"So you're saying that you'll find him?" Tiffany repeated my words and i nodded for my answer.
Chitter-chatters of the people in the café towered as we silently stare at eachother, i called her and told her what i was going to do. Atleast she'll have any idea where i was and what i was doing.
"Alone?" She asked.
"Yes, why would i bring someone?" I replied.
I couldn't describe what expression she was making, she looked at Ezra's book and looked back at me trying to read my mind if i was really serious on what i just said to her.
"Come on, Ali! Your first destination is Lumsberg's Plateau!?" She exclaimed.
"What's wrong? It's not like i would be alone there, there's a hotel there for pete's sake Tif." I replied to her trying to convince her, i just sighed the moment i realized her opinion isn't gonna change at this point. "Fine, i'll just go with or without your approval Tiffany." I uttered and stood up.
I was surprised when Tiffany also stood up the same time as me, she looked at me straight in the eyes. I don't know what's going on inside her head but it seems like she was trying to find words from her vocabulary.
"Alright." She finally uttered after moments of silence. "But in one condition..." And then followed. "...i'll come with you."
In the end she won, i don't really have the energy to argue with her because in the end she'll try to use my words against me. She's cunning i can say that, but that's what makes her special, she didn't become my bestfriend because of nothing.
We agreed to meet at a certain convience store. Three days passed since our agreement, i was standing on the sidewalk when i saw a car's headlight focusing on me, and i was surprised that it was Tiffany. She said that it was her uncle's, she stole it.
We were bringing big bags with us, inside were clothes and necessities of our everyday life, we weren't just be gone for a day but longer, longer than we've been away from our homes because there were fourty-five pages on Ezra's book, meaning that every page has their very own location which made it impossible for me to think of the bright side, how can Ezra travel so many places?
"Are you sure about not bringing our mobile phones?" Tiffany worriedly asked.
I was currently reading the map of the whole town, and currently hitting the road with Tiffany driving and me as the navigator. I turned to her and fetch my extra phone from my pocket.
"Where did you get that?" She confusedly asked when she glanced at the mobile phone.
"Just an old phone.. They won't know that i'm currently using this." I replied and returned the phone from my pocket because i was still not done reading the map.
"Lumsberg is big.." Tiffany uttered still focusing on the road.
"You're just saying that because we're finding someone." I said to her.
After that, we were silent the whole ride. As i was reading Ezra's book, i noticed some of what he wrote on it was the specific details of the road that leads to the plateau.. Did he come here without me knowing? Or he just didn't tell me?
Behind the light you'll find a frightening sight, overcome it and you'll see the message that's written in white.
That was the end of the chapter.. I'm confused, is this some kind of riddle or something? I didn't know that Ezra likes to pull every people's curiousity string.
Two hours of driving, we finally arrived at the Plateau, we had to climb the stairs, it was more than a hundred steps! It was tiring and we had to rest in the middle, but in the end we arrived at exactly 6:40 PM, my mouth was gaping while i scan the whole place.
"Name, Ma'am?" Someone suddenly popped up infront of us leading for Tiffany to hide behind my back.
"Allison Watson... And this, this is Tiffany Taylor." I stated, even though i don't have any idea why we should state our names before entering the plateau intirely.
"I'm Hotler Benz, nice to meet you." I could see how the man's face lit up when he stated his name. "Come with me." He says and began to walk towards the hotel that was on the middle of the plateau.
Moments after we were at the receptionist, i couldn't hear what Hotler was talking to the receptionist because we were told to wait three meters away.. But judging from the receptionist's reaction and them keep glancing at us, i think Hotler is telling her something what they've been waiting for, but what is it?
I pretended to prep my hair when Hotler returned, i didn't want him to know that i was observing him, he'll maybe consider it as 'rude behavior'. I don't want that. After moments of talk, Hotler finally led us to our room. We are just staying for the night so that we'll just have one day to find this message Ezra wrote on his book, he may have left some clues there so that we could just skip other places and go straight to where he is... But knowing Ezra, it seems like it's only a clue, maybe the message will be talking about the next destination..
"What's with the long sigh? I thought you'll be less sadder when you're here?" Tiffany suddenly asked.
She was blow drying her hair because she just got out of shower, facing the mirror while drying her hair, continuously glancing at me waiting for my reply.
I opened Ezra's book and replied to Tifanny. "You think this place will ease my sadness? There's a whole lot of other place we're gonna go to, and they won't be any of help." And then i walked closer to Tiffany showing her Ezra's book. "Behind the light you'll find a frightening sight, overcome it and you'll see the message that's written in white.... What does this mean?" I asked her.
"Well, it's clearly a riddle." She replied and turned off the hair dryer for better communication and then she added. "I think that riddle is talking about a place where light is absent? Like.. Dark places."
"Then, does this place have any place that doesn't have any light?" I asked her, though i doubt she could even answer me with full assurance.
"We'll figure that out tommorow, let's just eat dinner, okay?" Tiffany said and stood up because she was done preping herself. "It's your turn to prep yourself, you won't know if Ezra is jusf here watching us. You don't want to look so hagard." She teasingly added and exited our room, she was going to the hotel's restaurant which we already agreed on going.
I just sighed and sat on the chair Tiffany was sitting on just now, looking at my reflection i looked straight into my eyes. My eyes looked so tired though it didn't show any dark circles, but my eyes really screams tiredness.... Breathing out heavily, i watched my black hair as i began to brush it so that i could braid it all and turn it into a bun. My signature hairstyle.
When i was done, i quickly changed and went to the said restaurant though i always ask every hotel employee where it was, this plateau had three buildings on it, i'm surprised that it didn't collapse! I arrived at the restaurant panting, i looked around scanning for Tiffany when i entered, my eyes lit up when i saw Tiffany's hands waving to get my attention set to her.
I swiftly approached her table but didn't settle down, my eyes caught Hotler smiling at me as wide as he can, waving his hands.
"You wouldn't mind if i join the two of you, right?" He casually asked me not breaking his smile.
I shaked my head. "I won't mind," I replied and sat next to Tiffany. "But aren't you working for the hotel? Is it okay if you laze around?" I asked him.
"Your words hurt," He acted like he was hurt and the followed. "But you're not intirely right, i can work whenever i want."
I gave him questioning looks, what does he mean by that? Is he the owner to this place or what?
"I'll tell you later, but now, i think we should enjoy the hotel's foods." He said, and together with his last words, two waiters placed every course meals on our table making my mouth gape.
Even Tiffany was shocked because of how many the food they're placing on our table, we were looking at Hotler with confused looks trying to ask why is there so many food. And they all look so expensive, we can't afford this! We might as well lose all our money before we could go to the next destination!
"Haha.. Don't worry, it's all on me." Hotler laughed.
"You could have said that sooner, i thought i was gonna have a hearr attack!" Tiffany exclaimed while placing her right hand on her chest trying to calm herself.
Hotler just laughed and told us to enjoy the food which we really enjoyed, we can't waste such delicious food!
After that, we found ourselves talking about how life have been, talking like we were some kind of old friends that were separated for five years. And moments after, we were inside our room laying on our separate beds.
"That was fun.." I heared Tiffany said. "But it's time for us to sleep." She again says and put herself on a comfortable position before she could drift off.
I stared at the ceiling, i can only see some part of the room due to only having a lamp as a source of light. We turned off all the ceiling lights so that we could sleep in peace, it's better to sleep in the dark than in the light.
"You should go to sleep too, Ali..." Tiffany followed sounding so sleepy.
She's right.. I should go to sleep, it's already so late. I still need to have enough rest so that we can find that letter Ezra mentioned on his book and so that we can hit off to the next destination.