The Starling Hotel: Midnight Chronicles

It was dark, cold and raining the night Deanndra Sanderson carried her bags onto the nineteenth-floor elevator of the Starling Hotel. The cascade of rain could be heard tapping gently against the large French windows at the end of the hall. A sudden and thunderous bolt of lightning brightly illuminated the tall windows but added only a hint of light to the long hallway. The now solemn windows and profoundly eerie aura did well to hide the extreme temperament beyond them. Turbulent and impressive, the thunderstorm roared outside, but inside, past the soundproof windows, it was barely audible at all.

Deanndra looked to her left and suddenly caught a glimpse of the large silver clock on the wall as she walked toward the elevator. The elegant silver hands signaled that it was now half past midnight. Through the misty night air, and now pouring rain, the twenty-three-story building seemed impressive as it stood towering against the magnificent Rocky Mountains. This colossal vision was breathtaking. This prestigious hotel had been Mr. Starling’s dream, and the success of his world-renowned empire had left him ahead of the competition by millions and more.

80 years before, Roy Starling had founded the infamous Starling Hotel. It was no doubt, a success from the beginning, but it would have never achieved the social status it had today without his grandson Brian. He was the ultimate reason for its current and monumental accomplishments. Brian worked hard in advancing this hotel, constantly thinking, improving, and attaining the level of excellence his grandfather had only imagined.

Brilliance shone in all of the hotel’s extensive accommodations. This hotel included some of the most beautiful views in the world, a myriad of what seemed to be every possible luxury imaginable, and gave its hospitality to only the most elite of the socialites in the world. There was no person of importance who had not been to the Starling Hotel, or who did not desire it greatly.

Roy and Brian Starling were two vastly different people, opposites at best, but both had ambition and dedication, and these two factors could only lead to success. Brian Starling took over the hotel after the death of his grandfather, and history seemed to be made instantly. The handsome, bright, and rich young man drew attention all his own, but there was no doubt that great things were in store even in the hands of such a young man.

Although there were many things said, the most prominent remained that Brian could not have achieved his financial and more importantly his social status on this one hotel alone. Maybe it was because of his power, money, or maybe even both, but Brian had always been rumored to have the same amount of criminal activity as he did romantic activity. Rumors always ran rampant, and to the public of course, they were always true and never questioned. Brian Starling had always denied the ridiculous rumors. Whether he had done this convincingly or not was a different question. Tonight, the tumultuous thunderstorm was just as impressive as the history of this magnificent hotel.

If the day had seemed at all long, the night was much longer. Deanndra stood in the elevator, her luggage on the floor next to her. Varying in size and shape, the luggage held a lot less than the bulk left to the imagination. Feeling lucky to have an elevator to herself, she wandered into thought while watching the large hand moving from right to left indicating her floor. The inside top half of the elevators were lined with elegant mirrors and the bottom half was lined with blue marble. If you were to look closely at the blue marble you would notice that the hotel emblem lay embedded across the marble in a very neat and diagonal pattern. The hotel emblem was a small diamond shape with a beautifully carved "S" in the middle. This emblem signified everything that the hotel did, elegance, power, beauty and respect.

Deanndra caught a glimpse of her face as she looked up. She was tall and thin even outside her beige faux fur winter coat, but everything about her demanded attention and respect. A stranger would realize this, although those around her often were quick to ignore her grace. Everything from her unmatched beauty to her sophisticated persona made her stand out in any crowd. She stood 5’8 with caramel skin, and a body that entertained any suitor. Entrancing light brown wavy hair hit just below her shoulders and bounced slightly with her walk. Deanndra had enormous, deep green, almond shaped eyes that lit her up and daunted anyone that looked directly into them. No doubt she was an incredibly beautiful woman, whether or not she always knew it. This cold night there was a quite different scene and tonight her eyes were distant, empty, and her mind was very deep in thought.

Fear and angst filled her, and feeling her heart swell, she took a deep breath and leaned back onto elevator wall. A small golden cross glinted and caught her eye as she looked down at her reflection. A tinge of guilt came over her. She looked at the chain again, but this time putting it under her shirt. Her mind swam with weighing thoughts. Her intentions were no doubt good, but was she doing what was right? Or was she doing something extremely wrong? She could not control the overflow of thoughts. Finally, battling the idea carefully, she went about every other possibility in her mind, coming back to the first. If she lived a hundred more years, she would never again be presented with an opportunity like this. She took several more deep breaths, and through her well-disguised disbelief and angst she held on to the thought that tomorrow would be better. It just had to be. However, before anything could change, this night she was to leave the Starling Hotel, and never come back.

