Snow Cover

Chapter 29 Crowd Chaos

Julia's POV

The silence in the hallway of this hotel is thick. I want to tell him that everything will be ok, but I don't know if that is anything he wants from me. I look over at him as he sends me a small smile, I think trying to stay positive about this hard conversation. "Julia?" he softly says, gaining all my attention as I look over at him. He takes a couple of steps closer and I let him. I don't have a problem with him at all. He seems like a great guy.

"Ok now that my skeletons are out in the open, can we try this again?" he asks me as I feel a reluctance. I like him but I don't have as much of a connection with him as I do with Colby. "Well, I like you John.. I do.. But there is something I need to share with you as well. Last night when I was at the bar.. There was this bartender.. named Colby.. He was so incredibly nice and we talked for many hours, actually the whole night, about anything and everything and I had just a great connection with him.. And," I say as John interrupts me. "And you can't stop thinking about him?" he asks as I sadly nod.

He waves off my comment as he states. "It's ok that you're feeling guilty when being here with me when you felt something with another man.. That is not a big deal." his comment puts me into shock. "It's not?" I ask with confusion as he keeps shaking his head. "No.. Like you said we are not official by any means and I know you're an amazing woman, so I'm sure many other men will figure that out as well.. So I can't blame them for what they see because I see the same things.. But what I need to know is if you actually like me? Not for the trip but for me?" he asks as I let out a deep breath.

"Yes, of course, I do like you.. You're sweet and understanding and very fun in many ways. I like you a lot.. But we just don't have a lot in common and that is what made things hard because Colby had everything in common with me." I declare as he nods before stepping closer. "It's ok.. I can always find something we can have in common that we could do together to make things fun between us.. right?" he says thinking about exactly what I had assumed that we could do.

"Yeah, I always thought we could find something that we loved to do together to build a stronger connection between us." I say agreeing with him as he smirks and leans in close. I don't move a muscle as I hear him whisper into my ear, "Well, something fun besides s*x.. Right? Because that is something fun that we can do together.. And I can do you any which way you like." he purrs this into my ear sending chills through me before he kisses my ear lobe.

"But.. Don't fret Julia.. I will figure out something fun and interesting that we would both enjoy doing ok?" I smile and nod as he starts nodding with me. "I will get on with that and I have a few ideas of things we would have fun doing together.. Well, outside the bedroom." He retorts as I chuckle and nod. "Sounds fun.. But I am still heading outside." I state as he asks, "May I join you?" I look from him to the door as I reply. "If you want to, then you can." He nods following right behind me as I walk out the doors that are down the hallway.

We get out of the building and right beside the chaos. The lines of people just trying to see anything available is astonishing. They are trying to push through one another just wanting to let the curiosity get the better of them. but I can't judge because I am out here doing the same. People are always more drawn to drama and conflict over anything else. It is sad but true. So I can't be surprised by the turn out that this town has probably never seen before.

My body sways back and forth with people all around me trying to push past and get a better look, I do know that I am doing the same, but I just want to head straight through the madness and to the tape. It takes a lot of pushing back on my side of things just to keep myself upright. But since I am not as tall as most in this crammed area, it is hard to see. That is until I feel someone taking hold of my hand. I try to pull it away just to see that it is John. He pushes past me then everyone else, easily getting through with me in tow by our intertwined hands.

John pulls me through, and directly behind him, so I can't get lost in the chaos. I squeeze through the crowds of people until I finally come to the caution tape surrounding the area. There is blood splattered all over the snow and concrete, but with the snow melting it is making the blood spill over the concrete and nearby rocks, making this look way worse than it probably should. The police are questioning some people as I watch their eyes ping around at every single pair of prying eyes.

With the blood filling my sights, the realization hits me harder than I ever thought before coming out here. Maybe John was right about how this horrific scene would make me feel inside. This is way too close to home for me, I feel my eyes widen as I think about how that could have been me.. that even some of those footprints are mine. I stare off feeling my heart break for this girl. I know I didn't know her but the fact that she could have possibly been chosen over me, hits my heart incredibly hard.

