Journey Of The Heart by ResaD
Chapter 1 by ResaD
CHAPTER 1
I glanced around the room, looking at the old furniture, the pictures framing the walls, and just about everything else.
“Is this what you would want?” I turned to the lady and raised an eyebrow.
“Just how old is this building?”
“Quite old Ms. Lambe. It was built around 1875.”
“Tombstone was just going than.”
“Yes.”
“Thanks Mrs. Johnson. I’ll call you back as soon as I talk to my friends.”
“Just wondering Ms. Lambe, just what are you going to turn this into?”
“I wish I could explain it to you Mrs. Johnson, but I can’t. Just another little shop.”
“Like Tombstone doesn’t have enough of those?”
“Oh, they do. But I know this will be unique.”
“So long as you don’t burn this place down.” I laughed but shook my head.
“No, would never dream of a thing like that. Thanks Mrs. Johnson.”
“You’re welcome hon.” I watched her leave and returned back to gazing at the small room. It was just a small hotel. A grand total of five rooms, but it housed the worst girls in the west. Outlaws? Not really. Just a wild bunch, the wildest of the Soiled Doves in Tombstone. Probably wondering what the Soiled Doves were right? Well, to put it bluntly, they were whores, yet these young five gals knew quite a few outlaws. And in a sense, I knew one of them. Let’s leave it at the fact that I’m a great, great, great grand-daughter of one of them. I walked into the back, where the kitchen was and rolled my eyes. Nothing was touched, dusted but that’s about it. They totally kept this in tact, yet why would they? The Wild Gals, that’s what they called themselves, weren’t known through out history, so why keep something so well in tact? The pervious owner died and when I found out about my family history, I had to buy it for myself. As for what I was planning on doing with it, why, telling the story of the Wild Gals. I was planning on making them well known. I jumped as I felt my cell phone vibrating against my leg. I took a deep breath and answered it.
“Theresa?”
“Hey Megan, what’s up?”
“Did you get the place?”
“Yeah.”
“And?”
“And it’s small.”
“Small?”
“Yes, just a small hotel. But still in tact and I can’t figure out why.”
“What do you mean?”
“Everything is still in place. Megan, I swear it’s like I stepped back into 1875, when this was built. Nothing has changed.”
“Someone kept it in good shape.”
“Yes, but why?” I left the kitchen and glanced up the stairs. I put my hand on the railing and put my foot down on the first step. I closed my eyes, feeling something brush my arm. I quickly opened my eyes and gazed around the room.
“Theresa?”
“What?”
“Have you heard anything I said?”
“Oh, I’m sorry Megan. Look, get the gang and meet me over here. Just walk in, you’ll see what I mean?”
“Where is it at?”
“Um, it’s more on the edge of town. Lovely little place. Bye girl.”
“Bye.” I hung up my phone and took a deep breath. I glanced around me once again and started climbing the stairs, hearing the creaking noises coming from the steps. I stopped on the landing and looked to the left, seeing two closed doors, the same thing as I glanced to the right. I sighed and figured I would head straight for the door in front of me. I put my hand on the knob and closed my eyes, leaning against the door. I heard a faint laughter, followed by a soft voice and quickly backed away from the room. My eyes opened wide and I gazed at the door, not hearing the front door open or the laughter coming from the group of girls.
“Theresa! Bitch, where are you?”
“Dude, I just talked to her.”
“Yes, but where is she? Resa?” I snapped myself together and hollered back that I was upstairs. I heard them coming up and smiled at them. “This is small.”
“You’re right Jennifer, but still it’s totally cool.”
“And you plan on living her for how long bitch?” I glared at Shannon but smiled.
“Just till I figure out about the Wild Gals.”
“You’re crazy.”
“And so are you Terri. You came, I didn’t twist your arm.” I shook my head and looked back at the door. “This is an awesome place.”
“If not a haunted place.” I rolled my eyes and looked at Megan.
“It’s not haunted. It’s just a hotel where they lived and did business.”
“God, did you have to mention that bit?”
“What’s wrong Jennifer?”
“I hate to think about the fact that I’m in a hotel that, well, can be called a whore house.” I laughed and shook my head.
“Sorry, you’re more than welcome to leave if you want.”
“No, it’s sick, but still quite awesome.”
