Finding Her Synn ft. Brooke Blakely Part 1

[synn]

The purple Cadillac CT5 rolled into the parking lot of the Siesta Motel in Marathon, FL. The dirt and pebble covered lot caused the tires to crunch with every rotation, kicking up dust as the tires rolled to a stop. There weren’t any designated parking spots, just a big open lot that led to a cracked walkway heading towards the sky blue doors outside of each unit. Brooke was a bit taken aback as she looked through her heavily tinted windshield. She thought the Keys were supposed to be nice?

Her 7 digit vehicle seemed so out of place amongst the others. Hubcaps galore and paint chipping, windows cracked and cloudy. Old Florida plates with the letters barely visible, as if the driver had been here for some time.

Oh god, do people live here?

She cuts the music and opens the door, a black heel at the bottom of a perfectly toned leg–showing just enough skin through the slit of her matching black sundress–-touches down on the dirt below her. “Of all the places in the keys, she would be here.” She checks the napkin she wrote the address down on to make sure it was correct. For such a public figure like an OCW superstar, she sure was hard to track down. Something told Brooke that that is how she wanted it.

There was a soft electric hum coming from the sign that Brooke assumed didn’t fully light up, and a sign below it that said “Cable TV”. They actually had to advertise cable TV? Below that was a sign in cursive reading "The Cleanest Rooms in Paradise." Brooke shivered. If they had to advertise that, it means that at one point they weren't--and probably still aren't--and they are trying to save face.

A stench filled the air but it wasn't unpleasant or pleasant it was just kind of there. Ocean breeze mixed with what she assumed was uncollected dumpster fodder on yet another hot Florida day. One balances the other. Yin and Yang. Brooke walked up to the door that matched the room number that she had acquired. SYNN was virtually unreachable outside of the arena, but Brooke had never been one to give up when she wanted something. She said the numbers quietly to herself as she passed each room--"One, Three, Five, Seven.....". Synn's room was at the end, of course. She was already starting to sweat, but it wasn't just from the heat. As she passed a couple of the rooms she noticed a few of the blinds move out of the corner of her eye. She could almost taste the cigarette smoke and BO. The type of people that frequent these places are the reason she carried a small canister of mace in her Victoria's Secret bra. Finding the room and inhaling deeply, she rapped lightly at the door with her freshly manicured hand. She instantly sanitized it with a small travel size bottle of hand sanitizer.

She stood for what felt like a calendar year but in reality was only about a minute. “Please don’t make me knock again,” she said quietly. One of the doors opened a few units down. She could hear the TV from inside as well as hacking from what was clearly an oversized and most likely unwashed male. The breeze blew again, rippling her dress a little, as she saw a bare foot and leg begin to stick out from the open door. This was followed by what looked like swim trunks that were stained with mayonnaise (god she hoped it was mayonnaise), and a dirty wife beater. The–yes she was right–overweight male was smoking a cigarette and looked as though he hadn’t showered in weeks. He turned his head and looked at her with a tan-toothed smile.

“Come on……” she said quietly but urgently, knocking again. Where the hell was she? Was she in the right place? Was she going to have to mace this dude?

An emaciated stray cat wandered by. The man rasped “you lost, sweetness?” He was looking her up and down and making no attempt to be subtle.

“No. I am waiting for my friend. She is staying here.”

He produced a flem-laden laugh. “Sugar ain’t nobody in there.”

“I am pretty sure she’s in there, this is where I was told she would be.”

He laughed again. She was certain she saw something fly out of his mouth.

“I’ve never seen anyone go in or out of there.”

She smiled awkwardly. “Thanks, but, I’m gonna find out for myself.”

The man seemed to be put off that he was spurned by the way-too-hot-to-be-there blonde. He flicked his cigarette and took a step towards where she was. Her hand traveled to her chest, she was ready. With her other hand, she frantically brought it to the door. Just as she was about to make contact with a desperate knock, it creaked open. Juniper Leavitt was inside, indeed. Brooke had never seen her without her SYNN facepaint. She almost fell inside the door, but made it in, leaning on a table in the corner as she tried to control her breathing and her heartbeat. Juniper closed the door, sliding the chain into the hole and locking it from the knob.

“Why…..” Brooke said through deep breaths, “didn’t you answer the door?!”

Juniper looked at her but when Brooke made eye contact she could tell it wasn’t her. The demon had taken over.

“Were you scared?” she slithered out the words.

“YES!”

“Good.”