Loss of Faith
You can’t deny her beauty, no, but you don’t enjoy it.
This is a collaborative choose your own adventure story. Click here for the chapter guide. Go back to chapter 1 by Linden Schneider here. Return to the previous chapter here.
The Vacation Roulette organizer, Sandra, might want to kill you.
But you’ll play along for now. Your partner is more enthusiastic.
Sandra smiles with dimples on display, and she chatters like a hummingbird. With a bubbly haste, she shows you to the limo that will take you to the hotel. The woman makes conversation with the driver, entertaining and charming him with her beauty.
You can’t deny her beauty, no, but you don’t enjoy it. You stare out the window to see if you can find anything ominous. Meanwhile, your partner has plugged in their headphones, listening to some music and happily ignoring you.
So much for a loving partner.
Before long, you arrive at the hotel. Sure, it’s pretty, looking more 5-star than 4-star, in fact. But you sniff the air with mistrust. Sandra waves at the smitten driver before he reluctantly drives away. Then she sends a flirtatious wink to your partner. “Oh, you must be hungry,” she murmurs.
You want to puke.
She goes on, “Here are some all-you-can-eat vouchers for the hotel buffet. As a gift for traveling with us at Vacation Roulette.”
Your partner retrieves the coupons from her, their fingers brushing Sandra’s. “Sweet!” they remark with a grin.
You look away with distaste.
But Sandra calls your name. “Are you all right?” She even tilts her head a little, with a half-smile.
The smile you give her is even more half-hearted. “Nothing’s the matter. I’m going to eat.” You stalk towards the crowded hotel buffet.
Your partner quickly catches up to you. They holler above the noise, “What was that all about? Why are you being such a dick?”
You can’t resist giving them the finger, to which your partner bristles. But you shrug and push through the doors. Soon, you slip into a booth, and your partner sits warily across from you. You both sit in stony silence until your partner says, “Sandra told me that our wake-up call will be at 7 am tomorrow.” They pause. “Why don’t you grab something to eat while I watch our bags?”
You glare at your partner, with their smooth, clear skin. Just like Sandra’s perfect skin, you think with anger. In a low voice, you say, “Don’t forget what the mysterious texter told us.”
But they roll their eyes. “Don’t pay attention to those juvenile scams.” And they swat at you to go.
You fume, but you get up, not too pleased to stay with them anyway. As you tread through the buffet, scooping up noodles and lettuce onto your plate, someone bumps into you. A dollop of noodles and all your lettuce slides to the ground.
The person who bumped into you backs off, shrieking, “I’m sorry!”
She is a beautiful woman with burnished silver hair, and a sweet but melancholy face. You want to hug her.
But instead, you brighten up and chatter, “Hi, I’m here to travel with Vacation Roulette. Are you here on their vacation too?”
You only meant to be friendly, and in your loneliness, you yearn to connect with someone who is not your partner. But the woman gasps, then she leans forward to whisper in your ear, “Please, come with me. I want to speak to you in private.”