I feel a hand to the small of my back, startling me as flip around to see that it is John, he can probably see the terror in my eyes that he warned me about and tried to shield me from because seeing something and hearing about something are two completely different things. But I just had to see this.. I don't know why but I had to. There was something inside of me telling me this was something bigger to me than most others. Who knows why the body does certain things, all I know is that I listen when it's talking to me. Even if what it is telling me is hard to take in.

I feel my eyes watering as I look away for a moment, wanting to gain some soothing air into my lungs to hopefully help bring my heart back down to earth instead of flying away with the insistence of my anxiety. I look back at the bloody scene until I see a covered body on a gurney being rolled into the back of an ambulance. With the multiple bumps in the way, I can see the body moving under the sheet, which is making my insides churn. The topping on this cake is when I watch them hit another bump and her manicured hand falls out from under the cover. The hand swings with every move that is made, making me want to throw up at any moment.

That sight makes it more real than the blood ever could. At least with the blood present I could try to convince myself that it was paint, but the sight of the lifeless body is something I never want to see again, even if it was just the hand and not the whole body. I know from the way it made me feel, shooting terror straight into my heart, that I probably won't ever forget that sight after today. I look away instantly, I can't look back at that scene even though it seems like John can't take his eyes from it. I look away again to start looking through the sea of shocked faces that are just wanting to know more information about this crime.

My eyes keep bouncing from one person to the next, not wanting to look at that crime scene anymore, until someone grabs my attention, I surprisingly see a familiar face. Which doesn't happen often when you're visiting a place you've never been to before. I don't know why I would ever be surprised to see a local, but it's Colby. Our eyes meet and connect without hesitation. His beautiful orbs and inviting smile takes my breath away. He is behind the tape as well but just a couple of people down from me.

"Julia.. are you ok?" He asks with so much concern as he approaches. I feel my head shaking as I instantly respond. "No.. I'm not after seeing this.. did you hear about this?" He looks confused as if he just joined the conversation and maybe he did. "No wht happened? My manager called me to come down but he wouldn't tell me why.. I just got here and saw your beautiful face so I had to join over here." He explain as his eyes pan around me looking for someone, I am assuming his manager.

"My manager is over there talking with the police but is too distracted to see me just yet and I don't know if I am allowed to go under the tape to approach him.. So I'll just stand here next to you if you don't mind my presence." He says as I shake my head, "That's ok, but it's crowded for sure." I declare as he smiles down at me melting my heart with just one look. "So Julia, can you tell me what happened since no one else will? It looks like a big deal with police and all.. and I think I saw an ambulance driving away, but not sure about that." He says this to me, obviously not realizing how serious of a situation that this is.

I am weary about being the person to break this news to him but he asked and I feel like I need to be honest with him. So I nod and squeak out the hard information. "A woman died.. There was another killing.. by that serial killer." his eyes widen in shock as he shakes his head in disbelief looking from me to the police and scene. "Holy sh*t.. there is blood over there.. You're serious?" He asks looking down at me as I watch the information sink in as I continue to nod.

"That is terrible.. Horrifying actually.. I hate that I was right about the killer's next destination. Did it happen to another traveling visitor?" He asks as I shake my head again. "It was to a Samantha.. Samantha Ortega." I say as his eyes widen and he keeps shaking his head. "No, that can't be right, she is my coworker that came and asked me to come in with the keys to lock up when we were outside talkinf." He says explaining who she is to me as I nod my head, since I knew who she was and remembered how I was in contact her, but not directly.

"Yeah I knew I recognized her when I saw the picture that was presented on the TV screen." I say sadly as the information given really sinks in. His smile is gone and the horror is now apparent on his features. "No." he shakes his head again as I continue to nod. "I'm so sorry Colby, but yes.. It was Samantha." I reiterated to him making his look heartbroken by those words. "Oh.. my.. G.." He starts as we hear his name being called. "Colby." He looks away from me and to the man that was talking with the police, I think he said that was his manager.

I look at the man to see he is getting the police officers attention as he talks to them. The multiple officers and manager talk back and forth as he points over at us. I feel my head shaking not liking that sight as I watch their suspicious eyes jump from each other then to Colby. I have a bad feeling by how they are acting.. I just hope it is not what I think is happening.. Because I didn't want this to happen. But they are probably thinking what I have already thought about Colby. I just hope it is not true.