The Stranger

I am so excited.

Three weeks on Saint Martin Island, no work and no responsibilities. 

I start packing my bright turquoise suitcase with everything I could ever need. The next morning my alarm went off at 4:30 am, so I had enough time to get to the airport. As I was on the freeway the sun rose above the mountains as vibrant orange and pink started to cover the sky. 

I arrived at the airport, grabbed a breakfast burrito and ran to my flight. I quickly got checked in, boarded, and sat down in my seat. A sweet old woman was seated next to me, quietly knitting. The ocean blue quickly surrounded my view down as the engine hummed as my eyes got heavier and soon I was asleep.

***

“For your safety and comfort, please remain seated with your seat belt fastened until the Captain turns off the Fasten Seat Belt sign.” The Flight Attendant announced. 

We hit the ground harshly. My eyes opened, startled. I looked around the plane, most people were gathering their belongings and the sweet old lady was still knitting. 

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Princess Juliana International Airport. Local time is 4:30 and the temperature is 78 degrees.” The flight attendant said happily as we slowed to a stop. I got my luggage and walked down the ramp excitedly, almost skipping with a huge smile on my face. I walked toward the exit and got in a cab to go to my hotel. When I arrived, and walked through the glass doors onto the vividly green carpet that led up to the front desk. 

“Welcome to The Belmond Hotel, St Martin!” The front desk lady said with excitement. “Do you have a reservation?” She asked.

 “Yes, for Selena Garcia, I made the reservation online. For room 202?” I said. 

“Okie Dokey let me just look that up real quick, hun!” as she smacked her gum and typed fast. 

I waited. For what seemed like forever.

She finally looked back up at me with a smile “Were you expecting to stay with someone else? Someone seems to already have checked into that room and is expecting you!” She said, still smacking her gum.

“Um, uh. Wh..What?” I stammered.

“I wasn’t planning on staying with anyone” I said nervously

“Oh well we'll just book you another room, hun. No worries!”

But I was worried. I had booked that room with a huge deal; the others were probably way above my price range. Who would book my room. I thought to myself

“Okay we're all set for room 487! But it’ll come to around 1,117!” She said as she leaned back in her chair.

“I..I can’t pay for that. I’m so sorry.” I felt horrible. She probably thought I was so cheap. 

“No worries, hun. Unfortunately you will have to stay in the room already booked to you or switch hotels. Sorry for the inconvenience” She stated.

“But… Wait but that’s the room someone’s staying in already.” I tried to sound calm

“I know and I apologize for that! They said they were expecting you though! Do you want me to put your bags up there?” As she reached out to hand me the key card.

“Yes” I grabbed the key card. “Thanks.”

“No problem! Have an amazing stay. To get to your room just go to the elevator and push floor two and from there go to your left!”

“Alright, thanks again” I said with a little hesitation.

I walked towards the golden elevator, it glimmered as the sun hit it. I walked in, pressed the floor two button and the doors closed. The lobby was now gone and it was just me; and the sickening thought of staying with someone I didn’t know.

***

*Ding!* the elevator chimed. I looked down as I walked out, seeing the crazy patterned carpet in the long hallway. I looked back up and started walking to the left, just as she had said. “Room 202” I said to myself as I stood right in front of the baby blue door. My key card was in my hand, and I started reaching for the door. Then hesitated. Why do I feel so eerie? Just do it already! I thought to myself. 

I inserted my key card into the door. The door creaked as I opened it. It also creaked shutting behind me. *Click Click*

I did it. It was just me though. No one else. I looked around, clean white tile on the ground. It made a clicking sound as I walked. The two beds were made neatly, baby blue covers with yellow and green accent pillows. The walls were yellow and there was a door leading to an amazing balcony. I walked out onto the balcony as the ocean breeze hit my face. My long brown hair swirling in the wind. It was so peaceful. I had no idea why I was so worried.

*Click Click* 

The door!? My peaceful moment ended. I was panicked. I turned around quickly and leaned up against the balcony rails. My breath getting heavy and my heart pounding. 

The sweet old woman from the plane? Why was I so worried? I chuckled. I walked towards her. 

“Hey! We sat next to each other on the plane!” I smiled and reached out to shake her hand.

She said nothing. 

She reached out her hand and took mine with force. 

I was startled. I didn’t expect her to be so harsh.

Still gripping my hand she grunted. My face grew with worry. 

Finally she let go of my hand. I was relieved. 

“Well I am going to go check out the beach!” My voice breaking with confusion.

Again, nothing.

***

The sunset, orange and pink like the morning before, spread across the horizon. Waves crashing against the shore and the breeze rustling the leaves of the palm trees.

I walked along the water line as I carried my sandals, trying to outrun the waves like I did as a kid.

I fell, I started laughing as I got up and the water came and washed all my footprints away. 

It was getting darker now, and I was hungry. I should probably get back to the hotel. But I didn’t want to go back to the hotel, I didn’t want to stay with anyone, stay with that woman. I didn’t want to walk through the lobby and pretend to smile walking past the front desk lady. I just wanted to have my own room. But as the sky grew darker, I knew I needed to get back to the hotel.

When I arrived, I was greeted by the front desk lady and walked to the elevator, pressed floor two and sighed loudly as the elevator door closed.

I walked through the hallway, still carrying my sandals, feeling the carpet on my feet. I inserted my key card, wincing at the thought she’d be sitting there waiting for me. I open the door, only to see she wasn’t there. I was beyond relieved. *Click Click” the door closed behind me. I set my sandals down on the white tile, little bits of sand falling on the floor beside them.

