Hotel Candelabra: Chapter 38

One chapter today and the final chapters arrive next week!

Ending to Chapter 37:

Everyone moved out into the room as if on a mission. I took one last look at the massive candelabra and headed to The Flame via the Narnia Passageway. My hope was that everyone would have a good night’s sleep and be ready for whatever tomorrow might bring.

My hopes were quickly dashed.

Day #5: Chapter Thirty-Eight

The loud crash seemed to come from outside the hotel, but it was hard to tell. The sound was eerily familiar, as was waking from my sleep to the sound.

The elevator!

Grabbing my robe once again, I ran out on the landing to find 66 had arrived first and was staring at the open elevator door that contained no elevator.

“This is a problem,” she said. “We need to go check on the children in case their door opened also.”

We stared at the two bookcases wondering which passageway to take. I said, “You take one and I will take the other. I will check on the other floors on the way down.”

By this time everyone was in the room with us and chose to follow one or the other. Glancing at the other rooms on the way down, I could see that everyone was awake and staring at the elevator shaft. Arriving on the lower floor, everyone was hard at work soothing the children who had been jolted from their sleep. 69 was standing guard at the open elevator door.

She looked up as I entered and said, “The elevator crashed into the basement.”

At that moment Alden appeared and stated the obvious. “Well, this is going to make things a tad more complicated for everyone.”

At the exact same moment, a crack appeared in floor at the far corner of the room and began snaking its way toward the elevator shaft. The candles, flickered as everyone stared at the crack in shock.

Alden looked at the adults in the room and said, “Maybe you should move your timeline ahead a bit.”

I was grateful for both his calmness and warning. Heading to the Narnia Passageway, I called back, ‘Get everyone dressed and start navigating to the lobby. I think our time is limited.”

As I entered the passageway, I found the residents of The Flame all headed to the lower floor. They had tales of similar cracks on the top floor. Talking over one another, the passageway seemed to fill with their stress.

“I think we all need to stop and breathe a second. Alden is concerned but not panicked and I think we need to be equally so.”

68 breathed deeply—one quick inhale followed by a long exhale just as 62 had taught her to do. Even in my haste, I was proud of how everyone was learning to work together. After a series of three breaths, 68 was ready with a plan.

Let’s all go to the floors where we were first assigned and explain the situation. Without the elevator, we must leave the kitchen passageway for the children and teens while the everyone else uses the Narnia Passageway. Tell everyone to get dressed and take their luggage to the Lobby as quickly as they can. Then go to The Flame and gather your luggage to take to the lobby. You can then be prepared to help the children.”

As soon as she finished the entire group turned and headed back up the stairs.

There was an ominous creaking sound coming from somewhere below them.