Free B008GMVYA4 EBOK by Rebecca Ann Drake Page B

she handed Madison a small flat piece of plastic the size of
a credit card. Shyly Madison took the card and examined it.
    “Room 2B, down the hall to your left and it’s the fifth door
along” Tracey said standing up from her chair and pointing towards the corridor
to Madison’s left.
    “Thanks” Madison smiled weakly. Her eyes throbbed and her
chest was tighter than before, she had to force the words out as grief and
emotion began to rise within her.
    “Enjoy your stay” Tracey said happily.
    Madison nodded picking up her handbag from the desk,
grabbing the handle of her suitcase and walking towards the corridor to the
left. Five mahogany doors lined each side of the corridor, brass numbers sat
central on each door labeling the rooms. Madison scanned the numbers of the
door as she pasted them, lugging the heavy suitcase behind her. She stopped
when she reached the last door on the left, 2B the brass door number
read. Madison fiddled with the plastic key card for a second. A momentarily
wave of doubt washed over her, she couldn’t help but wonder for a second
whether she had done the right thing. Regret questioned whether leaving Phil
had been the right decision? After all, Phil had over stepped the line tonight
by striking Madison, there was nothing to suggest that he may over step the
line again at some point - possibly start a fight with someone in a bar and end
up in hospital or worse. These were all things Phil had done in the past, he
always found his way home eventually whether it was a day or a week later, but
over the years he had become more lazy and rarely left the house for anything
less than a bottle of Whiskey.
    Guilt was something Madison felt often, but she wondered
whether she should really feel guilty for someone that only noticed she was
there when he wanted money for alcohol. She pushed the thoughts to the back of
her head and inserted the key card into the lock. It buzzed and the small light
on the door lock lit up green to symbolize the door had unlocked. Madison took
the card out of the lock and pushed down on the handle of the door forcing it
open. She dragged her suitcase into the pitch black room and let the heavy door
close behind her. She fumbled around on the wall for a light switch, her
fingers met the cold hard plastic and she flicked it on. The room was dim at
first but the light soon became brighter, as the energy saving light bulbs
warmed up. The room was cream with a chocolate brown carpet - newly decorated
like the lobby. A double bed sat against the wall in the middle of the room,
the bed sheets were white, fresh looking and clean. A dressing table stood to
the right of the door, a kettle, two cups and arrangement of different teas and
coffee placed neatly on top. A small flat screen TV sat next to the kettle and
arrangements of beverages. On the far wall to the right were a small dresser
and a door which lead through to the bathroom. Madison checked the room door
was shut properly and turned the lock. Slowly she turned back to the empty
room. Her body swayed for a second before she became consumed by her own
thoughts. It was only for a brief moment but it was long enough for every tiny
aspect of today to be repeated in her mind. The distance she had travelled to
get away from Phil and the length she had gone to ensure no one knew where she
was had been necessary. It would only be a matter of time before she would tell
Stephanie where she was.  
    Madison forced herself out of her mind and back into the
world of the living. Her body was limp, her arms and legs shook like jelly and
it was only a matter of time before the pain that gripped her broke free.
Inside she had been destroyed and there was nothing but an empty pit inside her
now. The darkness had always been there since her Mother’s passing, but now she
had lost her Father completely there wasn’t worth anything to hold onto.
    Madison stumbled to the bathroom door and slipped inside.
The bathroom was small and cramped –