"Odd Things are Afoot at the Motel on Route 666" | ClancyPasta PRESENTS

[00:00:00] This episode is brought to you by Google. Innovation is deeply ingrained in America, and Google is helping Americans innovate in ways both big and small. There are hundreds of thousands of skilled trades roles across the U.S. waiting to be filled. To help close this gap, Google is expanding its skilled trade support to help train more than 300,000 American workers across more than 20 states. This is a new era of American innovation. Learn more at grow.google.skilledtrades.

[00:00:28] Hey, Washington, D.C. Class it up with Crocs. You know back to school is coming in fast. So why wait to find your new fave footwear? Step into a local Crocs store and step into your new look. Try it. Style it. Make it yours. Because the right pair doesn't just show up. It shows off. First day fits. Handled. Walk out ready for whatever's next. Visit your nearest Crocs store today.

[00:00:58] ClancyPasta presents. Odd things are afoot at the motel on Route 666. By Madian Mother Crone. And you're listening to ClancyPasta. Let me start with, I realize that maybe I should have been alarmed at accepting a job at a motel in this day and age.

[00:01:26] Motels in the first place are not the prim and proper hotel management job that I had envisioned for myself after completing my degree. Like every 25 year old that had spent the greater part of their college experience partying and getting absolutely shit faced. I had gotten a rude awakening after graduating that it was all over. The sorority girl that had aspirations of becoming a chick hotel manager in Paris fizzled quicker than a flat soda.

[00:01:57] All in all, I suppose it could have been far worse. Everything considered, I had landed a job at least. Even if the job took me out to the middle of nowhere, at least nowhere paid. To be honest, up until about a month ago, I had been surfing the internet and trying my best to become a viable applicant. It was not going stellar.

[00:02:23] But finally, in the middle of the night, after watching far too many reality TV and eating a bag of Twizzlers, it arrived. The email that brought me to my current place that I called home slash work. Actually, I even have the email saved just to show you all how odd it is. Bear with me as I copy and paste it to the post for your reading delight. Wait.

[00:02:55] Hello, Ms. Wallacott. We at the motel... Redacted. Are reaching out about a position at our establishment. It's come to our attention that you are seeking full-time employment and have a degree in hospitality. Your credentials are suitable for our needs and we're curious if you'd be open for a phone interview. The details of the job, along with the salary, can be discussed then. We'll be waiting to hear from you.

[00:03:25] May the light be with you. Redacted. Neiman. Owner of the motel. Redacted. Phone number. Redacted. Please understand. I omitted the number for y'all's sake.

[00:03:51] You have to understand that it's best if you don't know the name or phone number of the motel. It'll be safer that way. At least I think it'll be safer that way. Now, I had at that point been desperate for a job. Most of the ones that I had interviewed for were crap and didn't want to pay me for my qualifications. Which, hey, I understood it was the economy. It was something or another.

[00:04:20] Well, fine. But I couldn't survive off of what they were paying me. So, I decided to call the man Mr. Neiman. The worst that could happen was a prank. Or the pay was horrible or the job was undoable. Positives being that I got a job and could afford to pay back some loans that were knocking on past due. So, I did what any college graduate who needs a job does. I called.

[00:04:53] Ring. Ring. Two rings and I heard the receiver pick up and I waited. Hello? An older man's voice sounded through the receiver. Good afternoon. I'm Wallacott. You sent me an email about a position at your motel? I said, halfway holding my breath as I waited for the punchline or answer.

[00:05:22] Because, to be honest, I really didn't think that this was a serious job inquiry. More likely an elaborate prank by someone bored or one of my sorority sisters. Of course, Miss Walakot. The old man's voice took on a lighter tone, evidently pleased by my call. Delightful of you to call. I'm Mr. Neiman, the owner of the motel.

[00:05:51] Redacted. His raspy voice was becoming less jarring and more jovial by the second. Yes, thank you again for reaching out to me first. Of course. Your credentials make you a very promising candidate. Not to mention, I have an eye for people. He continued. There was a slight pause on my part and his.

[00:06:21] It seemed that he had made a joke. But as far as interviewing went, it was a bit odd. Then again, based on his age. He was probably well into his later years. Different generation and far different metrics in terms of what they viewed as appropriate in the workplace. Not losing speed, he continued on.