I go into the bathroom and turn on the shower, I go to my suitcase and get my red pink plaid pajama set my grandma made for me last year. I get into the shower, closing my eyes and feeling the water hit my sunburn at the back of my neck. 

*Click Click* 

“Oh no” I whispered.

I quickly got out of the shower, the condensation blurring the glass. I dried myself off and got into my pajamas, and opened the bathroom door. 

She was right there, inches away from me, like she was spying on me. I jumped. 

“What are you doing?” I yelled

“Just watching and listening dear” she said quietly and innocently.

I was shook, I wanted to scream. I wanted to run down to the lobby and tell the front desk lady she was crazy for making me stay with this insane woman. 

But I couldn’t do that, I had nowhere else to go. I was stuck… I was stuck with this creepy lady I didn’t even know. 

I went to my bed, I was scared and angry. I wish I could be anywhere but here. The lady walked back from the bathroom door and went to her suitcase. It was magenta with stickers of a bunch of random things and her suitcase had a little lock on it. She bent down to her suitcase and pulled a tiny key out of her pocket and unlocked it. She didn’t open it right away, before she did she looked up at me, staring up at me with her icy blue eyes, never blinking. She finally looked back down at her suitcase, still hesitating to open it. I got curious, why didn’t she just open it? She finally opened it, I sat up taller trying to see what was in it, but she turned it away from me and pulled out her knitting that she was doing earlier on the plane. I sighed quietly in relief. She must have heard me because she stared at me again. This time it felt colder, like she was freezing me. But that’s silly, isn’t it? 

She looked back down at her knitting and started humming. Maybe she was just a sweet old woman? I thought to myself. Maybe I’m totally overestimating her to be this scary person. But something just seemed off about her, she was never quite “there”. 

I pulled my covers up over me and turned to the side, I faced the balcony, it was peaceful to see the palm trees swaying in the breeze. I was tired, and hungry. I hadn’t had dinner but it didn’t seem to matter. You know that feeling when you feel someone’s watching you? Well I felt it, but I didn’t think anything of it. I just had to accept she was a weird old woman that stares at people. I turned back, facing where she was sitting. Gone. There seemed to be no one in the room with me anymore, but I knew she was because the door didn’t click shut. I was panicked. I sat up in my bed against the headboard. 

“Hello?” I managed to get out.

Nothing responded, only the birds chirping as they settled in for the night. I started to get shivers all the way down my spine. I reached down for my suitcase, so maybe I could call someone. Just as I touched my turquoise suitcase a hand clenched my wrist. I let out a blood curdling scream. I pulled and fought and whimpered trying to get out of her grasp. 

“Please” I screamed 

“Please just let go” I whispered

Still clenching my wrist she crawled out from under the bed, she soon stood tall above me and her hair was messily out of her neat bun she had earlier. She rose both her hands up above her head, forcing me to stand up on the bed. I saw she had both green shiny knitting needles pointed at me.

“Don’t” I pleaded.`

“What did I ever do?!” I screamed

She didn’t answer, just kept staring at me, her eyes always on mine. Her grip around my wrist getting tighter each second. 

Even though I was scared I kicked her stomach hoping she’d loosen her grasp so I could run out the door. It worked. I kicked her as hard as I could, she stopped her glare and let go of my wrist. I didn’t have much time so I ran faster than I ever had. 

I tried the door, the handle wouldn’t budge.

“No, come on, please” I whimpered.

She had started to walk over to the door.

I kept trying the door.

“Please, please” I shook the door handle.

I could see her getting closer and closer in my peripheral vision, her knitting needles high above her head. I got on my hands and knees and then I saw why the door wouldn’t open. I stood up and turned back around facing her. 

“You’re insane” I yelled, almost crying with fear. 

“Please, please just let me go.” 

Her keycard was broken in half in the slot, so the door wouldn’t budge. 

I stood right up against the door trying to get as far away from her as I could. She was about a foot away from me now and a grin had appeared on her face, still getting closer

“You don’t have to do this” I whimpered.

“Oh but I do have to do this, after all I was expecting you wasn’t I? She said as her grin turned into an icy smile.

I stood there, stunned, hopeless. 

She jabbed her knitting needles toward my neck, I blocked them with my hand. Two holes gushing with blood appeared on my hands. Her smile disappeared, she looked frustrated. I had hope. I kicked her again as she aimed for me again. She fell on her back and I went for my bed. I grabbed my sheets and blood still came pouring out my palms. I tied the sheets to the railing and shimmed down the sheets and jumped down to the ground. When i was safely on the ground I looked back up at the window and saw her staring down at me from the balcony.

I took off running towards the front of the hotel. I opened the glass door getting drops of blood on it and the bright green carpet. The front desk lady looked at me in horror. 

“Please” I said, completely out of breath.

Trembling and panting I managed to say “Please I need the first plane out of here?”

“Yes, uh sure.” She said any form of smile completely gone from her face.

“There’s one leaving in an hour, I”ll get you a cab”

As I sat down in one of the lobby chairs I heard her on the phone, I glanced at the elevator.

“Ding” It opened. The old woman. I panicked. She glanced at me, and smiled sweetly like she didn’t just try and kill me. She had her hair back neatly in a bun and looked just as she did on the plane earlier that day. I was confused. As she walked past me I felt a rush of cold go through my body. 

She left and walked straight as far as I could see.

***

A bright yellow cab arrived in front of the hotel. I walked out of the hotel without my suitcase and my hands still bleeding. Got intothe cab and went back home.

As I arrived back to my hometown, the sunrise rose above the mountains with pink and orange covering the sky.

I was so excited. One day on Saint Martin Island, and the biggest nightmare of my life.