Chapter 23
The elevator stopped on the 1st floor. I stuck my head out and saw no one. Not even the clerk at the front desk. Casually, I walked through the lobby, hoping no one would spot me. Once outside, I saw the security guard at the booth next to the gate. No one else was outside. Who would be at 6 in the morning?
An 8-foot-tall cement fence encased the whole property, something I had learned from the brochure while I was in the room. There was no way I could simply walk out, so climbing the fence was my only chance. I had to find an excellent location to do it from.
I walked along the side of the hotel building. Staying close to the wall, hoping the cameras wouldn't spot me. I stared at the tall fence when I got to the corner of the property. It was a lot taller than I expected. Doubt was starting to increase. The entire surface of the fence was flat, so I would simply slide off. I had to think of something else.
My brainstorming session ended when I noticed a flashing light from the corner of my eye. I turned in its direction and saw it was a security guard with a flashlight. I cursed and stood still, hoping they wouldn't notice me. But after a few seconds, I heard a "Hey" from the guard. They had spotted me.
"Fuck," I said.
I made a quick decision. I backed up a few feet and ran towards the fence. I leapt in the air with my right foot outward. When my foot made contact with the wall, I pushed off the surface. My hands were above me as I tried to reach for the edge of the fence. My fingers tried to hold on, but I slipped off. I fell hard onto my right butt cheek. I groaned through the pain as I stood back up.
The security guard was approaching fast. I had to try once again. If I failed this time, they would catch me. I backed up to the wall of the hotel and ran once again. I leapt once again and used my foot again to lift myself. This time, my fingers got a better grip on the top of the fence. Using my arms, I pulled myself upward. The spikes were about six inches apart, which was good for me. I had a way to climb over the fence. Gingerly, I brought one leg over the gap between the spikes. I looked down at the side of the hotel and saw the security guard was about to reach me. I didn't even check the other side of the fence. Who knew what was even on the other side? I brought my other leg over, but the groin area of my pants got caught on the spike. I wasn't able to lift myself any further, so I let go, tearing my pants from the groin in the process. I fell to the other side of the fence.
The fall was further than I thought. A bush was on the other side to catch my fall. I felt a branch pressing into my lower back. I rolled off the bush and felt minor cuts on my lower back. My pants had a cut in the groin area, and I could feel a draft between my legs now. Thankfully, I still had on my briefs.
Voices could be heard above me as the security guard attempted to scale the fence.
"Persistent," I said. I made sure I had everything and started going down the hill away from the hotel. I had no idea where I was going or what I would do when I finally got away. I was making everything up as I went.
My short trek led me to the lake. I gazed at the shimmering water for a brief moment. I didn't think the guard would come all this way. So, I sat down and took a break. Out of breath, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. It had no signal at all, and on top of that, it had little battery left. I failed to charge it before going to bed. I had to go somewhere to get a signal. After looking around a bit, I saw a hill northeast of me. It would have to do with. Hopefully, up there, I could get a good enough signal.
I intended to stay longer, but I heard voices from behind me. I turned to see a group of security guards with flashlights, "These guys must be paid well," I said as I rose to my feet.
I ran alongside the lake and went up the hill.
On top of the hill, I brought out my phone and began to hold it up, waiting for at least a bar to show up. A noise in a nearby bush startled me. It began to shake. I began to feel scared as I wasn't aware of what would come out. After a few seconds of shaking, a deer jumped out and ran past me. It gave me a jump, but thankfully, it was just a deer. I turned to look down the hill. I saw a few lights off in the distance, which looked like a town. I called for Javi. The phone rang once, and then I heard a roar that shook me. Slowly, I turned around and saw a tall beast standing on its hind legs. It was a bear, and it was ready to attack me. I took a few steps back, hoping Javi would pick up, but my ankle ran into a piece of wood, and I fell backward. Down the hill, I rolled. My phone flew from my hands. I tried to grab onto anything, but the momentum would not allow me every time I tried.
