After driving for over ten hours, I found myself slumped in the driver's seat of my car, exhausted and drained. I reached for my cell phone and dialed his number, hoping for a swift response. I missed the ease and comfort of air travel, but here I was, stuck in my car in a state of weariness.
My hopes were quickly dashed as he failed to answer my call. He could have been at work or hanging out with his friends. I had informed him of my arrival earlier, but my brother had a habit of forgetting things, regardless of his age.
Sighing in frustration, I undid my seatbelt and stepped out of the car, stretching my body to release the stiffness that had built up from hours of driving. As I scanned the surrounding buildings, my eyes settled on the tall, gray-mirrored housing building that cast a shadow over me.
My brother, Carl, had opted for a swanky apartment in this building, choosing convenience and luxury over the traditional house-hunting experience. The building provided services such as cleaning, laundry, and meals, which were perfect for me as I couldn't cook to save my life. After proving my identity at the main gates, I entered the main lounge, which was grand and opulent, with mirrored walls, modern furniture, and magnificent ceilings. A partition separated the lounge from the minibar, where couples sat and chatted while enjoying their drinks.
I collapsed onto a velvet sofa in the waiting area of the lounge and sent Carl a message, informing him of my arrival. I was in no mood to wait, but I knew I had to. As I rested my head on the arm of the sofa, exhaustion finally overtook me, and I drifted off to sleep.
The sound of a wooden arm stick tapping against the marble floor of the lounge woke me up. I opened my eyes halfway and saw a figure looming over me. His expression was contorted, and his lips twitched as if questioning my manners.
"Ehm, ehm.." he coughed, and I sat up, feeling the weight of my body shift onto my butt, which was now deeply imprinted on the sofa seat.
"Newly moved in, or came here to visit someone special?" he asked, with a hint of suspicion in his voice.
"I moved in with my brother on the 8th floor. I informed him, but he forgot, as usual," I replied, sounding more annoyed than informative.
"I see. You need a duplicate key then?" he asked, rolling his eyes.
"Duplicate key?" I echoed.
"Yes, we keep duplicate keys in case someone loses theirs. It happens quite often, especially with the drunk brats around here," he explained, disapprovingly.
He pointed to a girl dressed in a black coat with pointed shoulders and red silk shirt collars, her lips painted with a bright shade of red, who was talking on the phone while tilting her head and holding the receiver between her shoulders and ear.
"Go talk to her, and she'll help you get a duplicate key," he instructed.
"Okay, thanks," I said, grateful for his help.
"You're welcome," he replied before walking away, his wooden arm stick echoing against the marble floor.
As I picked up my bag and made my way towards the girl, I noticed that she had held onto the phone as she saw me coming towards her. Her manner of speaking was exquisite as she greeted me, "Hello, ma'am! How may I help you?"
I explained the situation to her, and hastily dialed Carl's number on my cell phone before passing it over to her. "Okay! Don't worry sir. I'll give her the keys, thanks," she said reassuringly.
Handing the phone back to me, she handed me the keys and said, "Here ma'am, he wanted to talk to you." I took my phone back and held it up to my ear.
"What great timing! I was about to call you too. The duplicate thing just hit my mind moments ago. Anyhow, you just now go up and chill. I'll be back soon," Carl said on the other end of the line. I was a hundred and ten percent sure that he wasn't even thinking of calling me to ask me to grab the duplicate keys from the counter.
"Okay!" I huffed, hanging up the call. "Here's your keys, ma'am!" the girl said as she slid the keys my way.
I grabbed the keys from the brown marble counter and turned around, marching towards the lift. Pressing the numeric eight on the keypad, the yellow light bulb illuminated.
As I stepped into the lift, I could hear the hustle and bustle of the small cafeteria located just beside it. The room was decorated with brown chairs and tiny round tables, with walls adorned with funky posters, paintings, and other miscellaneous items. One wall had a window, while the other was covered in shelves laden with books. It was a nice place to relax in the evening and have a good read, but the great clutters of spoons against dishes and the noise of people gossiping detracted from the ambiance.
The sound of a pinging resonated throughout the corridor as the lift doors split open. The glass walls of the elevator reflected a tired, goofy version of myself, making me let out a disgusted sigh.
The doors closed as soon as I boarded, and opened again upon reaching my destination. Stepping out, I clutched my bag and made my way straight towards the dead end of the corridor, which was drenched in semi-darkness and illuminated by the yellow light streaming down from the bulbs hanging from the roof.
With each step, my heart skipped a beat, then two, then three, until it drowned within my own pool of fear, sliding down to my feet, drooling out onto the floor, and spreading like a liquid as my feet slipped on the polished marble surface of the corridor. The earth shook terribly beneath my feet, and my frame began to dodge like a paper flapping in the wind.
Finally, the tremors subsided, as if someone had snatched the floor underneath my feet, and I covered the distance without even taking a step. Beads of sweat glimmered all over my face, highlighted further by the yellow light, as I wiped my forehead and cast them off.
Clearing my throat, I said, "Ehm." But there was no response.
With frustration mounting inside me, I tossed my bag onto the ground and pounded my hand against the door, hoping it would somehow magically open without the need for keys. Alas, the reality of the situation hit me hard - there was no way I could unlock the door with the keys I had left behind.