Spencer Hotel

Chapter Seven

Depressed, terrified, and his hands covered in blood, Samuel sat against the wall in the hallway. Blankly staring into the abyss, the flickering lights eerily cascading onto the side of his face. Every second that passed waiting for Brooklyn felt like an eternity. He was stuck in time, reliving his most recent trauma on repeat.

Samuel held a folded piece of paper which was covered in droplets of blood. He had found the paper resting on a nightstand next to the crib. Carefully he in folded the paper, revealing ink written words spread across the page. Samuel's eyes drifted to the top left of the paper, he began to read the message.

'Leo my sweet, sweet son. From the moment you came into this world, you brought a joy and light that illuminated our lives. Your infectious laughter and innocent curiosity filled our home with a warmth that words cannot adequately capture. Watching you grow, learn, and explore has been a privilege and a blessing that I will forever cherish.'

Samuel struggled to keep reading, every word felt like a rusted knife cutting into his heart.

'But life has dealt us a cruel hand, my little warrior. It's unfathomable to me that someone so small and full of life could be facing such a daunting challenge. It feels unjust, unjust in a way that shakes the very core of my being. I want you to know that your life, no matter how brief, has been profound and significant. You have taught me invaluable lessons about love, resilience, and the fragility of existence. Your mere presence has reminded me of the importance of cherishing every moment, every breath, and every beat of our hearts. My sweet child, you have been a light in my life, and I am eternally grateful for the time we have spent together. Please remember that you are deeply loved, my son, as your father, I am honored to have been a part of your journey, even if it feels far too short.'

A single slow falling tear ran down Samuel's dirty cheek. Closing his eyes and taking one large deep breath in, he continued to read.

'I want you to know, I did not make this choice lightly. But I came to the quick conclusion, that someone like you, with the most fragile innocent life, does not deserve to live in a world like this. I was bitten my beautiful son, and I can not transcend to the afterlife without you. Please forgive me my son. I wish I could of given you a chance at a full long life. But as a father, I failed to protect you. Rest now, my brave little warrior. With all my love, your father.'

Samuel depressingly stared at the bloodied paper. His eyes were tearing up. Folding the paper tightly into a square, he slid it deep into his pants pocket. Wiping the tears away he let out a deep mellow sigh.

Eventually Brooklyn stepped out into the hallway, carrying a small backpack in one hand, she noticed Samuel idly sitting alone, "Are you okay?" She asked.

"I'm fine." Samuel hesitantly responded.

Brooklyn dropped the backpack onto the ground, unzipping the bag, she reached inside, taking out a small radio.

"I found this in one of the rooms." Brooklyn said, handing the radio to Samuel.

Timidly taking the radio from her hands, Samuel held it with two hands, scanning the different dials, "Good find." Samuel responded, taking a long sigh he glanced back up at her, "Did you find much food?" He asked.

"Enough for a couple days, what about you?" Brooklyn asked.

"Not enough." Samuel responded frustrated.

Brooklyn noticed his hands were covered in blood. She knelt down on the ground, and stared sorrowfully into his deep lost eyes.

"You're covered in blood." Brooklyn worryingly mentioned.

"I took care of it, I'm fine." Samuel responded.

"Do you need help with the body?" Brooklyn asked.

"No. I took care of it." Samuel repeated himself, standing up he stepped back into their room. Brooklyn gave one last look at the closed door he was sitting beside and closely followed him.