Conference

Salvation resembled a balding man with the sagging paunch and red-veined nose of someone who’d spent too much time at the bottom of a bottle.

“Thank you!” Carmen’s relief was evident in her voice. “I don’t know how much longer we would have lasted out there.”

“Rupert, we need to talk…”

The hardened voice came from the top of the stairs, Carmen and Doug’s eyes snapping up to gaze into the murky shadows above their heads.

“I’ll be right up Murph. Just going to get our temporary guests settled into the Bradley’s old apartment.” Carmen didn’t like the way he stressed temporary, but there was nothing to be said right then. Besides, arguing with them wasn’t likely going to get her and Doug very far anyway. Better to play it safe and see what headway she could make after she’d sized up the situation.

Following Rupert down the dim and musty hallway, they came to a red door bearing the designation 1B. He turned the knob on the unlocked door and swung it inward.

“There are towels and running water, but it’s cold.” He said as he walked into the sparsely furnished room.

“Thank you.”

“I’ll be back after my little conference upstairs.” Rupert said as he walked back to the door. Turning back as he was half through it, he stated, “Don’t lock the door.”

The instruction was simple but somehow menacing. Carmen and Doug shared a look before nodding their acceptance.

What had they inadvertently gotten themselves into?

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