Gambling

Clarisse and Hector were really trying to relax on their cruise ship. Two weeks to Spain in an all-inclusive transatlantic cruiser, all sponsored by their children. They wanted them to “properly act like a retired couple”. Out of risks and out of problems.

After being a firefighter for thirty years, nothing really excited Hector like his old job did. The heat, the smoke, and the risk of every flame touching his being was unlike anything for him. Gambling money in the casino seemed so pointless compared to that. So far, the monotone blue of the sea had bored him. He was willing to participate in the passenger activities, but they were as dull as the people on this prison ship.

Clarisse, on the other hand, had finished learning all the gossip of the ship. She had learned from her father, a former cop, how to investigate, interrogate, and infiltrate, and by the third day, she had already memorized the names of more than a hundred employees with her incredible memory. Just like her husband, nothing really intrigued her. A couple of swinger couples, college kids trying to get lucky, annoying kids howling like wild animals, and many foreigners who didn’t speak a lick of English. They were bored.

On the seventh day at sea, after an all-you-can-eat buffet, they retreated to their room. Privacy was more comfortable for them than pretending to socialize. They descended from the stairwell near the elevators and passed next to the deluxe rooms. Some of them were open because of the working staff, and they glimpsed inside; they were not that different from their room. Their kids were smart not to overspend on useless amenities; they smiled proudly at the thought.

Once in their room, they try to practice the so-called “relaxation”. They took naps in turns, they read books, and watched funny cat videos on their phones. All so very…

SLAM! The wall shook from the room next door. The neighbor sounded like he was thrashing their room around. Glass crashed on the ground, and some furniture was being broken.

At least someone is having a good time in here –said old Hector.

Clarisse smirked at the remark and began putting more attention to the other room out of morbid curiosity. A window crashed open, and she heard a gasping noise of someone being choked. She stood up. That was no naughty time from a swinger couple.

Hector. –She called.

When she turned, he was already standing up. They crossed their eyes, and their gazes glimmered in excitement. They heard a door closing next, followed by some hurried steps down the hallway. They waited exactly twenty-five seconds before rushing out of their room while pretending normalcy.

Hector began searching in the hallway, making sure it was safe. Meanwhile, Clarisse inspected the door. It was battered but closed shut. She couldn’t smell anything unusual, but she could feel that there was a struggle or a fight inside the room. She looked down at the carpet, a small droplet of blood staining the floor confirmed her suspicion.

Honey –she signaled the door. –How do you open hotel doors?

Hector rushed back to her. – What? –he replied.

How do you open them? You did this for thirty-something years, you should know. –She said with frustration.

Don’t get snappy with me –he countered – These are cruise ship doors, they are thicker for a reason, let me see.

He gently grabbed her by the waist and moved her aside like he always did. He bent down to see the lock better, thinking how to decipher it. Clarisse anxiously tapped the floor with her shoes.

Stop it with that noise, I need to think. –he barked softly at her.

Ohhh, I’m sorry for being anxious about a potential… –she stopped and whispered – …crime scene.

You don’t know that. –her husband said dismissively.

Hector tried prying open the door with his room card, but it was too thick to enter between the crevices. He took another look at the door handle, and he noticed how it was slightly crooked. He shook it twice to confirm what he already knew. It was loose, probably broken.

Ok, this is what I’m going to do –he began commanding. –I’m going to kick down the door to see if there is anyone hurt inside. Make sure no one is looking around.

What? Hector don’t. –She tried to stop her husband. –This is not the way. And why are you smiling like that?

Hector took two steps back and prepared his kick; his heart raced like when he rescued that child twenty-five years ago. Clarisse saw his dumb concentration face and turned around to find another solution.

I’m going to find someone from room service –she said.

Hector rushed and kicked the door like he was trained to do. One kick, two kicks, three kicks, four… He ran out of air before the fifth one, and on the sixth kick, he barely managed to lift his leg. Age was catching up with him. He leaned on the hallway door and concluded that he must ram the door with all of his body, a risky maneuver. He took a deep breath, and as he prepared for his charge, the voice of his wife stopped him.

Bayani!! –She called. –Ohh, so good to see you! How’s your day?

Hector awkwardly stopped his motion. He tried to lean nonchalantly on the wall again.

His wife appeared again with a young man of tan skin. He was short of stature, but lean and athletic. He had each ear pierced and wore small black earrings in each. On his arms, he had traditional tattoos of unknown meanings for Hector. The old firefighter disliked piercings; they were hazards in an emergency, but tattoos he could accept for a young man. He bore a joyous smile while talking with his wife with enthusiasm. Hector thought it was just the façade of politeness expected from a cruise employee.