Despite the soft elevator music playing soothing classical music, the atmosphere allowed for an almost deafening silence. Then, instantly, there was a fancy ding, and the elevator door opened to reveal the grand entrance hall. During the day, it was filled with visitors from all over the world and even those from not so far away. Although the only visitors you would ever find in the Starling Hotel were those who could afford the eighteen thousand dollars a night stay. It seemed funny how, even now, at midnight there were people everywhere. In the lounge, there were several people sitting speaking and carrying on conversations. The beautiful marble stairs gave way to individuals pacing up and down the stairs in a somewhat dazed manner, possibly attempting to gain relaxation. There were those who held faces of great stress and anxiety, looking very deep in thought. No doubt these were the individuals who held very lofty positions or had other occupations with great responsibilities. The stay at the Starling always proved to be regenerating, but still there were those who had much on their mind, just like Deanndra.

Deanndra came from a very small town, and until she had come here she had never known anyone to be awake after dark unless they were ill or it was an emergency. Deanndra looked at some of them as she passed, wondering what it would be like to have money, lots of it. To be able to buy things and not worry what the price was, or if you had bought them, you were at risk of losing your scarcely live able efficiency.

One day, Deanndra Sanderson would be known all over the world. One day she’d have fortune, fame and a reality that she’d been told was only a dream. She had always dreamed of being an actress. That was her greatest passion, and tonight, for the first time in her life she felt a solid hope that her dream would come true. Leaving her things with the man at the door, she walked a little faster towards the service elevators in the back of the dining hall. The service elevators were the only ones leading to the basement during the ongoing construction.

This elevator was so much smaller, and slower. The entire elevator was light brown, and gave one the feeling of being suffocated, so it was good that they were replacing it. It had been almost six months since she had been in these elevators. The entire basement was being remodeled with the intention of becoming another luxury for the guests no doubt, but Deanndra was not sure what it was exactly, and at the moment her curiosity was not peaked at anything to do with the hotel.

The barely moving service elevator door opened leaving Deanndra staring in to the very bright basement hallway. Through the plastic, and masking tape, Deanndra saw that the ongoing remodeling project was going very rapidly. It had only been announced a week ago that any remodeling was going to be done. Even down here, the hotel seemed beautiful, or at least elegant with the blue "S" inside the diamond shapes all along the walls.

An intense flood fear came over Deanndra at seeing the long empty hallways. The entire basement was under construction. Plastic, little pieces of wall, and thick masking tape had become the mass down here. The prospect of her leaving this basement, successfully, hastened her walk. There were two hallways leading away from the stairs…to the right a seemingly longer one, and forward a short one. She instinctively decided to go forward. Somehow, the thought of her sinful actions kept echoing in the back of her head. For an instant, she wanted to stop, and leave before anything else could happen. This entire situation was surreal. Deanndra decided that the only way to change anything at this point was to keep walking.

She was going to room 304. There was a room just as she turned the corner of the hall. A little blue sign with white, engraved letters hung above what appeared to be a large room read, 260. Down the hall, there were more offices and rooms varying in size and distance from each other.

It was now a quarter to 1 am, she walked faster, having only 15 minutes left to find this office. She turned several corners, wondering if she would ever find it, when all of a sudden she saw a door. Above it a now familiar little blue sign read, 304. She took a deep breath, and decided that it was now or never. Scrambling in her pockets for the key she had been given, she unlocked the door. Opening it slowly, she began to see inside.

The room was dark and dusty; there was light switch on the opposite wall. In the dark, the room appeared to be large, and throughout were tables and chairs. At the front of the room, there was a large chalkboard. This must have been one of the old training rooms for the new employees many years ago. She was not sure what they could have used it for now, but it was also being remodeled. She walked in and closed the door behind her, and then she reached over to the wall for the light switch and turned it on.

