Postby notapotato » Mon Aug 24, 2015 4:51 pm
Some of you have been asking where this is going. You're about to find out.
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The important thing was to not panic There had to be some protocol for this. This couldn't be the first time someone's door lock got screwed up. I just had to get someone to get it taken care of, that's all. Sure, having my mouth duct taped over wasn't making that easier, but I decided to think of it as making things more interesting. Mel keeps telling me to be more confident, and this time, it was actually pretty important. So here it goes!
Of course, only a minute later, I ruined the moment by tripping on the stairs. I tried to stabilize myself with my arms, but they weren't exactly available, and I crashed into someone in a blindfold who didn't know to get out my way. On the one hand, it was quite embarrassing, but she stabilized me, so I wasn't too upset.
She was dressed simply in white slacks and a floral blouse, and her eyes were obscured by similar floral fabric that had to have been intentionally picked to match. Cuffs on her wrists restrained her hands in front of her, and matching ones on her ankles restrained her feet. I got a vaguely Indian vibe, but it was hard to tell.
"Oh, I'm sorry!", she said, and I couldn't tell her not to apologize. At least I didn't knock her over.
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The check-in table was busier than before, and I found myself waiting in line behind two people who surprised me. Both were female. One wore nothing but a bikini and some straps that held her arms in a reverse prayer position, and I hoped she was prepared for both a lot of male attention and some very sore arms. The other was dressed normally and not restrained at all, and it's probably telling that she seemed the stranger of the two.
I decided that I would try to explain my situation with significant eye gestures. When my turn came, I approached the table with some trepidation, and glanced down at my hip where the pin was and made some mmmph noises at it. I needn't have worried.
"Room key troubles?"
I nodded, relieved.
"You'll want the security office. It's down that hall. First door on the left." She gestured towards a large open door about halfway down the main hall.
Okay, I could do that. This was going to work out after all!
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Several minutes later, I sat on a couch, wishing I could bury my head in my hands and cry.
Everything had seemed so simple until I was outside the security office door, when I realized I had no way of explaining my situation and less way of giving my room number. I'd mmph'd at the check-in lady but she said she wasn't allowed to un-restrain people except in emergencies, and I couldn't indicate that I thought this qualified. She suggested getting an ungagged friend to help me, but Mel was stuck in our room and when I tried Jeremy's neither him nor Sarah was there, so for the sixth time I made the trip between the residential area and the front hall with no particular plan any more and sat and felt miserable.
My eyes were closed, but I became aware of someone near me and I opened them. It was the same girl from before, the one I'd nearly turned into a human bowling pin, and she was feeling the space at the other end of the couch, presumably to make sure it was empty before sitting. She couldn't be looking for me, could she? No, she was blindfolded both then and now. Coincidence. I shut my eyes again and felt her sit near me.
"Hey."
Her greeting startled me, and I'm sure she felt it. What was going on here?
"You okay?", she asked with a concerned voice, and I realized she could probably hear my panicky breathing.
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There are some things I almost never do, and one of them is physically coerce people. But I was at my wit's end here, and I had enough mobility to grab her arm and pull her towards the check-in table. This yielded a surprised squawk that would have been hilarious in other circumstances. Glancing between her and the busted key pin was once again enough to get the point across, and the lady explained my situation.
She agreed to help, and that I tried to sigh with relief was apparent even through the duct tape.
It was only then that I realized I was still holding on to her hand. I was about to let go, but she asked me to lead her, and I supposed that was a sensible enough reason for girls to hold hands.
She explained my situation and had me indicate my room number with my fingers, and I'd soon received some weird looks and a new key.
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We stood outside my room, now joined by Mel. The other girl had insisted I take her up to make sure the key worked, which it did. Mel said she was no worse for wear, and that the TV remote was big enough to be usable via toes.
"What's her name?", the other girl asked.
"She's Hannah," Mel replied, which made me a little indignant for some reason. "And you?"
"Leslie," she said. "Ms. Hannah, is there anything else I can do for you?"
There really wasn't, but I didn't want her to go. I grabbed her and did my best to hug her. I think she got what I meant, because she put her cuffed hands behind my back with one arm on either side and held me tightly in return.
When we disengaged, she didn't immediately leave, but looked uncertain for a moment.
"Hannah," she asked suddenly, "do you have plans for dinner?"