“Terri, open the door.” Terri quickly turned around and glared at me.
“No way.” I rolled my eyes and shoved Megan. She glared just as well, but quickly grabbed the knob, hearing something and backed away, shaking her head.
“Oh God no.”
“Did you hear something?” Megan stared at the door and shook her head. “Let’s check the other rooms, we can come back to this one.” We all walked down to the first door on the left and Megan threw us a look and slowly opened it up. We slowly walked in, taking in the small wash bin by the small bed which laid by the wall across from the door. I stepped in and frowned, catching a faint smell, of what, I wasn’t certain, nor did I honestly want to know. Terri walked over to the dresser and pulled open a drawer, seeing a few pieces of paper and a few ink wells. I walked over to the closet and pulled it open seeing the dresses lying inside, all dusted and clean. I gently touched one, feeling the fine material against my fingers. Terri walked up behind me and gazed at the clothes, pulling one of them out and holding it up against her body.
“Well?”
“Very, um, 1880’s,” Shannon said, laughing a bit. Terri rolled her eyes and put it back.
“This is so cool. You know, we’re in a place that…”
“Most places in Tombstone are quite the same hon,” I said, looking out the window, seeing the vast desert. “It’s all real. Everything you remember reading, this is the truth. Those people stood in the same place, Lord only knows doing what.”
“Comfty bed.” All girls turned and stared at Terri. “What?”
“That bed was used…” Jennifer shivered and I laughed at her.
“I think after 100 a years, its fine,” Terri said, rolling her eyes. “Stop playing the innocent party girl.” Jennifer stuck her tongue out and moved to the door.
“Next one.” I caught the dresser in my site and opened the door again, puling out a piece of the paper.
“Terri, come here, please.” She walked over to me and looked over my shoulder, reading the writing, a love letter actually. To a Kevin? An outlaw at that. Her eyes scanned the rest, liking the handwriting, but gasping as she saw the name signed at the bottom. I rose an eyebrow at her. “The only name that appeared in the Wild Gals was Rachel. But this handwriting is yours Terri, I will vouch on that.”
“But that’s not my name.”
“We don’t know. Is it possible for us to become..”
“Shut up, it’s not possible; don’t even begin to think like that. Now, let’s go.” I put the paper back and followed her out of the room, closing the door behind us. I went into the next room, and saw Jennifer laughing as the dress looked so right on her. I shook my head, seeing the small bed by the window and the wash bin by the headboard. Terri saw the dresser and opened the top drawer, seeing the same thing, a love letter to an outlaw by the name of Brian and yet again, that was my friends handwriting, though another name. I rose my eyebrow at her, yet she refused to look at me.
“I want to see another room,” Shannon, leaving the room and running down the hall. I followed her and went to the farthest room to the right of the landing. She threw open the door and it was the same as the first room, except different dresses. Megan glanced at me and went to the dresser and opened the door. She pulled out a letter addressed to an Alex and handed it to me. I shook my head and turned around, running into Terri. She took the paper, glanced it and than at Shannon.
“Makes no fuckin’ sense.”
“It can,” I said, leaving the room and waiting for Megan to open the next door. She did and walked in, sucking a breath. She smiled as she danced around the room and I laughed at her. Like everyone else, she got a dress and held it against her body. I walked over to the dresser and pulled open the drawer, seeing all the same thing, except this one being addressed to a Nick. I sighed, handed the paper to Terri and she rolled her eyes.
“Next one,” Jennifer said, running out the room and to the door next door. She smiled and quickly put her hand on the knob, yet backing away a few seconds later. I felt someone brush my arm and stared at Megan, a smirk coming across my lips.
“What?”
“Nothing.” I shoved her and she ran into the door. She glared at me. “Chicken shit Resa.” I rose my eyebrow and she turned the knob, shoving aside the door. Our eyes took in the room, neither one of us stepping in it quite yet. It was slightly bigger than the others, yet still held the same things. The wash bin, the small bed, the dresser and a closet filled with clothes. I shoved my way through the crowd and walked into the middle of the room, my eyes taking in everything. I closed my eyes, trying to keep the room from spinning, yet it did no good. I sank to the floor, hearing the faint calls, yet my mind wasn’t registering anything.


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