Lottery 1
Shaniqua picked up the itinerary from Paradise Travels, Deluxe World Package One. She booked a flight to the United Kingdom. After she arrived she took a taxi to 1 High Street, Hampton Wick, England.
She entered into the pub and looked around at the quaint surroundings, then walked through the narrow hallway to the back. She smiled at the receptionist and booked the room next door to the room number the travel agency had provided.
Shaniqua was a little nervous, and had arrived a day before the couple would. She tried to ready herself mentally and emotionally for any situation she might have to encounter next. She went up to her room and sat on the bed thinking. Thinking of every outcome good and bad that would transpire from her confronting the lottery holders.
Lucy met up with her brother Steven on the plane just before it took off. New York had been wonderful since the two had split up. She saw her Broadway show and he saw his, whatever it was he did. She didn’t ask, she didn’t want to know. She glanced out the window of the plane as it began to take off. She watched the land til she could no longer see it through the cloud cover, and laid back. As she closed her eyes she thought about the fact that when she woke next, she would be in England. All the way across the ocean from where she was born.
Aston admired a statue of a tiger outside the hotel in Oslo, Norway. The busy people walking all around him made him feel normal. He glanced around at the skyscrapers that surrounded him. A large metal tower was to the right, it appeared to be covered with neon lights, though it was daytime and they were off. A clock was on top of the tower, the time was twelve past twelve. Time to check in.
Shaniqua sat outside the pub at the same time the flight was scheduled to land at the airport. She watched the public transport and taxis closely every time they neared. Mostly though, she drank in the surroundings. The accents of the people speaking coupled with the slang they used, it was as if they were speaking a completely different language at times. The fashion was different here too, she liked the style here better. They seemed more Mod than Hipster. Everyone had a slight touch of elegance, or class.
If this trip hadn’t taken such a bite out of her savings, she might have liked it more. To be able to come here and shop, pick out local clothes for her wardrobe and get a whole new style. She considered it as a work write off, after all she did have to be on camera. Though the studio would never write off on it. Shaniqua stopped thinking about it and focused more on the streets.
Lucy’s cab pulled up in front of the pub on 1 High Street. She got out and walked to the Reception entrance, the cab driver carried her luggage.
She walked into her nice spacious quiet room, and laid down on the soft large bed. She closed her eyes.
When Lucy opened her eyes again it was starting to get dark outside her window. She had slept the whole afternoon away. She pulled herself off the bed and walked down to the pub for a good stout English Pint and some wholesome hearty pub food.
Shaniqua looked at her watch, it was four in the afternoon already. The only person she had seen check in was a lone woman. Shaniqua felt frustrated, then betrayed as she thought maybe the travel agency didn’t share the correct information. She pulled out her phone and dialed the hospital to talk to Janet.
No one answered in Janet’s hospital room.
Shaniqua felt a cold chill and hung up. She went up to her room to freshen up for a bit, she would come back down and eat in the pub and see if she saw anything new then.
Shaniqua entered the pub and noticed the blonde woman who had checked in during the early afternoon.
It registered in her mind what Janet had said about the woman being blonde now. But where was her companion?
Shaniqua surveyed the pub quickly and noticed it was starting to get full, the perfect excuse to share a table.
She approached the woman, “May I join you? The pub is starting to get full and I..”
“Sure.” the woman didn’t let her finish.
Shaniqua sat down, smiled, and extended out her hand. “Hi, my name is Shaniqua Paston.”
The blonde woman took the hand, smiling. “I’m Lucy Stymes.”