Seer of the St. James Hotel (Section 4)

Things begin to get back in line after the accident, and a new character is introduced.

?

 

Mike arrived downstairs a few minutes later. Most of the central area of the lobby was shut down, the crowd was sparse, and Beth was scurrying around trying to keep the hotel operational in the wake of the disaster.

“Oh, God no.” Might muttered, seeing a figure walk through the front door, coming his direction.

“Mike-y!” Kent waved to him as he entered, only giving the wreckage a simple look before turning back towards Mike. “So, what’s the deal?” He asked, stopping just short of Mike’s feet.

“No deal.” Mike said simply. “Get out.”

“I’m not leaving, until you tell me what’s up with you.” Kent asserted.

“No.” Mike asserted himself.

“Look, obviously something’s bothering you.” Kent explained. “And I want to know what that something is so we can get rid of it and, together, both focus on the presentation tomorrow.”

“Here’s an idea for you Kent,” Mike began, “go back to your hotel, get lots of sleep, and you do the presentation alone tomorrow, because I’m not going. No way in hell.”

“What?” Kent was flabbergasted, “You can’t just bail on this deal, it could make or break us!”

“I can, and I will.” Mike replied. “So whether it’ll make us or break us, is on you.”

“The boss is going to kill you when he finds out.” Kent attempted to talk sense into his co-worker.

“I don’t care about what he thinks, much less about what you think.” Mike sneered.

“You’re coming with me, Mike.” Kent commanded.

“No.” Mike repeated.

“Why not?” Kent was almost yelling.

“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you.” Mike said.

“I don’t care. I want to know why my friend is bailing on the deal of a lifetime.” Kent replied.

“Okay,” Mike began, “first off, I’m not your friend Kent, nor have I ever been. Second, if you really were my friend, you wouldn’t demand answers, you’d just accept my response and leave.”

“How could you say we’re not friends!” Kent looked shocked, “We’ve been working together for years!”

“Well, Kent,” Mike began his explanation, “to quote a motivational poster I read in some office, on a business trip, with you: ‘Friendship isn’t about who you’ve known the longest, but who came, and never left your side.’”

“Wow, I’m blown away by the sensational sentimental value a motivational poster had on you.” Kent said slyly.

“Piss off Kent.” Mike dismissed him.

“I’m not leaving without you in tow.” Kent said sternly.

Just then, Carson came wandering down the stairs, and inadvertently became a part of the argument.

“Hello.” Carson greeted Kent happily.

“Who the hell is this?” Kent asked Mike.

“The name is Carson Klemond, friend. And I’m gonna take a guess and say you’re Kent Thatcher.” Carson replied.

“How do you know Mike?” Kent looked confused.

“I’m helping him out with the spiritual problems we seem to be having.” Carson replied.

“Oh, so that’s what this is about.” Kent turned back to Mike. “You’re afraid of ghosts.”

“I didn’t expect you to get it.” Mike said softly.

“I can see why, I don’t know how anyone could get it.” Kent said scornfully.

“Why don’t I try and explain it to you.” Carson offered.

“F**k off.” Kent waved him away.

“I’m sorry?” Carson was caught off guard.

“I said f**k off.” Kent reiterated, giving Carson a little shove.

“Huh.” Carson stood for a moment, head cocked in bemusement.

As Kent turned to face Mike again, Carson swiftly swung his hand up, striking Kent right in the throat, causing him to bend and gag loudly. Carson snatched Kent by his sport coat, thrust his knee up and buried it in Kent’s stomach, sending him to the floor.

Carson knelt down beside the wounded man slowly.

“Listen to me, Mr. Thatcher.” He began, talking louder than usual to speak over Kent’s gagging noises, “You’re going to leave here now,” Carson looked over Kent, staring him in straight in the eye, “and you’re going to do whatever Mike wants you to. Or else I will fill what will inevitably be the last moments of your worthless life with pain no human has ever sustained in the history of man kind.” He spoke with a diabolical hoarseness.

“Okay.” Kent said weakly, slowly getting up.

“Now, go.” Carson commanded, rising back up to his feet.

Kent quickly hobbled his way towards the door, not looking back even once. Soon he disappeared out the door and into the windy Chicago night.

“W-what the hell was that?” Mike was blown away by this new personality he saw in Carson.

“What?” Carson turned to him with a smile, “I spent a while training in the military.”

“Wha-” Mike was still struck with surprise.

“Of course, I had to leave training. Apparently they thought I had some kind of problem with authority.” Carson went on.

“That doesn’t surprise me.” Mike replied, still visually shaken.

“Chill out,” Carson tried to calm his friend, “you did me a favor with Beth, I figured I’d return it.”

“You seem a lot better than how you were on the roof.” Mike pointed out.

“Yeah well, sometimes all you need is a moment.” Carson said, walking past Mike towards the stairs.

“Carson!” A voice called out from across the lobby.

He turned to look.

“Oh, beautiful day!” Carson exclaimed with joy, almost jogging across the lobby, hands raised.

“Carson, how nice to see you again!” A woman said to him, as they approached each other.

Mike approached as well, confused.

“Mike, this is the woman I was telling you about, Sherrie Beaumont.” Carson introduced the two.

Sherrie was a semi-aged woman, but still had a young, Carson-like energy about her.

“Hello.” Mike greeted quietly.

“Nice to meet you, Mike.” She replied, and they shook hands. “So how was everyone’s night so far?” She looked at them both. “From the looks of this lobby it seems like you’ve had a hell of a night so far.”

“Yeah.” Carson shook his head in agreement; “I actually almost killed a guy a few minutes ago.”

“No!” Sherrie replied with a playful smile.

“It’s true.” Carson insisted, with his own childish grin, “and we found out our friend here is a seer.” Carson gave a little point towards Mike.

“I heard.” Sherrie said, “It is very interesting, I’ve only heard of one other true seer in the world. And he had the misfortune of having his gift drive him insane. Apparently he went on some kind of killing spree.”

“Scintillating.” Mike sighed sarcastically.

“So,” Sherrie turned to Carson, “where’s the rest of the crew?”

“That’s something we need to talk about.” Carson’s tone changed. “It’s just us tonight.”

“Why?” She laughed a little, “Did they all get the flu?”

“Jerry’s dead.” Carson said slowly, a dead look in his eyes.

“What?” Sherrie’s look of laughter sputtered out quickly to reveal a state of melancholy.

“He died in this little accident here.” Carson pointed towards the rubble in the center of the lobby.

“I’m so sorry Carson.” She put her hand on his shoulder.

“It’s hit us all hard.” Carson said. “But I need to keep going, I have an obligation. And besides, it’s what Katherine would have wanted to do.”

“You’re right in thinking that, I suppose.” Sherrie agreed.

“Well, who wants a drink?” Carson changed the subject after a moment.

“I’m eight months sober, Carson. Or have you forgotten again?” Sherrie said, seeming slightly scornful, but not in the least bit surprised.

“Okay, so not you.” Carson said before turning his attention to Mike. “What about you.”

“No drinks tonight, we’ve got business.” Mike said.

“Well, normally I wouldn’t mix spirits with spirits, but tonight has been horrible enough already. And these people make a killer Bloody Mary.” Carson replied.

“I suppose we all need to sit down and get caught up on everything anyway.” Mike conceded.

“Sounds good enough to me.” Carson said, “So let’s retire to the pool area and…discuss.”