“Wow. I have never heard you talking like that about any guy, not even Rick.”
“The moment he walked away it felt like my heart was ripped from my chest. I just wanted to run after him. It’s not logical right?”
“No, it is called being in love.”
Aurora burst out laughing and wiped the tears from her face. “Jeni, you cannot fall in love with one meeting.”
“Maybe not. But promise me. If you do happen to run into him in Cambodia that you will not shy away as with Rick and at least have some fun even if it leads nowhere.”
Aurora looked at the other travelers entering and exiting the restaurant, then at Jeni.
“Okay. I promise if we meet to have fun even if it leads nowhere. Now, shall we go get me checked in.”
Chapter 5: Blood Lust
Kuala Lumpur international airport, Malaysia
A sea of travelers passed Aurora without giving her a moment’s thought. She was just a number. All her accomplishments and status as a manager, suddenly meant nothing. Aurora moved to a wall and leaned with her back against it, then closed her eyes. Am I really ready to do this all on my own? Maybe I should go back and first see what happens at the hearing. Aurora took a deep breath. No. I am doing this on my own. Aurora composed herself, then made her way towards the nearest bathroom. After a fifteen-minute wait, a toilet opened and Aurora jumped inside the cubicle before anyone could take her place. Inside, Aurora shook her head. What is it about men that they can just walk into a bathroom and find no line waiting? She locked the door, and then hung her small backpack on the hook attached to the door. Aurora pulled off her T-shirt and smelled an armpit. Turning her nose up, she stripped down, then took out the wet wipes and had a Nasa Space Station bath. After a short layover, she had a two hours flight to Bangkok. Aurora took the fresh set of clothes from her backpack and then dressed. Satisfied that she can pass as a human, Aurora placed the stinky clothes in a plastic bag and then stuffed it into her backpack. After zipping the backpack up, Aurora looked around the toilet for toilet paper. She always placed toilet paper over the toilet rim in public toilets. Aurora’s brow furrowed.
“You got to be kidding me.” Aurora thought out load when she picked up a water hose with a nozzle on the end. Jeni had told her that toilet paper was not commonly used in Asia, but Aurora did not expect to be washing her bum so soon. Taking out one of the wet wipes, Aurora sanitized the toilet seat then sat down and let nature do its thing. A little bit lighter, Aurora shifted forward on the seat and then tried the water hose. Hot water shot out.
“Wow.” Aurora gasped, then adjusted the water spray to clear her bum. Standing up, Aurora looked at the water running down her legs. What now? How are you supposed to get your ass dry? Pulling out another wet wipe, she wiped most of the water off her legs and bum, then pulled her pants up. Shaking her head, she smiled. I am not even in Cambodia, and the fun has already started. With her flight being a connected flight bought as one ticket, her large backpack was automatically loaded for her onto the next flight, or so she hoped. Aurora did a bit of window shopping, then cleared security and found a coffee shop near her boarding gate that smelled inviting. Any coffee shop that sold Aurora’s delight got her approval.
Aurora slowly turned the cup around in her hands, then licking the last off hazelnut and chocolate topped Caffè latte from her lips. What am I going to do if I lose my job? Hell, what am I going to do if I have to work under Emily? All my life I pushed for the top to impress grandmother, yet she never was impressed with anything I accomplished. With her gone, why am I still so obsessed with reaching the top? For who am I doing it? I don’t even know what I want in life and what will make me happy. Aurora sighed and put the empty cup down, then stood and walked to her boarding gate. Maybe I will find the answers in Cambodia.
Suvarnabhumi, Bangkok international airport, Thailand
Dust and humidity hung thick in the air. Hooters beeped from all sides while scooters, tuk tuks and buses swarmed the streets. The smell of chicken, fish, sausages, and bread being roasted over open fires mixed with the smog of exhaust smoke. Aurora watched while travelers rushed past her to tuk tuks and cabs, all needing to be somewhere else other than the airport. So this is Bangkok. With a temporary visitor’s visa stamp in her passport, she was ready for the next leg of her journey, eight hours to Siem Reap in Cambodia.
