Midnight's Lair

by Richard Laymon

  Darcy shook her head. 'Your jacket's plenty. Thanks.' She was about to suggest again that he leave. Instead, she asked, 'Do you have any idea what happened to the lights?'

  'Maybe someone switched them off.'

  That possibility had never occurred to her. She'd understood, from the start, that the lights had gone off because of a power failure. If they were only turned off, then the elevators could still be working.

  'Glad I asked,' she muttered.

  'But I don't think that's it,' Kyle said. 'I think it's the generators. I mean, who'd turn off the lights?'

  Darcy shook her head. 'I don't know. Anyway, thanks again for the jacket. See you later.'

  He turned around and vanished into the darkness. The sound of his footsteps faded.

  Wouldn't surprise me, Darcy thought, if he sneaks back for a second look.

  Weird little creep.

  Take it easy on him, she thought. He brought me the jacket.

  Just an excuse to take a peek. I should've figured he'd do something like that.

  She turned her back to the opening, held the pants between her legs, and got into the jacket. It was a wind-breaker of synthetic fabric that felt weightless. It was slick and cool against her skin. Tucking her chin down, she bent over slightly to watch her trembling hands struggle with the zipper. And noticed how her damp panties clung like transparent skin.

  She felt sick.

  The bastard couldn't have seen more if I was naked, she thought.

  Damn him!

  At last, she fitted the zipper together. She slid the tab up.

  And sighed, moments later, when she felt how the jacket seemed to trap her body heat.

  At least I got the jacket out of the deal, she told herself.

  Would've been better to freeze, though, than have this shit lay his eyes all over me.

  Darcy continued to shake as she finished wringing the water from her pants. But the tremors weren't from this - she shook with fury and humiliation.

  Mad enough, he saw my breasts.

  Maybe he didn't notice the other.

  Fat chance. He's short and he was standing below me.

  He saw, all right.

  She stepped into her pants and pulled them up. After lilting the pockets, she worked the belt through the loops mid buckled it. She squeezed the water from her socks, pulled them on, and stepped into her shoes.

  It felt good to be dressed again. Though she was still wet and cold from the waist down, the jacket gave her enough warmth to make the discomfort seem minor.

  She debated what to do with the remaining clothes. She certainly didn't want to put them on. She could bundle up the bra and blouse inside her jacket and take them with her, but that seemed like too much trouble. I'll just pick them up the next time I'm down here, she decided, and draped the jacket over the wheelbarrow handle.

  ***

  When Kyle reached the bottom of the stairs, he took a few more steps to make Darcy think he was going away. The tourists were still gathered on the dock. Their bodies blocked most of the light from the other flash. He watched until he was sure no one was approaching him, then turned around and returned, walking slowly and tolling his feet quietly from heel to toe.

  He stopped at the bottom of the six rock stairs, and glanced up at Darcy.

  She had the jacket on. Her back was toward him. Her head was down, and she seemed to be trying to fasten the zipper. The jacket wasn't quite long enough to reach her hips. It left a band of bare skin above her low, brief panties.

  Though her back was in shadow, he could see a hint of the darker, curving crease between her buttocks.

  She zipped up the jacket, then started wringing out her pants.

  Kyle stared at her long, slim legs, at the smooth mounds of her rump.

  He wished she would take off the jacket and give him another look at her front. He wanted more than anything to see her breasts again. For just an instant, while she was turning around before, he'd seen them in the light. They were pale and the nipples were sticking out. Then, she'd covered them and her front had been in shadow.

  She might take the jacket off, he told himself. She might go to get into her bra and shirt again. But she wouldn't have to turn around to do that.

  Worth sticking around for, though. If she only turned sideways a bit, he'd at least get a glimpse.

  Amy Lawson was nothing next to Darcy.

  She's all yours, Dad had said.

  What if he could do Darcy the way he'd done Amy?

  Kyle had had that thought many times before, but now it was almost too much for him.

  He rubbed the back of his hand across his dry lips. His heart was thundering. His erection, pushing hard against the front of his jeans, felt as if it might explode.

  Do Darcy the way he did Amy.

  Get her into Room 115.

  She'd have to ride the chute, after. But that was okay.

  ***

  It was a week ago, Friday, that Amy Lawson checked into the Mordock Cave Hotel. Kyle first saw her when she entered the restaurant for supper. It was his job to seat the guests as they arrived.

