The heart-stopping crash was what jolted Riley awake. That, and the sickening feeling that his bank account would, once again, be depleted right when he was finally starting to earn money off of his book. He'd just gotten that car back, too!
It wouldn't be the first time a nightmare had him immediately wide awake, sitting bolt-upright, breathing heavily and incredibly grateful to find that whatever horror he'd seen in his sleep was just a dream. It was, however, the strangest time. As Riley's eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, it slowly dawned on him that he didn't recognize wherever this was. It wasn't his own bed, or his own room. It didn't look like anywhere he'd ever stayed, either.
"Okay..." he muttered under his breath. Could mean he was still dreaming, but this all felt real enough. Was he in a hotel? Riley was surprised to sort back through his memory and find absolutely no recollection of the night before, or even what he'd been doing for the last couple of days.
He didn't get that drunk, did he? Riley had never gotten blackout drunk before. This... this really wasn't good. Oh god. Oh god, had he been drugged?
"Hello?" he called out tentatively as he got out of bed. "Is anyone there? Ben?"
Nothing but silence answered him. And the other bed, now that Riley could make it out, looked empty. The entire room, in fact, was much more bare than a hotel room should be. Riley spun in a slow circle in the middle of the room, trying to get his bearings, or... really any kind of clue. He had no idea what to make of this. If it was some sort of prank, it was a really, really bad one. "Okay, guys, that's... that's really funny," he called out, just in case. "You totally got me. I'm scared out of my mind. Joke's over! I have things I need to get done now."
Granted, not the most convincing thing he could say, but Riley was having a hard time thinking straight, for some reason. He turned to the door after noting the lack of windows, which immediately put him in mind of a prison. "Guys?"
Of course there wasn't an answer. If it was a prank, they wouldn't give up that easily. Looked like Riley was going to have to play this one through to the end.
"So what exactly is the point here?" he wondered aloud for their benefit. "Is this a test? Am I supposed to try and get somewhere?" He hesitated. "You couldn't have given me at least a little bit of light?"
Still no answer. With a long-suffering sigh, Riley began searching through the dresser drawers for a box of matches. Instead of the rough wood of the bottom of the drawer, though - or a matchbox - all he could feel were clothes, and they weren't hiding anything underneath them. Both desks in the room were equally useless; all Riley found were batteries, pens, and a couple of key rings.
"Useless," he murmured at each new discovery, "useless, and... useless. Great." He dropped the last key ring on top of the desk, and then bent down to try and figure out how the radio worked. It was a small, basic, rechargeable version, and not two-way, as Riley had been hoping. Still, what was the point in giving him a radio if all it did was play music? Ben would probably take it with him. Ben would probably also make Riley carry it.
The hallway outside the door, when Riley worked up the nerve to push it open, was pitch-black. Riley turned back into the room, certain now that there had to be a source of light somewhere. He checked both closets, under each bed, and then pulled the sheets off his own. There, lo and behold, was a flashlight. Much better than matches. It even worked when Riley flicked the switch, so he wouldn't have to fumble around with the batteries he'd just found.
"Is this you, Ben?" he asked the empty room, hefting the flashlight in his right hand and picking up the radio with his left. "Is this some kind of weird treasure hunt?" He nudged the door into the hallway back open with his foot. "Because you're the only one who likes riddles, you know."
M98
It wouldn't be the first time a nightmare had him immediately wide awake, sitting bolt-upright, breathing heavily and incredibly grateful to find that whatever horror he'd seen in his sleep was just a dream. It was, however, the strangest time. As Riley's eyes grew accustomed to the darkness, it slowly dawned on him that he didn't recognize wherever this was. It wasn't his own bed, or his own room. It didn't look like anywhere he'd ever stayed, either.
"Okay..." he muttered under his breath. Could mean he was still dreaming, but this all felt real enough. Was he in a hotel? Riley was surprised to sort back through his memory and find absolutely no recollection of the night before, or even what he'd been doing for the last couple of days.
He didn't get that drunk, did he? Riley had never gotten blackout drunk before. This... this really wasn't good. Oh god. Oh god, had he been drugged?
"Hello?" he called out tentatively as he got out of bed. "Is anyone there? Ben?"
Nothing but silence answered him. And the other bed, now that Riley could make it out, looked empty. The entire room, in fact, was much more bare than a hotel room should be. Riley spun in a slow circle in the middle of the room, trying to get his bearings, or... really any kind of clue. He had no idea what to make of this. If it was some sort of prank, it was a really, really bad one. "Okay, guys, that's... that's really funny," he called out, just in case. "You totally got me. I'm scared out of my mind. Joke's over! I have things I need to get done now."
Granted, not the most convincing thing he could say, but Riley was having a hard time thinking straight, for some reason. He turned to the door after noting the lack of windows, which immediately put him in mind of a prison. "Guys?"
Of course there wasn't an answer. If it was a prank, they wouldn't give up that easily. Looked like Riley was going to have to play this one through to the end.
"So what exactly is the point here?" he wondered aloud for their benefit. "Is this a test? Am I supposed to try and get somewhere?" He hesitated. "You couldn't have given me at least a little bit of light?"
Still no answer. With a long-suffering sigh, Riley began searching through the dresser drawers for a box of matches. Instead of the rough wood of the bottom of the drawer, though - or a matchbox - all he could feel were clothes, and they weren't hiding anything underneath them. Both desks in the room were equally useless; all Riley found were batteries, pens, and a couple of key rings.
"Useless," he murmured at each new discovery, "useless, and... useless. Great." He dropped the last key ring on top of the desk, and then bent down to try and figure out how the radio worked. It was a small, basic, rechargeable version, and not two-way, as Riley had been hoping. Still, what was the point in giving him a radio if all it did was play music? Ben would probably take it with him. Ben would probably also make Riley carry it.
The hallway outside the door, when Riley worked up the nerve to push it open, was pitch-black. Riley turned back into the room, certain now that there had to be a source of light somewhere. He checked both closets, under each bed, and then pulled the sheets off his own. There, lo and behold, was a flashlight. Much better than matches. It even worked when Riley flicked the switch, so he wouldn't have to fumble around with the batteries he'd just found.
"Is this you, Ben?" he asked the empty room, hefting the flashlight in his right hand and picking up the radio with his left. "Is this some kind of weird treasure hunt?" He nudged the door into the hallway back open with his foot. "Because you're the only one who likes riddles, you know."
[Out to here.]