“You want tuk tuk to hotel?” A local asked next to her, his scooter making a put put noise as it threatened to die. The carriage he pulled reminded Aurora of an old horse-drawn carriage, only this one was drawn by a noisy and smelly scooter.
“Yes, this hotel.” Aurora replied and showed him the name and address on her phone of the hotel Jeni book by accident.
“No no, no good hotel. I take you to better one.”
“No. I planned this hotel. Take me there.”
“Okay, your money.” The driver said and picked up her large backpack and put it on the floor of the tuk tuk. Aurora hopped in and took the back seat. The tuk tuk had two bench seats that could seat three people each, and faced inwards. Aurora fell back in her seat when the tuk tuk launched forward. She was about to laugh at his pull away, when fear chocked her. Nothing Jeni told her could prepare her for the swarm of cars, buses, motorcycles, bicycles, and tuk tuks that attacked them from all angles. It looked like she was in the middle of a beehive. Multiple times she fell forward and crashed into the seat in front when the driver had to make an emergency stop to avoid an accident. Twice she almost fell out of the tuk tuk when he swerved wildly out of the way of oncoming traffic, one being a bus.
“There you go.” The driver said when he brought the tuk tuk to a screeching halt. Aurora almost jumped out and kissed the ground, but froze when she saw the hotel.
“That? That is not a hotel. That is a dump.” Aurora exclaimed while her eyes took in the hotel that reflected her life and mood. It was a pit stop for the lonely and desperate.
“You want better?” The driver asked and jumped on his scooter.
“No. I am not staying, just getting a bus ticket to Siem Reap.”
The driver just shrugged and helped her take her bag off the tuk tuk. After paying him, Aurora slugged her bag inside the rundown reception area. A mixture of sweat, urine, vomit, and stale food made Aurora gag while her eyes adjusted to the dimly lit interior with its depressing dark stained wood walls. A ceiling fan that turned so slow flies easily landed and took off, failed to lift the humidity that pressed down on Aurora and sapped the last of her strength. Aurora dropped her bags on the beer stained tile floor and approached the worn down bar counter that doubled as a reception desk.
“Welcome. How many nights are you staying?” The receptionist’s open smile brightened up the place a bit, and gave Aurora some comfort.
“Hello. Do you sell bus tickets to Siem Reap?”
“Yes.”
“Awesome. How much.” Aurora energetically opened her wallet.
“Do you want a room?”
“No, I want a bus ticket to Siem Reap.”
“Cannot do.”
“I thought you said you sell bus tickets.” Aurora’s voice had a hint of annoyance mixed with shock.
“I do.”
“So why can’t I get a bus ticket?”
“No bus,” The woman smiled. “You want room?”
“Where is the bus?”
“Gone to Cambodia, come back early tomorrow, you go then. You want room?”
Aurora clenched her jaw. Well, as Jeni said, at least I have a reservation.
“I have a reservation.” Aurora brought up the reservation on her phone.
“$15. You pay now.” The woman held out her hand. A small voice nagged at Aurora to do as the guidebook said, to see the room first, but she dismissed it. She was too tired to want to argue about a room. It is only one night, how bad can it be?
“Okay, one night, and a bus ticket to Siem Reap.”
“$35 dollars.”
Aurora handed over the money, an
d then frowned when the woman gave her a piece of paper.
“What’s this?”
“Your bus ticket.”
Aurora looked again at the piece of paper. All that was written on the paper was, Paid One.
“This is my bus ticket?”
“Yes, bus come pick you up tomorrow at 7am, do not be late. Your room is on the second floor, no 3.” The woman dropped a room key on the desk. “The W-Fi password is on the back of the key tag.”
“Thank you.” Aurora took the key and headed up the narrow wooden stairs behind the reception desk. With effort, Aurora reached her room. The stink and noise were less on the second floor, giving her some relieve. The door lock fought Aurora for a second, and then the room door creaked open. A moldy smell hit Aurora in the face when she stepped into the room. As the reception, the walls where dark stained wood. A bare incandescent light hanged by a wire in the center of the ceiling and fought the darkness alone. Aurora put her backpack down on a red plastic chair to the left of the door, then locked the door. Quickly, she tested the double bed behind the chair. Clean sheets. An archway to the right of the room led Aurora to the bathroom with a shower next to the toilet. The partially tiled floor had a drain in the floor for both the shower water and the washbasin water.