The rolling finally stopped when my back collided with a fallen log at the bottom of the hill. I felt pain throughout my body. I felt weak as if I was about to pass out. I tried to lift myself using my arms, but my right arm was hurting a lot--another roar. I looked up to see the bear running down the hill. I had to get up and run. Every time I tried to get up, I felt pain in my left leg. I looked at it and noticed a large cut. The bear was approaching fast. Even at my top speed, there was no way I was outrunning a bear, especially with this injury. I was screwed.
A loud bang echoed through the field. The bear came to a complete stop and roared. Hearing that bear roar scared me to the bone--another loud bang. The bear got on all fours and ran away. I looked around, searching for the source of the loud bang. Ahead of me in the field was a dark figure holding what looked like a rifle. The pain was so immense that my vision became blurry. The dark figure approached me, and before I could say anything, my head fell to the grassy field, and my eyes closed.
I ran through a cold and dark forest. The trees were so tall and bushy that they denied any sunlight from entering. A monster was chasing me. I looked around, and all I saw was a row of endless trees. I had no escape. It felt like I was running forever. I hadn't seen the monster and didn't even know its size, but I still ran. However, luck had turned in my favor as I saw a clearing up ahead. I exited the forest and stood on the edge of a cliff. A roar from the beast caused the birds to fly away. It was approaching fast, but I had nowhere to go. I turned around, ready to face the beast. The sounds of the beast's footsteps went silent. I stood there frozen in place, waiting for the beast to appear. But nothing happened. The only thing I heard was the pounding beat of my heart. I braced, and then the beast appeared. A bear stepped out of the shadows. It's size comparable to a minivan. It roared again, causing the ground to shake below me--cracks formed in the ground. The beast stared at me with an open mouth, ready to strike. It rose onto its hind legs and roared again. The cracks grew, and the bear landed on all fours. It moved quickly towards me. The ground gave way as soon as it stepped over a crack, and I fell off the cliff. I looked up at the roaring bear as I fell to the ground below.
The falling sensation woke me from my sleep. I sat up, sweating and breathing heavily. My heart was pounding in my chest. It was just a nightmare. I was relieved that it wasn't real. I sat back on the bed and looked around. My rapid heartbeat began to diminish. I didn't know where I was. The room was unfamiliar.
I looked under the sheets and saw I had on a pair of thin shorts and a shirt. Someone had tended to my wounds, but who? Someone had saved me from the bear, but who? Answers: I needed answers. I looked around for my phone but couldn't find it. I couldn't find any of my belongings. Did my savior hide my belongings?
I removed the sheets and attempted to move my left leg, but I felt a sharp pain. There was a bandage wrapped around it. Walking wasn't the right choice right now. There was nowhere for me to go. I had to wait.
Thankfully, I didn't have to wait very long. The door to the room opened. A tall, thin man walked in. He was an older man with short gray hair and a matching thick mustache. He looked at me with his wrinkled eyes, and walked to my bed, "I see you're awake," he said in his deep voice.
"Who are you?" I said in my raspy voice. My mouth was dry.
The man sat on the stool next to the bed and poured water from a pitcher into a glass. He then handed me the glass, and I took a drink. But I ended up drinking the whole glass. I was thirsty.
"You want another?" he said.
I nodded.
The man poured me another glass of water, and I drank half of it.
"Glad to see you're awake there, son. Surviving an encounter with a bear is no easy feat."
"Thanks, but I had help. I assume you scared the bear off?" he nodded, "Thank you for saving me and tending to my wounds."
"You're welcome. But I didn't tend to your wounds. That would be my son. He'll be in here soon to check on you," the old man cleared his throat, "So I gotta ask, what were you doing out there so early in the morning?"
I didn't know how to answer or what to even tell him. He could be hostile towards gay people like myself. But he did save me, and I owed him that. I had to be cautious about what I said until I found out more information. "I was running away."
"From who?"
Before I could answer, the door to the room opened. Another tall, thin man walked into the room. But he was far younger than the old man sitting next to me. "Ah, he's here," the old man said.
"Hello, Father. How is he?" the young man stood next to his father.
"Ask him yourself," the old man said.
"I'm better now that I don't have a scary bear roaring at me," I said.
A small chuckle came from the old man. The older man spoke, "This is my son, Peter. My name is Stephen."
Peter spoke, "What's your name?"