[00:06:45] There would be a sign-on bonus and then a very competitive salary for you. I'm getting too old to manage the motel's daily activities and guest welcoming. You wouldn't be expected to perform any of the cleaning services or laundry. But I would like you to manage the accounting, ordering of supplies, and management of staff. The position itself is a live-in. You'd be expected to stay on the motel's premise.

[00:07:17] There was a pause, and I scrambled to grab my planner. Flipping to the notes section of the planner, I quickly jotted down the information. Did you happen to do some research on our establishment? A little bit, but there wasn't much information to be found. I hoped that you would be able to shed some light on the specifics. The motel is a little-known spot.

[00:07:47] It's not surprising. We've been established since the late 1880s. It's been in the family since then, and we've been servicing the area since that time. It's honestly a beautiful part of the country. You'll be up in the PNW. He said, his voice radiating warmth. My hand stilled. That was one of the factors that I hadn't completely mulled over.

[00:08:16] I was located on the east coast, and I had to head all the way to the west coast. Leaving everything, and every one, that I knew. But at the same time, this was the first job that actually left me in charge of a property, rather than being at the beck and call of someone else. So, after continuing the phone call with the old man, Mr. Neiman,

[00:08:46] and getting more specifics on the requirement in the salary and sign-on bonus, I found myself calling my parents and letting them know that I had gotten a job. Also, telling them that I had to move, and that it was to the other side of the country. This episode is supported by FX's The Shards, a seductive drama from executive producer Ryan Murphy. Set in 1980s Los Angeles,

[00:09:13] the series follows a group of glamorous, deeply entangled high school seniors drawn into a life of wealth, beauty, parties, and excess. At its center is Brett, whose reality begins to unravel when the arrival of a new student coincides with a series of mysterious murders. They had been supportive, and told me that they were proud of me. And I found that I was happy about it all.

[00:09:43] Packing and moving took a lot less time than I had expected. I managed to pack everything in a week. My whole life sealed up tidily in a week of packing. Mr. Neiman had sent over a welcome package via email that had detailed out a list of specifics that I was to follow. Along with rules, I was typical of any job. There were always going to be rules that they wanted you to follow.

[00:10:13] But these were on a different level of odd. These are the rules as listed to me. Never follow a guest into their room. Contact housekeeping if they need help. Be sure to never tell the guest your first name. They should refer to you simply by your surname.

[00:10:42] Always keep the key ring on your person as you move about the motel. It's best if they are kept on a silver chain and either tucked into your pocket or fastened to a belt loop. If you've chosen to wear a skirt or a dress for the day, they should be attached to a silver ring that can be worn as a bracelet. The motel, redacted, has a long history of a mascot.

[00:11:11] The current mascot for the hotel is Graham Cracker, a Great Dane. She has been trained to accompany you throughout the hotel. Please make sure that you have treats on your personage for her. These treats are provided by the motel. Remember to promptly shut the doors of reception at 9pm. They are to be opened promptly at 8am. Monday through Friday,

[00:11:40] no guest should be allowed entrance after close or before opening to check into the motel. Do not accept gifts from the guest under any circumstances. I looked them over multiple times,

[00:12:09] both when I had first gotten the email and then throughout the flights. I tried to find some reason for them. I understood the specific check-in times and stay on schedule, along with the other nuanced rule about keeping Graham Cracker happy and accompanying me. That was not a problem. I loved dogs, and the fact that I was to be accompanied by one was a bonus. But, still,

[00:12:37] as I read and re-read them, I felt an odd sense of... dissonance. However, I still found myself navigating my way to the motel. Seeing as I was heading out to a relatively small town, I was located deep into the woods. I had a limited choice of transportation. However, that was also clarified in my welcome package.

[00:13:10] As I stepped off the second plane, I arrived at the small local airport. I was greeted with a sign that had my name on it, being held by a rather round woman. Now, please understand, I'm not judging her by any means. It's just the best way to describe my initial observation of Hilda. She was a hearty, round woman, with shock-white hair,

[00:13:37] and a lopsided smile that reminded me of a kid that always had a joke brewing on their tongue. Hilda wore a simple outfit that was rather homely, but suited her just fine. The simple dress paired with a jacket that was rather fluffy, given the weather. Not to mention the muck boots that were paired with long brown wool socks. Hello, I said softly.