  She came in alone. She appeared to be about Darcy's age, but wasn't nearly as beautiful. Her hair was long and brown, not short and golden. She was inches shorter than Darcy, with bigger breasts, but also a bigger waist and rump, and her calves below the hem of her dress were on the heavy side. She appeared to be stout rather than fat, but Kyle much preferred Darcy's slender shape. Her face was pleasant, though, and looked rather pretty when she smiled at him.

  'May I see you to a table?' he asked.

  'Please. Thank you.' Her eyes betrayed the usual amusement at realizing that a boy Kyle's age was acting as host. He didn't bother to explain himself. This woman would simply assume, as they all did, that he was a relation of the owner.

  'Will you be dining alone?' he asked.

  She nodded.

  He led her through the dining room to a table for two which had a nice view of the gardens. He pulled out a chair for her. Her scent was sweet and cloying.

  'I like your perfume,' he lied.

  She smiled over her shoulder at him. 'Thank you. It's Rose Blossom.'

  'Very nice.'

  He was glad Darcy didn't use a sickening perfume like that. He'd stood close to her in the elevators. She had a faint, fresh smell that made him think of a morning breeze.

  'A waitress will be along in a minute to take your order,' he said. 'I hope you enjoy your meal.'

  'Thank you very much.'

  Kyle returned to his station by the entrance, hoping Darcy would show up. She had come in Monday night with that other guide, her room-mate, Lynn Maxwell. It made him ache, now, remembering how she had looked striding into the restaurant. Her sleeveless dress was white with blue flowers, the blue in the dress matching her eyes. The light tan of her skin seemed tawny next to the white, and the dress floated against her as she walked. Kyle made believe he was under it, watching the airy fabric caress her skin.

  ***

  After Monday, Darcy hadn't come into the restaurant. Kyle supposed she only dined here that night because it was her first time at the hotel and she was celebrating. He found out later that she had started going into town with some of the other guides. It was the usual thing. A room at the hotel came with the job, but the employees had to pay for their own meals and the Cave Chalet was too expensive. They'd be eating up their wages if they didn't head into town for hamburgers or pizza or whatever.

  Besides, the guides liked to get away. They didn't go to town just for the cheap food, but to have fun. From hearing their talk over the years, Kyle knew that they went to movies and bars. Some of them tried to pick up townies if they didn't have one of the other guides to mess with.

  Not Darcy, though. Kyle could tell from the way she acted towards the male guides that she wasn't letting any of them get her. She was friendly to all of them, but there was no one special.

  And she wouldn't do it with townies.

  Lynn p
robably did. But Lynn was a slut.

  Kyle doubted that Darcy would show up tonight. Especially since this was Friday. The guides always went into town on Friday nights. But each time the door swung open, his heart quickened until he saw who was entering.

  By eight o'clock, he'd lost all hope.

  Darcy had gone into town, all right, and would probably be out till midnight - or even later.

  How about tonight? he thought. He began to tremble slightly. It was always exciting to enter a guest-room with the pass key and have a look around. He'd been tempted all week to try Darcy's, but he couldn't leave the restaurant until 8.30 and by then he was afraid the guides might come back from town and he'd be caught. This was Friday, though. He could do it tonight.

  I will! I'll do it!

  Waiting for 8.30 became an agony. His heart raced, his mouth was dry, his clammy hands trembled. Only twice did new guests arrive for dinner, and he was grateful each time for the interruption that briefly distracted him from dwelling on what lay ahead.

  Darcy's room. Her clothes. Her personal things. The bed where she slept. The bathroom where she'd been naked in the tub.

  He couldn't stand the waiting.

  At twenty minutes after eight, he left the door and crossed the foyer to the cashier's booth. 'Minnie?' he asked in a pained voice. The scrawny little woman, leafing through a stack of bills, looked up at him. 'I'm not feeling real hot. Do you mind if I go now? It's only ten more minutes before…'

  'You do look a mite puny, hon. You go on ahead. Your daddy won't never be the wiser on my account.'

  'Thanks, Minnie,' he said, and made his way slowly to the door, hanging his head and holding his stomach just to make it look good.

  Outside, he straightened up. After the air conditioning of the restaurant, the evening felt warm. He took a deep, trembling breath, and started along the walkway towards the hotel. His father would be manning the registration desk, so Kyle entered the side door at the end of the west wing and trotted up the stairs to the second floor. The corridor was deserted; his footfalls were quiet on the thick carpet. As he passed the main stairs at the halfway point, he saw a middle-aged couple on their way up. He slowed down. Glancing back, he saw them reach the top and turn the other way.

