, he couldn’t help it.
He was alone. He’d always be alone.
But it was safer.
He was broken. He’d always be broken.
Not true. Devan would make you feel better.
For how long? As long as it takes us both to come?
He made you feel better when he held your hand.
But he let it go.
Take what you can get. Life’s too short. You know that.
He isn’t even interested.