[00:14:08] She looked up at me. It was then that I noted her one lazy eye. I was also a foggy gray, while her other eye was a light blue. I tried not to stare, which was easy enough, because she was looking me up and down. This continued for a minute or so, and she finally returned my stare. Her good eye piercing as she began to smile,

[00:14:35] half her lip pulling up into a rather menacing grin at first. Welcome, dear, to Pine Hollow. How was your flight? It was good. Not too much turbulence. She nodded her approval. Then she extended her hand. I looked down at it before taking it with my own. Her handshake was firm and resolute.

[00:15:04] A stark contrast to her appearance, but it felt normal enough. You can call me Hilda. I'm a long-time friend of Mr. Neiman, and the owner of the grocery store in town. She explained easily. Pleasure to meet you, Hilda, and thank you for coming to pick me up. I hope it wasn't too much of an inconvenience. Don't worry about it. I had some things I had to pick up,

[00:15:34] and there aren't many people that come and go from the town. If they do, they're mainly guests of Mr. Neiman's establishment. We can't have you catching a ride with them now. She chuckled, releasing my hand as she went to pat my shoulder. Her hand had felt like ice from the handshake alone. Once it touched my shoulder, it felt like my entire arm was going numb.

[00:16:02] She didn't let it linger for too long, but it was enough that I mentally noted that I shouldn't casually let her touch me. Withdrawing her hand, she tucked the small sign that she had under her arm and led me towards the small baggage claim. The whole airport was quiet. Eerily quiet.

[00:16:31] I tried to not let it bother me. However, it was hard to not notice. The flight I had been on had less than ten people. One flight attendant and two pilots, leaving only seven people actually flying into the airport. Each was odd, and I saw them lined up around the simple yet archaic baggage claim. Hilda's hand touched me yet again, and I nearly jumped out of my skin.

[00:17:02] Turning, I found the round woman was trying to get my attention. I'll be over there. I've got to collect my boxes and have them loaded onto the truck. You can't miss me, dear. She explained, all the while pointing towards the double doors that lead out into the overcast outdoors. There was a man standing at the door, dressed in some dirty overalls, along with a bright orange safety vest that was over top of a warm,

[00:17:32] but worn jacket. He had a wide set stance, and was looking over at Hilda with expectant eyes, swallowing the lump in my throat, and feeling moderately abandoned by Hilda. Even though I knew she wasn't my tour guide, the squad and round woman knew me, knew that I was here to work for her friend, but she knew, for some reason,

[00:18:01] that it felt important in the moment. Still ever icy. I raised a hand to pat hers before she drew it away. Okay, I'll find you once I get my bags. She gave me a lopsided grin, and then made her way over to the man without another word. I had to give it to the old gal. She moved quickly, easily covering the distance.

[00:18:33] Hilda paused, said something to the man, and they both left the baggage claim area. Now it was me all alone with the seven other people from my flight. Taking a deep breath, I made my way over towards the baggage claim. I had already shipped some other things directly to the motel, but I still had brought two suitcases and a carry-on and bag.

[00:19:02] There was no way that I could part with all my things, nor did I have any intention of putting them into a storage container. The idea of locking my stuff up hadn't sat well with me. I had opted only to get a storage container for the big stuff. But at the moment, I wished that I had packed lighter and could remove myself from these odd people. Standing apart from the group, I surveyed them.

[00:19:33] Coming up with ideas about them, the oddest was a girl that looked even more out of place than me. She was standing next to a man that was dressed head to toe in black. Black suit, paired with an even darker black bow tie. He was wearing black framed sunglasses, and his hair was slicked back. His age was hard to tell, but he had to be at least a good ten years older than the girl.