This is it? Aurora took a deep breath and quickly splashed water on her face from the wash basin, then undressed. Being naked helped a bit for the heat. She rolled her clothes in a neat bundle and placed it on top of her bags. Exhausted, she dropped onto the bed, pulled a pillow closer and imagined she was hugging Chase. At least Emily cannot get you. While sleep washed over Aurora, the room came alive, there was fresh blood to be had.
Four hours later, Aurora slowly opened her eyes. For a moment, she lay frozen while her eyes struggled to focus on something small that moved towards her lips on the pillow. Aurora’s eyes focused on the object. Her brain argued reality for a moment, then accepted the horrific truth. A bed bug was on its way to give her a kiss. Aurora ripped her head up, then ran her eyes over her naked body covered in bed bugs. A shiver ran through her and goosebumps formed on her skin. All around her on the bed were bed bugs crawling around as they waited in line to feast. Some had paid the ultimate price after having drunk her blood when Aurora rolled over them in her sleep. Red stains on the white bed sheet marked their graves on the battlefield.
“Shit shit shit.” Aurora yelled and jumped off the bed then brushed as much of the bedbugs off as she could while bolting for the shower. Ice-cold water hit Aurora’s body, almost stopping her heart.
“Come on. Is it too much to expect warm water?” Aurora yelled while she slapped a few bed bugs off her legs. Bracing the cold, she washed herself all over, then let her hair hang down while the water ran over it. Aurora cringed when bedbugs streamed out of her hair. When she had most of them out, she rushed to her main backpack and pulled out a small bottle of shampoo. She ground her teeth while bed bugs crawled over her back and legs. Rushing back to the shower, she washed her hair multiple times as well as herself. When the shampoo bottle was empty, she finally stopped.
Aurora stood shivering from shock and the cold. No towel decorated the bathroom. Right Jeni, most hotels have towels, except the one I stay in. Her teeth clattered and Aurora hugged herself then rushed over to her large bag. She pulled out a T-shirt, then rushed back to the shower. She stood on the tiles and looked for any enemy movement around her. Finding none, her strained nerves relaxed. Aurora dried herself as best she could with the T-shirt, and then stood undecided as what to do. Thank goodness I at least followed one tip from the guide book and placed my bag on the chair. As the chair was plastic, the bed bugs could not reach her bag and claim it. Aurora stared in horror at the blood-sucking critters while they patrolled the bed in search of her body. The hair at the back of her neck stood up, and a cold shiver ran down her spine. What now? As if on cue, her bladder alerted her as to why she had awoken in the first place. Aurora hung the T-shirt where a towel should hang, and then sat down on the toilet, thankful that there at least was a proper toilet and not just a hole in the ground she heard was common in cheaper places in Asia. Aurora closed her eyes and relaxed her body. Seconds later her bladder started to empty then stopped. Aurora’s eyes shot open and she ripped her gaze down. A massive cockroach at least 8 inches long climbed up between her legs. Aurora’s heart thrashed in her chest.
“Shit.” Aurora shouted and jumped up. For a second everything was upright, then the ceiling came into view when she slipped on the wet tiles. Aurora landed hard on her bum. Undeterred, the cockroach continued on its path over her right inner thigh. Aurora slammed it off her thigh and sent it skidding across the bathroom floor. To her horror, as soon as it stopped, it came scurrying back for more naked body hugging.
