The Guest Who Disappeared Into The Night
The hotel
Hotel reception, 15 July, 8:10 a.m.
Gregory Harris
What does it look like today, love?
Shannon Harris
Well, dear husband.
Shannon Harris
We're going to receive many guests today.
Shannon Harris
Nine guests, to be exact.
Gregory Harris
Nine guests!
Gregory Harris
Not bad at all!
Mr. and Mrs. Harris owns the small hotel in the countryside, with five hours of travel time to the nearest city.
It's the start of the summer season, and it's very important that the hotel gets many guests already from the beginning.
Since the business is very small, it has only two employees.
Shannon Harris
Mrs. Morris is preparing the cookies and tea.
Shannon Harris
In the meantime, Mr. Kenley is working in the garden.
Gregory Harris
Good, good...
Shannon Harris
Are you nervous, dear?
Gregory Harris
I'm not going to lie.
Gregory Harris
Ever since we bought this house in the beginning of the summer and decided to start a hotel business, we haven't received any guests at all.
Gregory Harris
I'm afraid that...
Shannon Harris
*Gives her husband a kiss on the cheek*
Shannon Harris
Don't worry Gregory.
Shannon Harris
We're going to have nine guests, aren't we?
Gregory Harris
And that's why it needs to be perfect!
Gregory Harris
I really hope that nothing bad happens...
Shannon Harris
I think I see our first guest coming to the hotel.
Shannon Harris
Let's give him a good impression, shall we?
A tall and pale man enters the hotel through the main doors, looks anxiously around and walks slowly towards the reception desk.
Gregory Harris
Good morning, sir!
Hunter Atkinson
I have a reservation.
Hunter Atkinson
My name is Hunter Atkinson.
Shannon Harris
Atkinson...
Shannon Harris
Welcome to Repose Hotel, where everyone can get a deserved rest from the stressful city life!
Hunter Atkinson
Yeah, yeah, whatever.
Hunter Atkinson
Am I the first guest so far?
Gregory Harris
Oh yes, you are!
Both Mr. and Mrs. Harris try their best to maintain their smiles.
But it isn't easy when they have to deal with an unfriendly guest.
Hunter Atkinson
Can I select a room of my own choice?
Gregory Harris
No problems at all, sir.
Hunter Atkinson
I want a room with the best view over the road.
Hunter Atkinson
But it has to be close to an emergency exit.
Gregory Harris
Then it that case you can get room 104.
Gregory Harris
It's just above the hotel reception.
Gregory Harris
*Gives Hunter Atkinson the room key*
Gregory Harris
Walk down the hall and then go up the stairs to your right.
Gregory Harris
It has the perfect view over the passing road.
Gregory Harris
We don't have an emergency exit in "that" sense, though.
Shannon Harris
But we have a fire escape ladder in each room.
Shannon Harris
You can quickly install it yourself during emergencies.
Hunter Atkinson
Better than nothing, I suppose.
Hunter Atkinson
*Begins to walk away from the reception*
Hunter Atkinson
By the way.
Hunter Atkinson
If someone asks for me, just tell them that you don't know anything.
Gregory Harris
No worries, sir!
Gregory Harris
We totally respect your integrity...
Hunter Atkinson doesn't care to let Mr. Harris finish his sentence, but walks down the hall before turning right to go up the stairs.
Shannon Harris
What an awful person!
Gregory Harris
I hope the other guests are friendlier...
A group of people have arrived at the reception desk.
Luca Costa
My name is Luca Costa and I've booked a room between 15-18 July.
Shannon Harris
You can get room number 101...
Ronni Mogensen
My name is Ronni Mogensen.
Ronni Mogensen
I'm staying here for four nights.
Shannon Harris
Room 102...
Hiromi Arakawa
Arakawa Hitomi.
Hiromi Arakawa
15-17 July.
Shannon Harris
Room 103...
Gregory Harris
*Quickly helps his wife by handing over the room keys to the three guests*
Gregory Harris
Everyone, all of your rooms are on the first floor.
Gregory Harris
Just walk down the hall until you find the stairs to your right!
Hiromi Arakawa
Arigato gozaimasu (= Thank you).
Hiromi Arakawa
*Bows and walks away*
Shannon Harris
Thank you, dear.
Shannon Harris
I'd never have made it without you.
Gregory Harris
But of course!
Gregory Harris
So that was four of the guests.
Shannon Harris
We only have five more.
================================
Inside a bus, 15 July, 9:20 a.m.
Bryan Dawson
I'm so looking forward to this vacation!
Bryan Dawson
*Turns to the left and looks at a young woman of Chinese ancestry*
Bryan Dawson
What about you, Mei-Hua?
Pan Mei-Hua
You and I have done lots of work in the city in the past month.
Pan Mei-Hua
We all deserve a good rest!
Stanley Daniels
Excuse me, are you also on your way to Repose Hotel?
Stanley Daniels
The name is Daniels, Stanley Daniels.
Pan Mei-Hua
I'm Mei-Hua Pan, and this is Bryan Dawson.
Stanley Daniels
You're good friends?
Bryan Dawson
We've known each other for a couple of years.
Bryan Dawson
My parents knew her parents, so naturally, we're friends with each other.
An older man who is sitting at the row ahead of Bryan and Mei-Hua turns around.
Antoine Roux
That is not always the case, mon ami.
Antoine Roux
I'm Antoine Roux, from Bordeaux in France.
Stanley Daniels
You're going to Repose Hotel too, mister?
A blonde woman walks towards the small group of passengers.
Susanna Mårtensson
I think we all are.
Susanna Mårtensson
Hi, I'm Susanna Mårtensson.
Susanna Mårtensson
From Malmö, Sweden.
Stanley Daniels
*Looks at everyone*
Stanley Daniels
So, what brings you all to that hotel in the middle of nowhere?
Pan Mei-Hua
Both Bryan and I are going to have one week's rest before we both return to work.
Susanna Mårtensson
I'm a painter.
Susanna Mårtensson
So I want to paint the nature in the countryside.
Antoine Roux
I love the nature too!
Susanna Mårtensson
I'm here for the nature.
Antoine Roux
So I guess we will be seeing each other quite often then, Ms. Mårtensson.
Susanna Mårtensson
*Gives a small laugh*
Susanna Mårtensson
What about you, Mr. Daniels?
Stanley Daniels
I just want to escape from the bustling city life and take it easy.
Stanley Daniels
What do you work with, Ms. Pan?
Pan Mei-Hua
I'm a private investigator.
Everyone looks at her in awe.
Antoine Roux
You, mademoiselle?
Antoine Roux
A private investigator?
Antoine Roux
You look so young!
Bryan Dawson
Don't judge a book by its cover, Monsieur Roux.
Bryan Dawson
Mei-Hua is one of the most skilled people I've ever worked with.
Bryan Dawson
She has been doing this for three years.
Stanley Daniels
Three years?
Stanley Daniels
That's something.
Stanley Daniels
So you're a private investigator as well, Mr. Dawson?
Bryan Dawson
I'm more like an assistant.
Stanley Daniels
It's good to know who to ask at the hotel in case something happens.
Pan Mei-Hua
I sure hope not.
Pan Mei-Hua
Bryan and I are going to have a well-earned vacation!
Susanna Mårtensson
Guys, I think we've arrived.
A large building, built sometime during the early 1900s, greets the bus and its travelers from the horizon.
Gregory Harris
At last, the final guests are here!
Comments
Amazing work
The characters and the story both are intimidating!
But why is the main character a Chinese?
2023-05-18
4
tanku
ooooo
2022-11-09
2