[00:20:00] She was dressed head to toe in what could only be best described as a clubbing outfit. Her short black dress barely covered her butt. She was standing in pinpoint thin red stilettos. Her bleach-bond hair styled in an updo that displayed her very surgically done face. She was smiling

[00:20:28] as she took a video of the two of them. The man looking as if he couldn't care less about it all, but still he was being a good sport and allowing her to take the video. Her head whipped around, and we made direct eye contact, and I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach at the contact. But she gave me a beaming smile and a light wave before she continued to record.

[00:20:57] Exhaling, I tried to quell the unease, but I locked eyes with another passenger. It was a younger boy that was standing next to an older woman, who I assumed was his grandmother, or maybe his mother. She both appeared older, but relatively young enough to maybe have a child of about ten or so.

[00:21:24] The boy had an intensity to him that turned my stomach more than the girl. He seemed small for his age, but his eyes held mine without flinching. You know that spine-tingling, prickling sensation that crawls up your skin? The last vestige of our reptilian brain that tells us when we're in danger?

[00:21:53] That's what I felt as I looked into the mismatched hazel and black eyes of the boy. I broke eye contact first as the rickety sound of the baggage claim rumbled to life. Blessed by the luggage gods themselves. My bags were the first that the ancient machine spat out. Quickly moving forward, I grabbed the two suitcases from the luggage rack.

[00:22:23] The black bags, thankfully, looked intact in the locks that I had secured to them untampered with. Ducking my head, I made my way towards the doors that Hilda had vanished out of, all the while feeling eyes bore into my back. The crisp air seemed to whisper across my skin as I exited. It was chilly, to say the least. I had dressed warmly,

[00:22:53] anticipating it, but the cold was new and I wasn't quite sure I'd warmed to it as I had been assured by Mr. Neiman. At the very least, the brisk air had driven away the stifling feelings of the eyes. I felt sick at the thought of being around those people for any longer. Call it a gut feeling, but something was off with them. I found Hilda quickly.

[00:23:23] It wasn't hard. She had a big truck parked outside the small airport area. The man that she had followed was still chatting with her. He had a clipboard in hand and was making some notes before handing it to Hilda. She took it and signed it without fuss. She looked up after she handed it back to the man, her eyes cutting towards me, as if she knew that I was standing there.

[00:23:53] She gave me another one of her lopsided grins as the man turned his head to look in the direction she was looking. He seemed a man of few words. He tilted his head to me, then made his way back towards the airport. But he moved towards a different entrance, one that appeared to be set aside for staff. Even if the airport was measly in size, they still had an employees-only entrance

[00:24:22] that had to count for something. This episode is brought to you by Welch's Fruit Snacks. Back to school season can be tough on parents. But choosing a snack you and your kids can both get behind doesn't have to be. Stock up on Welch's Fruit Snacks, made with whole fruit, and now made with no artificial dyes. It's a snack kids already love, and one you can feel good about giving them. Go back to school with Welch's Fruit Snacks, now made with no artificial dyes.

[00:24:51] I made my way to Hilda, who was already lifting the back of the truck door. Peering inside, I noticed all the boxes that had different labels. Some said produce, and so on and so forth. She reached out and took one of the suitcase handles and easily lifted it up and into the bed of the truck. Then she grabbed the other. I quickly grabbed the smallest one, feeling rather bad

[00:25:21] that I had let her do all that lifting. That everything? She asked, as I placed the small suitcase next to the other two. Yes, thank you. Good. Then let's set off. We don't want to keep the staff waiting too long, because it's Saturday. There wouldn't be any check-ins. But the housekeeping staff is bare bones, and it'll give you some time to settle in.

[00:25:50] She explained brightly. Did you work at the motel? I asked, before I could stop to consider my words. My curiosity getting the better of me. She paused, but then threw a glance over her shoulder at me. I'd say helped out rather than worked. She laughed. Before continuing forward and heading towards

[00:26:20] the front of the truck, casting a final glance back towards the airport, there was a tugging feeling in the pit of my stomach, as if something was telling me to head back. But the allure of the job stability made me swallow that fear and get into the truck. The truck rumbled to life as Hilda twisted the key into the ignition.

