Free Minds

Chapter 39.

"So I've worked out a system with our rooms," Camila announced to the rest of us.

   Rav, Dorian, Cami, Talise and I were currently converging in the only room we had booked for now in Sunshine Haven, the motel in the StirWall District that Tali's friend recommended.

   It was actually not a bad place. Aside from the fact that the two-story structure needed a fresh coat of paint to brighten the pale yellow colour it had assumed with age and some dusting here and there, the building seemed to be in good shape.

   While Camila and I had waited for Dorian and Rav to book the room upon our arrival and for Tali to come over from my house with my stuff she'd packed, I got a chance to survey the new environment.

   There was a medium-sized dining room on the ground floor that looked presentable enough to accommodate guests. Depending on the kind of booking one made, he or she had access to a breakfast buffet, lunch and/or dinner, I presumed. The laundry room could be found in one of the corners of the motel. There was also free WiFi.

   The room we were currently in was also okay. Its blue painted walls and rubber carpeted floor looked relatively recent. A medium-sized bed was situated at the centre of the room with a desk that carried a lamp beside it. The room also had a big enough closet against the wall around the right corner. The left corner had a door I was sure led to the bathroom and a fairly wide couch filled up the room's third corner.

"This may seem like it's from a pessimistic-inspired stand point," Camila carried on, "but you'll thank me later. I suggest our rooms be as separated from one another as much as they can be, but still at an adequate hearing range. Different floors, if possible. If the Yunies were to barge in here today, they wouldn't be able to get to all of us if we stayed far apart. Any commotion will alert the others to take off and relocate."

"Sounds good to me," Rav responded. "I'll take this room then. I've always been a first floor person anyway."

   Of course. Rav was the only one on Planet Earth who could declare himself to be a first floor person with a straight face.

"And I got a glimpse of some rooms on the ground floor on our way up that I think I'd like," Cami said.

"I'll pick the east wing area of the top floor. It seems pretty secluded." Dorian chipped in.

"What are you thinking, Beth?" Talise turned toward me. "Top or ground?"

"Um, about that," I frowned at the expression that suddenly glazed Camila's features as she spoke.

"Rav, Dorian and I are not really in the best place financially. As of now, we're relying on one credit card after someone thought it would be a great idea to invest in— what was it again, Rav? Remind me. No, you know what, remind all of us!"

"Hey, I was only trying to win more money for us!" he held up defensive hands with a guarded look.

"Money that hasn't come through." She scowled.

"Yet."

"It's okay, guys," I said with a shrug. "It's not like I was expecting you to pay for my room or anything. I've got my own money and the rooms aren't even expensive. I'll be okay."

"That's good to know," Camila replied. "But we really aren't okay. So much so that we need a little financial help."

"And by a little, we mean all your money." Rav had the nerve to smile after he remarked.

"What?!" Tali and I snapped in unison.

"Hear me out," Cami said. "It's not that we have no money or anything, but we have a better chance of surviving if we gathered everything we had."