Chapter:11
1308 Words
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Alex slipped the hotel key board into Ethan’s hand and helped him to his feet. He winced but stayed silent, his body tense with pain.
"We’ll take the staff stairs," she whispered. "No cameras there. Fewer people too."
Ethan gave a small nod, relying on her now more than he liked to admit. Alex threw his good arm over her shoulder to support his weight, and together they moved toward the door.
The hallway outside was quiet — too quiet. Alex’s instincts screamed at her to hurry. She led him down the corridor, away from the main elevators, toward the service entrance at the end.
But as they turned a corner, two men in dark suits appeared, talking into earpieces. Alex froze. Ethan's grip on her tightened.
The men spotted them almost immediately. One shouted, "There he is!"
Alex didn’t think — she just reacted. She yanked Ethan through a nearby door marked Maintenance, slamming it shut behind them.
"We can’t outrun them," Ethan hissed, breathing hard.
"Maybe not," Alex said, scanning the room frantically. Her eyes landed on a large laundry cart piled high with sheets. She pushed it toward him.
"Get in," she ordered.
Ethan stared at her like she was insane.
"Trust me!" she snapped.
With no time to argue, Ethan climbed awkwardly into the cart, groaning as he tucked himself under the sheets. Alex threw a few more linens over him, hiding him completely.
Seconds later, the door burst open. The two men stormed in, weapons drawn.
"You seen anyone come through here?" one barked.
Alex turned, throwing on her best unimpressed hotel worker face. "You think guests are hiding in the supply closet? You’re gonna get me fired."
The men exchanged a glance, then one of them pushed past her, searching the room. Alex kept her breathing steady, willing her hands not to shake.
After a long, tense moment, the men seemed to decide it was a dead end.
"If you see anything suspicious," one warned, "you call this number." He shoved a card into her hand.
Alex nodded dumbly. The moment they left, she locked the door behind them and sagged against it, heart hammering.
"Ethan," she whispered.
He pushed the sheets aside, his face pale but grinning. "You’re good at this," he said, voice rough.
"Yeah, well," Alex muttered, helping him out of the cart, "if we don’t move now, I’m not sure even my luck’s gonna hold."
They slipped out the maintenance door, into the cool night. The city lights flickered around them — and somewhere nearby, danger still hunted.
But for now, they had a chance.
And they were taking it.
---
Alex helped Ethan through the back entrance of the hotel, her mind racing. She kept throwing nervous glances over her shoulder, half-expecting those thugs to burst through the door at any second.
"Stay with me," she muttered, fumbling her phone out of her pocket.
With shaking fingers, she called a cab, telling the driver to come to the side street by the hotel.
While they waited, she grabbed a towel from a supply closet nearby, pressing it against Ethan’s bleeding arm.
A few minutes later, a battered yellow cab rolled up. She hurried him inside, giving the driver rushed instructions.
"Take us to Northwood Apartments — quickly, please."
The cabbie didn’t ask questions, just gave her a sharp nod and drove off into the night.
In the backseat, Ethan leaned against her, his breathing shallow.
"You don’t even know me," he said hoarsely.
"Yeah, and you’re bleeding out in front of me," Alex shot back, clutching the towel tighter against his wound. "Not exactly the kind of thing you just walk away from."
When they reached Northwood Apartments — a tall, slightly run-down building just off campus — Alex paid the driver with cash and helped Ethan up the front steps.
Inside, the building was eerily quiet, most students gone home for the holidays.
They made it to her unit on the third floor. Alex quickly unlocked the door and led him inside. The apartment was small but cozy: a shared lounge with a worn couch, a small kitchen tucked in the corner, and three doors leading to the individual bedrooms.
"My roommates are all gone for the break," Alex whispered, helping him stumble toward her room. "We share the lounge and kitchen, but everyone has their own bedroom."
She got him inside her room — a cozy space filled with textbooks, a few posters on the walls, and a bed pushed up against the window.
"You’ll be safe here," she said, shutting the door behind them and locking it.
Ethan collapsed onto her bed with a grimace, holding his arm.
Alex grabbed her first-aid kit from under her desk and knelt beside him, setting to work.
"You don’t have to do this," Ethan murmured, watching her.
Alex gave a shaky laugh. "Yeah, well, it’s a little late for second thoughts."
As she cleaned and bandaged his wound, Ethan studied her — the determined way she worked, the furrow of concentration between her brows.
"You're lucky you found me," she muttered, finally meeting his gaze.
"Yeah," Ethan whispered back, a hint of a smile touching his lips despite the pain. "Real lucky."
Outside, the world was cold and dark, but inside that small room, something raw and unexpected had already begun.
---
Ethan woke to the faint smell of something warm — coffee, maybe — and the soft clinking of dishes.
For a second, he forgot where he was. His whole body tensed, instincts kicking in.
Then he saw the faded poster on the wall — "Dream Big" — and remembered: Alex. The girl who had saved him.
He sat up with a groan, his arm throbbing under the bandages she’d wrapped the night before. The blanket — her blanket — slipped off him.
The door creaked open, and Alex peeked in, a steaming mug in her hand.
"You’re awake," she said, her voice still hushed. "I wasn’t sure if you’d...you know, survive the night."
Ethan gave a weak, half-smile. "You give great pep talks, you know that?"
Alex grinned despite herself and came closer, setting the mug on the nightstand. "Coffee. It’s not much, but..." she shrugged. "Figured you needed it."
He reached for it carefully. His hand brushed hers for a second, and they both paused — a flicker of something passing between them.
"Thanks," Ethan said, voice low.
She sat on the edge of the bed, studying him. "You're gonna need stitches. Real ones. I...I can only do so much with a first-aid kit and YouTube videos."
Ethan chuckled under his breath, then winced. "Yeah, no offense, but I'd rather not die because of YouTube."
Alex bit her lip. "Those guys from the hotel...do you think they'll come looking for you?"
His expression darkened instantly. He sipped the coffee, buying himself a second to think.
"They were sent by someone I used to know. Someone dangerous." He met her eyes. "I don’t want you getting involved."
Alex leaned back slightly, folding her arms. "Bit late for that, don't you think?"
He gave a pained laugh. "Yeah. Yeah, it is."
For a moment, they just looked at each other — two strangers tied together by blood, fear, and something neither of them could quite name yet.
Finally, Alex stood up. "You’re safe here for now. But we’ll have to figure something out. I can’t hide you forever."
Ethan nodded slowly, finishing the coffee. "I just need a day or two. To figure out my next move."
Alex hesitated at the door, then smiled faintly. "One day at a time, mystery man. One day at a time."
She left, the door clicking softly shut behind her.
And for the first time in a long time, Ethan felt something like hope stir in his chest.
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- Writer