[00:26:49] A steady rattling started as the heat began to sputter to life. It seemed like it wasn't going to, but then it gave another rattling cough and the soft, steady waves of heat began radiating from the vents. I leaned back into the seat, finding the seatbelt and quickly buckling myself in. Hilda did the same as she locked hers into place and began to ease the truck forward as we made our way around the loop. As we drove

[00:27:18] past the airport, I noticed that the few people that had been on the airplane with me were trickling outside. They all looked up at us as we drove past them. I found myself instinctively raising my hand to wave. There was something eerie about the way they all stood there, without blinking, watching me. Swallowing my fear, I noticed that the little boy

[00:27:48] was the only one that was waving back at me and giving me a wide smile. A ping of nerves shot through my stomach and I quickly lowered my hand and pressed my head into the back of the headrest, refusing to keep looking at the sight. Are you cold, dearie? Hilda asked. Her voice drew me out of my thoughts

[00:28:17] and I turned my eyes towards the woman. There was something nagging about her as well, but I was just glad that we were making our way to the motel, away from the people at the airport. I just needed to settle in and I'm sure the nerves would go away. Probably. I murmured to the woman. She nodded her head and then reached up with one of her hands

[00:28:47] and pushed the vent that was fanning her with the delicious heat towards me. The extra heat did relax me some and I nuzzled slightly deeper into my jacket. Thank you. Of course, I can't have you freezing before you get to your post. It would be a shame to lose you when you've already come this far. She said jovially,

[00:29:17] although her words were odd and I was feeling overwhelmed. I tried not to think about it. Pulling out my phone from my purse, I took it off airplane mode and sent a quick message to my mother, letting her know that I had made it safely through my second flight. The message had taken a moment to send. The message spun as if it was trying to send before it gave me the air that it was

[00:29:47] undeliverable. Looking at my bars, I noticed that I didn't have a single one. I'm only able to even write this because I'm attached to the motel's ethernet line. Tucking the phone back into my purse, I tried to settle in for the drive and between the steady rumbling of the truck and the bone-numbing heat that seemed to seep into my lethargic muscles,

[00:30:16] I don't even remember falling asleep. But at some point, I must have because the next thing that I heard was the high-pitched whine of the air brakes, startling me to alertness. Whipping up, I hastily turned my head every which way, blinking rapidly, trying to will the sleep from my eyes. Everything came back into focus, slowly. The steady hum of the truck is what I registered first,

[00:30:46] as the lights from the well-lit street nearly blinded my shell-shocked eyes. Looking to my left, I found that I was still next to Hilda. Her face brought a profound sense of relief as the reality of my situation came to fruition. I had chosen to leave everything that I knew and was comfortable with to come to this remote motel.

[00:31:15] A sigh of relief left my mouth as I swallowed down my anxiety. Hilda grinned at me, exposing her pearly white teeth. It caught me off guard how clean and pristine they were. She reached out and patted my arm. The warmth of the truck did nothing to prevent the icy shock of her touch. It felt like I had come in contact with a freezer. Welcome

[00:31:45] to the motel, Hilda said rather gleefully as she twisted the key from the ignition. My eyes finally adjusted to the bewildering light and I took in the motel. The picture on Google hadn't done it justice. I had expected a run show nearly dilapidated hole in the wall. What greeted me was anything but that. The light

[00:32:14] that had nearly blinded me gave way to a massive structure that was the motel. It was long but also tall. It sported a two-story entrance house or lodge might have been more accurate. It was wooden but it looked sturdy. Rich undertones of lumber and amber glinted in the dark wooden logs that made up the structure. Two huge wooden doors that had carvings that were nearly too delicate to see

[00:32:44] from my vantage point inside of the truck. Each door had been fitted with a window that was nearly half of the doors. Within the wooden logs I could make out neat windows that were across the front side. Stretching out from behind the main structure were long corridors that seemed to connect from the sides of the main house. Those were a mixture of other material outside of the wood. There were windows that lined

[00:33:14] the walls of the motel. Similar to the main structure it was three stories high meaning that it was the typical single level motels. It was more akin to a nature lodge the more I looked at it. My stomach did a little flip as I noticed from the far left a window that had a pair of burning red eyes that were staring at me. I nearly

[00:33:43] jumped in the chair quickly averting my eyes and then looking back. Confusion colored my mind as the vivid eyes were nowhere to be seen anymore. Sucking in a deep breath I banished away the unsettling feeling that bubbled in the pit of my stomach. Let's get you inside. It took a little longer

