Hotel at Innsmouth (2)

With some difficulty, on account of two overlapping Persian carpets, the bellboy wheeled the suitcase from the lift to her room at the end of corridor. He unlocked the door, and let her in.

The patchwork cover on the iron bed had been pulled back to reveal a lavender bag on the pillow. There was an old, wooden, standing cupboard and a wicker chair in the corner by window.

The bellboy coughed behind her.

O looked in her bag; she had nothing except a one-dollar bill.

Sorry, she said, handing over the bill, I don’t have anything else.

The bellboy smiled all the same as he went out.