Instantly she felt the same fear she had felt when leaving the elevator. Her stomach seemed to have turned to lead, and she felt her heart stop for a brief but still lingering moment. In front of her stood a person she did not know, and immediately did not want to know.

“Who-Who are you?” said Deanndra terrified, but at this point she felt much more confused. The man said nothing. She had imagined this moment a thousand times in the past few hours, but never in any of her scenarios could she have imagined this. This man was tall, taller than her and seemed to be very muscular. The man wore a dark black suit, and he had been sitting on a chair to the far left of the room. He surveyed her slowly, and then began to stand much more slowly, only inspiring fear and confusion further.

The man reached into his coat pocket, and began to pull something out. Deanndra felt her blood freeze, and her feet felt as if they had been cemented into the floor. He pulled out a small bag and then began to very smoothly put on a pair of black gloves. He was a very good looking man, with dark hair, and eyes, but between being a stranger, and not knowing if he had mutual intentions, he inspired an unspoken fear. There was something about him, the way he somehow let her know instantly that he had complete control over the situation that made her feel as though this scene would have no chance of turning out well. Her eyes had adjusted to the light, and now suddenly, as she stood looking at him more closely, she was sure that she had seen him somewhere before.

“You sure are a pretty one,” said the tall dark stranger, ignoring her question completely, “I can see why he didn’t just do it himself.”

“I don’t understand,” said Deanndra her voice unsteady. Rummaging for what was left of her valor, she established her bravery, “I came to speak to someone, and I, well, think you might not be the right person, and I think I must be going now. ” The words came out just as jumbled and confused as were her emotions at that moment. As she heard herself speak, she imagined how ignorant she must have sounded.

“You see, Miss Sanderson, there has been a change in plans. You will not be getting what you’ve come for tonight. The person who sent you here, didn't have the same, "arrangement" shall we say, in mind as you did when it came to tonight.”

“I am certain I am not sure what you’re talking about. I spoke to someone and the arrangement was for me to -”

“Things, situations, they change Miss Sanderson...” The stranger continued speaking, but as much as he moved his mouth there were no words for Deanndra. She felt her coat touch the door, and before she really knew what she was doing, she found herself scrambling for the key and lock hoping their combination would salvage her situation gone ridiculously awry.

“Please sir, I do not know what you’re talking about. I came for a document, and if I have this I can leave with no further consequence to your time.” The words seemed to come out of her mouth instinctively. Again, this seemed a very stupid thing to say, in the middle of the night to a very intimidating stranger, but once said, there was little hope of taking back her stupidity.

“You really don’t know what’s going on do you?” The man laughed, and although he was smiling it sent a terrifying chill down her spine. She had not wondered what was really going on until now. She could not know the expression on her face, and her voice seemed to have left her, but her hand had unlocked the door.

"All I wanted was to do the right thing," said Deanndra, for the first time with this stranger, saying what she knew to be one hundred percent true and honest. In what seemed like half a second, she pulled open the door and started to run. She had no idea where she was going.

She started to run down the hallway there were doors on both sides, down the hallway she ran and even though there were doors on both sides, she seemed to only go forward. She heard foot steps behind her. After making two turns she noticed that she had turned two hallways. She stopped for an instant, and suddenly read the little plate, 240. The elevator had to be close.

As she ran, she was thinking, and running, her mind swimming. What was happening? Where was she? Why did this happen to her? How could of this of happened to her? She turned and she felt her stomach turn to lead. The hallway had ended. She had come down one hallway too far. As she turned, she saw that she had just gone the opposite direction. Down the hall she saw the elevator.

She turned and ran towards the elevator. Out of the side of her eye, she saw the stranger running after her. Then, suddenly she heard the loudest sound she might have ever heard, a deafening bang. She felt a pain she could never have imagined. There was a horrendous and paralyzing pain in her side. As much as she tried to hold herself against the wall, she started to fall down. She was in a pain that she could not describe. Even though she was feeling a greater pain than anything she had ever felt in her lifetime, she felt something much greater, confusion and guilt. She had fallen to her knees, and now to her hands. She had gone over this scene so many times in the past few hours, but never had she imagined this. She was laying down now, her cheek touching the cold basement floor. So many she had gone over this scenario, so many times, and this had never happened, this could not have ever happened. She thought for a moment how different it was the day she had met him, the love of her life, only six months before.