[00:34:12] than I anticipated. We've arrived a little behind schedule. Hilda said her voice showing a hint of something. She quickly opened the door and scurried around the side of the truck. I followed suit a little slower as I stretched my neck preparing myself for the cold wind. Mustering up courage I threw open the door and icy gale

[00:34:42] slapped me right across the face. A full body shiver raked through me drawing my bag close. I quickly circled around the truck just noticing that I was truly out in the middle of nowhere. The sole source of light was the motel that was glittering with light and stood almost as a beacon against the inky backdrop of the forest. Hilda had already gotten all three

[00:35:12] suitcases from the back and was halfway to the entrance as I was just coming up to the suitcase she had left for me. Her stout form was bathed by the light. She guessed a longer shadow than I thought one her size could take up. She was nearly at the door but her shadow seemed to stretch nearly to the truck that was parked probably thirty feet from the entrance. Grabbing my bag I

[00:35:42] quickly scrambled after her. The door had a great big handle that had an ancient looking keyhole. Without hesitation Hilda whipped out a set of keys the soft loop caught the light and I could see its silver glow. Reaching out she waved a black fob across an unnoticed pad and the door opened automatically. I marveled for a second at the rather advanced

[00:36:12] system given its status as an older motel. Quick as a tick Hilda crossed the threshold and I followed suit. The door began to close as I stepped through it. Then with a firm click the door locked and I was inside. It was far more orderly than I had anticipated. The interior was clean and

[00:36:42] rather sleek. It was done in a more earthen tone. Interior browns and neutrals made it pleasant. The reception desk was a little way inside from doors. It was a rather long desk with an older style drawer system that looked like something you'd find at a rural post office. They were each numbered and I could see nearly a hundred or more drawers. Outside of that there was a small seating area by the row window and

[00:37:11] then I noticed further down there was actually an elevator. Hilda cleared her throat and I turned to face her. Sorry dearie it looks like you'll have to wait till morning to meet Mr. Neiman. I'll show you to your room it's past the time for any guests to arrive. She said matter of factly I'd opened my mouth to respond

[00:37:42] when I instinctively I turned towards the sound. I saw two people looking at me from the window. It was the odd couple from the airport the man and the girl. The girl was still looking at her phone. Bitterly I wondered who her provider was. It seems like I still didn't have any service. The man was the one to

[00:38:12] knock and I stepped forward. My body moving before my mind. It was rude to leave customers waiting. That was one of the first things that had been drilled into you at school. Always helped a guest. I was halfway to the door, the man's eyes looking at me expectantly, when a terrible gripping chill closed around my wrist. Stopping mid-stride, I looked down at my wrist that was caught like a mouse

[00:38:42] in the grip of Hilda. She had moved faster than I thought was possible, her grip ironclad and immovable. Dearie, her voice was low, oddly authoritative. Do you remember the rules? Raising her head, she fixed me with her one good eye. It pierced

[00:39:11] into me, and the rules that I had obsessively read over came thundering to the forefront of my mind to promptly shut the door after 9pm. No guest can check in after that, I said. Reaching into my purse, I fished out my phone, and there it was in bright digital pixels.

[00:39:41] The time, 910pm. It was ten minutes past close. Not to mention it was the weekend. There weren't supposed to be any check-ins, biting my lip. I looked at the two that were standing outside expectantly. He was still wearing those sunglasses, but I knew, no, I could feel his stare. It seemed to bore into

[00:40:11] me as he waited. Hear that? That's now Crispy McCrispy strips meeting creamy Caesar sauce. Sounds extra crispy. Caesar sauce at McDonald's for a limited time. It's only ten minutes past. Surely we could let them in. My voice

[00:40:41] sounded unsure even to my own ears as I remember how much the importance of the rules were stressed in the welcoming package. But the training from school pressed against the importance of the rules. I knew in the back of my mind that I didn't know the system yet, nor did I know the specifics of the motel. Although I had read through and understood the base of the information, I had never done it before.

