Mistletoe Motel

3. Mack

Chapter 3

Mack

M ack followed Holly through the snow-covered parking lot, her boots leaving deep imprints in the fresh powder. The storm was intensifying, and she could barely make out Holly’s figure a few steps ahead, leading the way to their shared room.

As they reached the door marked “15,” Mack noticed the peeling paint and the slightly crooked number.

Holly fumbled with the key card before finally managing to unlock the door, and they stumbled inside, grateful for the shelter from the storm.

Mack’s relief was short-lived, however, as she took in the state of the room. The first thing that caught her eye was the writing above the bed. Someone had scrawled DON’T FALL ASLEEP in large, foreboding letters directly onto the faded floral wallpaper.

“Okay…” she mumbled. “That’s seriously disturbing.”

“Totally,” Holly agreed. “I guess now we know why this room was out of the booking system.”

There was a suspicious-looking hole in the wall that had been poorly patched. The curtains hung crookedly, one partially detached from its rod. The next thing Mack noticed was the size of the bed, or rather the lack of size.

“Um, Holly?” she said, frowning. “That definitely doesn’t look like a king-size bed.”

The bed in question was barely larger than a standard double, its sagging mattress and threadbare comforter a far cry from what Maude had promised. “Are you sure about this? I can sleep on the floor if you’d prefer. I don’t want to make you uncomfortable.”

Holly blew out her cheeks and shook her head. “It’s no problem. It’s just for one night. Besides, I’d feel terrible making you sleep on this floor. You might end up with a skin disease.” She gestured to the stained carpet. “It’s gross. I’ll make sure to keep my shoes on while I’m walking around.”

Mack grinned. “Thanks. I promise I don’t snore…at least, I don’t think I do.” The bedside lamp flickered ominously when she turned it on, casting eerie shadows across the walls. The bathroom door didn’t quite close all the way, leaving a gap that promised little privacy.

As Mack hung up her coat, she noticed another small hole in the wall next to the door, and peering closer, she realized she could see into the next room. Two people, both naked, were sleeping on the bed, face down. There was a half-empty vodka bottle on the nightstand and their clothes were strewn over the floor. “I think we have a peephole situation here.”

Holly came over to investigate and grimaced. “Looks like they had a fun time.” Without hesitation, she removed the chewing gum from her mouth and deftly pressed it into the peephole, effectively sealing it. “There. Lucky for you, I’m a problem solver. What bothers me most, though, is that writing on the wall. It’s giving me serial killer vibes.”

“I’m not too worried.” Mack suspected whoever wrote it had been high as a kite. “The town feels safe. It’s not like we’re in a motel along a deserted highway, but…” She smiled as an idea formed in her head. “I suppose they’ll redecorate the wall anyway, so if it makes you feel better…” She rummaged through her backpack and pulled out a thick, black marker. With a few strategic additions, she transformed the ominous message into DON’T FALL ASLEEP WITHOUT FLOSSING. “Better? Lucky for you, I’m a problem solver too.”

Holly burst out laughing. “That’s brilliant. And somehow even more disturbing. I feel like my dentist is haunting me now.”

“At least you won’t forget to floss,” Mack quipped, laughing along. The howling wind outside reminded them of the storm, and she moved to the window, pushing aside the crooked curtain to peer out. The parking lot was now completely blanketed in white, the snow showing no signs of letting up. “I was hoping for a white Christmas, but this was not what I had in mind.”

“Looks like we’re really stuck here,” Holly murmured. “What a bizarre situation.”

Mack nodded. “Let’s hope the airport reopens tomorrow, and if it doesn’t, I’ll just rent a car.”

“Was Minneapolis your final destination?” Holly asked.

“Yeah. I live there. You?”

“Same. It’s crazy to think that we’re only a four-hour drive away and there’s no way we can get there tonight.” Holly looked deflated as she said it, but Mack didn’t pry. She didn’t know Holly and suspected she might not want to share her personal story as well as a small bed.

As silence fell between them, Mack became more aware of the room’s odor. The stench of stale cigarette smoke mingled with the sour smell of spilled alcohol that had seeped deep into the carpet fibers over time.

“God, it reeks in here,” she muttered. “Mind if I open the window for a few seconds? Just to air it. I suspect that hasn’t happened for a while.”

Holly nodded, wrinkling her nose. “Please do. It’s pretty bad.”

Mack wrestled with the old frame, and it finally gave way with a loud crack, but her triumph was short-lived. A gust of icy wind burst into the room, sending the curtains flying and nearly ripping the already precarious curtain rod from the wall. Snow swirled in, immediately dampening the carpet near the window.

“Shit!” she yelled, changing her mind and struggling to close the window against the force of the storm. Holly rushed to help, and together they managed to slam it shut.

“Okay, bad idea.” Mack panted, looking sheepishly at Holly, who was dusted with snow. “I guess we’ll have to cope with eau de cigarette and booze. Maybe it’ll grow on us?”

Holly laughed, brushing snow from her hair. “Yeah, nothing says ‘Christmas’ quite like the aroma of a frat party aftermath. But hey, at least now we know the window actually opens. That’s got to count for something in this place.”

Mack was relieved that Holly took the situation in stride. “Silver linings, right? I should probably head out to the convenience store to get us some supplies before it closes. I’ll add Febreze to the list. What can I get you?”

“Are you sure? I can come with you, it’s?—”

“No,” Mack interrupted her. “It’s terrible out there. There’s no need for both of us to walk through the storm.” Checking her phone, she noted the signal was still weak. “And I should probably call my family from the landline at reception to let them know I’m stranded.”

“Yeah, I’ll do the same,” Holly agreed. She pulled a few bills out of her pocket and handed them to Mack. “I’ll scan the room for other peepholes while you’re away, so if you could get me more chewing gum, that would be great. I’m almost out.”

Mack chuckled. “Of course. What else? Do you drink? Want to share a bottle of wine? Any allergies?”

“Yes to the wine. I really need a drink after today,” Holly said. “I prefer red, but I like a dry white too. And I don’t have allergies, so take your pick for the food, as long as you bring me some salted pretzels.”

“No problem. Pretzels and red wine coming up.” Mack put on her coat, her scarf, and her beanie. “Thanks again for sharing the room. I know I wasn’t exactly nice to you at the airport. I’m not normally rude.”

“Forget it. I was worse.” Holly walked over to Mack and readjusted her scarf, pulling it all the way up to her chin. “Stay warm, and if you can’t see where you’re going, just come back. We can always raid the vending machine for candy.”

The scarf thing was curiously intimate for a stranger, and Mack inched back a little, creating more space between them.

“And I promise you, I’m not a princess,” Holly added, meeting her eyes.

Mack stared at her for a beat. Holly certainly looked like a princess with her shiny, dark hair and flawless skin. She was one of those women who were incredibly beautiful without trying, or perhaps not even knowing it. “I didn’t mean that,” she said, then shook her head and chuckled. “Okay, maybe I meant it in the heat of the moment, but now…”

“Now that you’ve got a bed, I’m not so bad, huh?” Holly arched a brow and shot her a playful smile.

“No, you’re not.” Mack studied Holly more closely and felt a flicker of curiosity about her new roommate. She caught herself staring and quickly looked away, suddenly aware of how fragile their situation was. It wasn’t the time to be admiring her temporary roommate’s good looks; the last thing she wanted was to make Holly uncomfortable.

“I should get going,” she said, zipping up her coat. “I won’t be long.”