I just finished talking with my wife, Ms. Clarisse. –he spoke with a heavy Malay accent. –I told her to try your pie recipe, but we’ll add some different fruits to it.

Please let me know if she likes it. –She replied with all her charisma. –I shouldn’t say this, but I can’t wait to return home and try some of your recipes. I’ve always loved Asian cuisine.

Out of all the employees she had met so far, Bayani was her favorite. He was always smiling, and they had been sharing many stories of their travels. He had two kids back at home, and his father was a religious leader in his community. He seemed like the perfect worker, but she had clued in that he had a bit of a wild streak. Just what she wanted for a possible accomplice.

Hope we’re not bothering you, but we need your help – Clarisse changed the subject. –My husband here lost one of his flip flops on the balcony of the next room. We can’t get to it. Do you mind opening the door for us?

As she finished speaking, they arrived where Hector was standing and Bayani looked at the man. His face was not very friendly, but he was not intimidated by his demeanor.

Ohh you are the fire man! –he smiled –Your wife says you are a hero.

He extended his hand to greet him. Hector stood for a moment, but his wife’s scolding face forced him to shake the hand of the young man.

Only some of the time –he replied. –Could you please open this door?

Bayani stood in front of the door. He checked his phone in case there was a message from his coworkers, and then took out the master key. He looked at the door and saw the pineapple stickers plastered all over it. Apparently, he didn’t notice the damage on the door.

These are the fun type neighbors, right? –He said with a cheeky smile

Hector’s frown softened at the comment while Clarisse just nodded, hiding her impatience. After entering the card, the door clicked and Bayani struggled to open it. The wind from the outside pushed the door shut, making it difficult to open it. Hector quickly moved in to help the young man, and the three of them entered the room before letting the wind close the door.

The room was lit only by the light coming from the window. It was noon, the bright blue from the sky and the sea shone inside the walls of the room. It was a luxurious room, fitted with the best amenities you could have at sea.

Sadly, against Clarisse’s wishes, there was not a dead body on the floor or the beds, but there were signs that a fight had taken place.

Besides the broken window glass everywhere, the beds were disarranged and turned over. The bathroom mirror was broken, with some large pieces missing. Furniture was open with the drawers scattered randomly across the room, and the small fancy chandelier was bent and barely hanging on by a cable thread. The room reeked of broken bottles of perfume.

Bayani muttered something in his language while he looked with shock at the room. He walked around with his hands raised in confusion. Clarisse pretended like nothing was going on.

Oh, honey, search the balcony if your flip-flop is there. –she said.

Sure… –her husband replied.

Hector walked slowly to the balcony, he inspected every corner of the room as he walked by. The mist hit his face violently as he stepped outside. It was slippery, and he grabbed the railing to secure himself; his knees were not as strong as before. He began searching for his flip-flop until he remembered he hadn’t lost any. He twisted his eyes in annoyance and wiped his face from the mist.

His hand was red. He turned to the railing and noticed that a bloody trail was being washed away by mist and wind. He returned inside.

Inside the room, Clarisse tried to distract Bayani. She talked about how cozy the ship was and other inconsequential themes to postpone Bayani’s call to his superiors. Bayani absentmindedly replied to her while still in shock at the scene.

Clarisse, meanwhile, was piecing together everything that had happened inside the room. Whoever was here was looking for something. The disarranged furniture and the empty safe confirmed this.

“But why was there a struggle?” – she pondered.

The missing parts of the mirror suggested they were used as makeshift weapons, and small droplets of blood trailed around the room towards the balcony. She kept making conversation while inspecting a nearby painting that was left untouched.

Oh, these rooms have such wonderful paintings –she lied. –Do you know by any chance where the ship gets them from?

Bayani had moved to the room closet, the shelves were broken, and behind the damaged door, he saw something alarming. A full set of navy uniforms that the navigating staff would use. He didn’t reply to Clarisse.

Maybe next time we’ll get one of these rooms, they are so much more spacious than ours. Right honey. –She kept trying to distract Bayani.

Clarisse moved the painting out of curiosity, and something fell down from it. A USB tied to a golden poker chip. On it said “PR$I9”. She kneeled down to grab it.

Hector entered the room with bloody hands, Bayani returned with the stolen uniforms in hand, and Clarisse held in hand the key to the mystery of the cruise ship. They looked at their items, exchanged looks and smiles between them. Maybe the cruise won’t be boring for long.

The End.