Hostel M2

M2-Part VII

"Not talk about this? We're being chased by Lord-knows-what and you're not going to talk about this? Fine." Chris said, placing a handful of books at a corner of the room. Henry's phone rang, there was a spilt second of tension which befell them at the sight of the caller's ID: McKay. Only then did they realize that their whereabouts was unknown to any of their roommates.

"Hello McKay," Henry said, putting the phone on hands free.

"This isn't McKay, it's Kendrick," came the surprising reply from the other end of the line. Henry looked at the caller's ID again, it was McKay's.

"Kendrick? What are you doing with McKay's phone?" Henry asked as Chris came closer. A cold ran through their spine as a million thoughts of whatever could have happened to McKay raced through their minds. "And what's with all the siren noises?"

"I got a call from the hospital a couple of minutes ago," Kendrick paused for a while, giving room for his listeners to literarily hear their heart throb within their chest. "McKay's in the E.R, I'm not sure what happened."

Henry looked over to Chris who was now gasping lightly for air. It's not what he was thinking, was it? Of course, it was the only logical explanation to it and-

"I'd just head back to the hostel now and grab a few things-"

"NO!" Both Chris and Henry replied in unison, "Just stay where you are Kendrick, the hostel's not safe."

"What do you mean the hostel's not safe? And was that Chris' voice?"

"Bro, just shut up and listen to me now," Chris blurted, grabbing the phone from Henry, "do not go to the hostel for whatever reason and if you see some stupid looking old man, RUN like crazy."

"O...kay" was the reluctant reply that came from the other end of the phone call, it was so obvious from the way Kendrick sounded that he sure didn't believe them and he most likely couldn't get a hold of what all the 'old man' talk was about. Henry took the phone out of Chris' hand and watched him walk over to the bed.

"Kendrick, please just keep a close eye on McKay and stay away from the hostel. See you when we get back."

The last words of Henry were unconvincing, when we get back? That's if they were ever even going to make it through the night. The phone beeped and then there was a red flash of light on the screen. He walked over to the wardrobe and pulled out a dark sweater which he tried on. A little bit large but then, it was going to suffice.

"You know we're toast right?" Chris said, fiddling the phone in his hands aimlessly. He looked up to see Henry's unconcerned look gazing at him. For a moment there, he wondered how his friend did it, keeping his fears in check when deep down within him, they were there.

"Are you just going to sit there and wait for your turn?" Henry probed, tossing a shirt at Chris. A knock sounded on the door, Chris turned to Henry as it sounded a second time, he hurriedly scanned the room for something and then grabbed a huge hardback book while he nodded at Henry to open the door.

Henry walked towards the door slowly; he grabbed the knob and then with a snap, twisted it and rushed away from it, leaving it ajar. Standing there was a lady, no older than 19 at first look. Her raised eyebrows and startled look at Chris who held the huge hard back book high in the air made him slowly lower his hands and clutch the book to his chest awkwardly.

"Uh... sorry if I disturbed something but...dinner's ready," the girl said, giving the two friends a cursory look before pulling the door close. Her footsteps could be heard fading off as she walked down the stairs.

Chris fell on his back to the door, "We are toast, really."

Henry chuckled lightly and then pushed his friend out of the way and head in the direction from which the strong smell of roasted chicken came from. The two friends sheepishly walked in to the dining room to meet the family seated around the table. There was the toddler kid from earlier, strapped into his own chair and table and then Mr. Parker, still dressed in his office wear and a woman, most likely his wife next to him by his side and there was the lady.