King of Cups [Reversed]

A Flophouse-MORNING

I have been still stealing away nights and leaving gifts by Andrea’s door back at Our Rooming House. But she is gone. Totally gone. And the game is over. Now I sit in my seedy hotel room considering my next move. I repeatedly jab the pointed end of some complimentary plastic fruit through the complimentary hanging wall calendar and into the wall.

Now I am receiving presents by my hotel door. They are all suited to my personality. This morning it is a novelty pack of red licorice. The package tells of some serial killer who was traced by this type of candy left at a crime scene. Kitschy but off-putting too.

However, I have asked the Sailor to pick me and the other crew up here at the hotel mornings to travel into the Mountains for survey. It is more or less a central point in the City for everyone to meet at.

As we assemble in the lobby this morning waiting for Sailor Lou to turn up, I begin to tell the crew about the licorice and other gifts. After all, they are only folks who know I am here and one of them may be responsible. But, the clerk tells me I have a phone call, and I take it there at the front desk.

It is the Boss.

Of course, she is the other person who knows I am here.

“Status report?’ she barks over the line.

I am not ashamed, but probably should be, to say over the phone in front to the crew that “The project, crew, and everything is a disaster and I can’t wait for this project to be over.”

When I hang up, Iris steps forward.

“We’re a disaster?”

“For what you did to me, you are the most disastrous of all.”

“Don’t you know I have been leaving those gifts to make up for it? I like you.”

I am taken aback. “How was I supposed to know that? What signs did you show me other than almost getting me fired?”

“I gave you signs. Like that time you were drawing a map and you had a half-drawn arrow that I finished for you.”

“You drew half an arrow?! That was how you showed you liked me!”

“I drew it like a heart.”

“But you were clearly avoiding me.”

“It wasn’t you. I hate Sailor Lou. He’s so negative and petty.”

“Because he’s around you said nothing to me and I got in trouble?”

I am exasperated, though I had hoped for this moment; this is so annoying that I want to die. “Well, he’s not here now. So what do you say?”