[00:41:10] Hilda's grip didn't relent if anything had got tighter, and I found the heat leeching out from my body, as if someone had split open my vein and was letting the blood run out of me. The rules. Her voice was ironclad and demanded that I listen to her and obey the rules. A loud thump made my heart sputter in my chest as I

[00:41:40] whirred to look towards the door. He'd raised his arm and had brought his fist down on the wooden part of the door. His lip was curled up in teeth rattle. You have to follow the rules dearie she hissed. Her voice was low and demanded that I obey.

[00:42:10] There was a hard edge that said plainly do as I say or maybe do as the rules say. I felt torn my stomach churning faster as I tried to breathe through my nose to steady my hands that I felt shaking. The penetrating cold bit into my wrist where she had caught it. It almost felt as if I didn't have a hand anymore.

[00:42:39] Bang bang bang I couldn't pry my eyes away from her. I knew that logically it was only ten minutes passed but I also understood that she was not going to let me. I would have to push her away from myself and quickly make it to the door. But was that reasonable? I wrestled with this thought. I don't know. I

[00:43:09] stuttered but with a final thuttering bang I nearly jumped out of my skin. Turning I found the man was now nearly frothing at the mouth as he banged. The girl was now looking up from her phone. Her eyes seemed to cut straight into me and I quickly turned away. I swear I thought I saw something. I still don't know what exactly I

[00:43:39] saw. Hilda's hand left my wrist almost as if she knew that I had lost the will to let them in. that I finally saw her reasoning. For some reason I felt defeated and then happy that I could turn that feeling onto the rules. It was all because of the rules. I had to follow the rules. Did I want to be a rule breaker

[00:44:08] on not even my first day at the job? Here follow me this way dearie. Hilda's voice was sweet. It had lost the hissing edge and I glanced up and found her standing with a key in her hand. She also had my other suitcase. I tried to put the banging sound out of my mind. Grabbing my other

[00:44:38] suitcase I followed Hilda down the corridor. Even as we moved away from the front door I could still hear the banging but I trained my eyes on the smaller woman back. She didn't say much and for some reason the silence was stifling. At this point I wanted her to say anything to maybe give an explanation to the people outside. There was no explanation and I stopped

[00:45:08] as we neared another hallway. This one only had a singular door and no others. She stopped at the door and it simply had manager as the plate on the door. It didn't have a number and I felt that was strange. The information packet had said that it was a live-in position but I had assumed that I would be using one of the rooms. Not that I

[00:45:37] would have my own personal space on my own separate hallway. She used the key and it slid into the lock with a resounding click. Leaving it at that, she didn't turn the knob or anything. Hilda had simply released the key and stepped back, leaving my suitcase where she had parked it. Well, I'll leave you to it. I'll be heading to my own room now. I don't think I

[00:46:07] can make it back to the store. She smiled. I just stared at her, trying to think of some words to say in response. But I felt like a fish out of water. Remember, bright you settle into your post. Remember to lock the door, dearie. She

[00:46:37] said, her voice soft and welcoming, but I felt a shudder pass down my spine at her intonation. She turned and promptly began to walk down the hallways. It was finally when she was at the end of it that I managed to get my tongue working. Good night, Hilda. Thank you for wincing as I realized I might have shouted too loud given that there were

[00:47:07] probably other guests that were sleeping. Hilda simply turned and gave me that lopsided smile before she made a left hand turn and continued down to some unknown room. I turned towards my door and entered. The room opened up to a cute and rather updated apartment rather than a motel room. It had a kitchen and a couple other doors that were left open. I noted that one

[00:47:36] appeared to be an office space and the other three doors lead to two empty rooms minus the bed in one and the other led to a rather large bathroom. I nodded my head and quickly fished out my toilet trees and brushed my teeth. I'd be for another day. With that, I retire to the bedroom. Even

[00:48:07] as I lay here, I can still hear Hilda's voice ringing in my head, repeating the same phrase over and over now. The rules, dearie. Along with the steady rhythmic thump thump thump of the couple's fist demanding to be let into the motel. I'm posting this

[00:48:37] because I'm wondering if anyone else is a manager of a hotel or a motel that has strange rules. I'll post more as I settle in and see if the first night jitters go away. Also to update you about if they're still outside in the morning.