“No you don’t.” Aurora yelled and jumped up, then grabbed the toilet water hose. She blasted the cockroach into the corner and held it there for a few seconds, until it took flight. With a screech Aurora ducked, but it was too late. The cockroach landed in her hair and went wild. Without thinking Aurora grabbed the cockroach in her hair and crushed it. Cockroach guts ran over her head and hand. Nausea rose up in Aurora. Her stomach heaved and she spilled all she had. Leaning against the wall, she gasped for air while her stomach tried to force out that what was not there anymore. Just as she regained control of her body, she glanced at her hand. The partially crushed cockroach was still stuck to her hand, with its legs wriggling. Aurora flicked it off at the same time as she bent double and coughed up what she swore was part of her stomach. When she finally caught her breath, Aurora was on her knees, her energy depleted. Why did I ever come here? Slowly, Aurora stood, then washed the leftover guts from her hand and hair. She was emotionally and physically drained. Her fight was almost gone. Slowly, she sagged down in the corner of the shower and pulled her knees to her chest. Tears ran in rivers down her cheeks. I miss the security of my office, my warm apartment, and my silk bed bug free bed sheets. I miss my routine and knowing what the day will bring. I miss knowing where I am going. I know South-East Asia is different from Manhattan, but this is not different. This is hell. When the last tear had dried on her face, Aurora looked up at her backpack on the chair. There are flights going back every few hours. I can take a taxi to the airport and be back in my bed in a day. Aurora stood and splashed water onto her face. She gave herself a smile in the mirror. You really are a mess Aurora. For a moment, she dropped her gaze to the washbasin, and then looked herself in the eyes. I have never given up on a promise I made myself. I promised myself I will see Angkor Wat 22 years ago, and it is time I fulfill that promise. Not even grandmother’s ghost will stop me this time.
Aurora glanced at the bed while she walked to her backpack. Bloodstains gave evidence of the slaughter that occurred there, while a few enemy scouts still crawled over the bed in search of her naked flesh. A shiver ran down Aurora’s back. Carefully she inspected the clothes on top of her bag for invaders, and then dressed in the shower. Fully dressed, she moved her bags and the chair into the shower. Sitting on the plastic chair with her legs pulled up, she connected to the local Fi-Wi with her cellphone, and then called Jeni on Skype. One thing you could be sure about Jeni, was that her Skype on her cellphone was always online, except when she was in a meeting or with a guy. Three times Aurora tried, but got no answer. Oh Jeni, I need you, and now you are partying. Most probably with the server from the airport. Aurora opened her email to send Jeni a quick note saying she had arrived in Bangkok. Two emails stopped her dead. Aurora’s eyes widened and her heartbeat quickened. The first was from Dorothy. Emily had a meeting with Barbara, one of the board members. Emily logged a formal complaint against Aurora. Aurora bit her lip. I will need to call Barbara when I get to Cambodia and state my case. Aurora’s hands trembled while she read the second email, being from Rick. He was sorry about what happened. He had feelings for Aurora but thought she cared nothing for him when she turned his dinner date down. He and Emily had a fight, and broke up. He had tried
to call Aurora, but her phone was off, so he emailed her. No, I do not need this now. A tear formed in Aurora’s eye and she switched her phone off. Leaning back in the chair, Aurora closed her eyes. Angkor Wat is only a day away. I cannot give up now. I have to find the exact spot. I have to know. Besides, Chase, may be there.
Chapter 6: The Long Ride
Take me down from Genevive rocked the hotel room while Aurora’s cell phone vibrated. With a grunt, she opened her blood shot eyes and silenced the alarm. 6 am. During the night, her body went partying without her knowledge. She had drifted in and out of nightmares, with giant cockroaches biting her head off and swarms of bed bugs crawling all over her and ripping her to pieces until all that was left was dry bones. A throbbing headache made her grit her teeth when she stretched her sore limbs. Pins and needles shot through every muscle when she stood. Slowly, she splashed cold water over her face before taking a hard look in the mirror. Getting to Angkor Wat my way is not as easy as I thought. This is not New York. Too tired and stiff to worry about changing clothes or taking a shower, Aurora removed most of her makeup, then did a light touch up. You really look like shit. Yeh, but I am still standing. Aurora smiled at herself, proud that she did not give up. Quickly she packed everything away and then opened Skype on her phone. A message from Jeni said to call when Aurora could. Aurora pressed the button to let the call connect. Not wanting Jeni to see her so messy, she deactivated the camera function.
“Hi Aurora. Sorry I missed your call. How is Cambodia?”
“Hello Jeni. I am still in Bangkok.”
“Why?”
“No bus. I spend the night in the hotel you booked me.”
“See, I told you it would work out. You did not even have to run around looking for a room. Anything interesting there that wants to ravage your body?” Jeni laughed.
Untamed Love Page 5