  At the door marked 210, he looked back again. The people were near the far end of the corridor, the man unlocking a door. A moment later, they were gone.

  Kyle listened. No sounds came from behind the door. Just to be safe, however, he knocked. If Darcy or Lynn should answer, he'd say that Dad had sent him to look for Tom, who sometimes watched the desk for him. Did they know where Tom might be?

  Nobody answered the knock.

  He dug a trembling hand into the pocket of his slacks and pulled out his key case. The keys clinked together, loud in the silence, as he fumbled for the right one. At last, he had it. He pushed it into the lock, turned it, gently twisted the knob, and eased the door open.

  He saw no one, but he left the door open while he crept forward far enough to see through the alcove on the left. Nobody in the bathroom.

  The girls were gone, all right.

  He stepped back to the door and shut it.

  I'm in!

  He leaned against the door and took deep breaths, trying to calm himself. The curtains at the other end of the room were open. The wooded hills in the distance were gloomy with dusk. If Kyle didn't waste time, he'd be able to get by without turning on any lights - except in the alcove and bathroom, which didn't have windows.

  He rubbed his sweaty hands on his slacks, and pushed himself away from the door. The alcove had clothes hanging along one side. He would give them a look later. And the bathroom. He moved on.

  The twin beds were both made, but a little rumpled. Clothing was scattered on top of the nearer bed: blue pants lying flat with the legs draping the edge, a white blouse lying in a heap, a white bra. The pants had a wide waist. The bra had broad straps and enormous cups. Lynn 's. So that must be Lynn 's bed.

  Because of the difference in the girls' sizes, Kyle had no trouble figuring out which drawers of the built-in bureau contained Darcy's clothes. The bottom drawer held sweaters, a sweatshirt, a couple of heavy shirts. They were all neatly folded. He lifted them, glanced at each, but took none of them out.

  The middle drawer was more interesting. There, he found slips, pantyhose, a couple of T-shirts, a pair of faded blue shorts and a bright yellow jersey. He picked up the jersey and let it fall open. It was a nightshirt. It had slits on each side. Kyle held it against his body. He was shorter than Darcy. On her, it would hang only part-way down her thighs, the open sides leaving her bare to the hips. He could see her wearing it, the light fabric showing all her curves. He imagined how it would tremble over her breasts as she walked. Bending down, her rump would show, and if she reached for something high, the nightshirt would rise up and he'd be able to see between her legs.

  The thoughts made Kyle hard.

  He folded the nightshirt and placed it carefully into the drawer. Satisfied that it looked the same as when he found it, he slid the drawer shut and opened the top one.

  Here were panties, brassieres, socks and two swimsuits.

  One of the suits was bright blue and backless, the other a white string bikini. Neither had stains, and they both smelled clean. Kyle supposed that Darcy had packed them fresh and hadn't used the hotel pool yet. He'd checked it a few times on Wednesday and Thursday, her days off, hoping to see her there. Now, he knew that he hadn't missed her. He would keep a watch on the pool. Sooner or later, she'd show up.

  Most of the bras were white with a lacy fabric for the upper half of the cups, narrow straps, and two fasteners in the back. But one was black and strapless. It was stiff along the bottom. It would hold her breasts underneath, and leave them bare on top. The other two bras were flimsy, shapeless things. One was pink, one blue. They fastened in front with a hook and eyelet between the cups. Holding them up, Kyle could see right through them and the wispy fabric felt slick against his face. The pink one smelled faintly of Darcy, that fresh early morning scent of a breeze blowing through the woods.

  Kyle bent over to ease the pressure of his erection pushing against his pants.

  He put the bras away.

  He looked at the stacks of brightly coloured panties.

  He was breathing hard, gasping. He was almost past control. If he didn't stop now, he'd mess himself for sure.

  He slid the drawer shut.

  I'll come back, he thought. Some other time. See the rest of it then.

  On his way back to the door he glanced at the bathroom. He'd badly wanted to see the tub. Darcy was naked when she was in there.

  Next time, he told himself. Next time, I'll see everything.

  Right now, he had to get out before he burst.

  ***

  He was in the corridor, pulling the door shut, when the sound of voices made him turn his head.

  Out of the elevator near the main stairway stepped an elderly couple. And his father.

  Dad had suitcases in each hand.

  He glanced at Kyle, then turned away and led the couple towards the west wing.

  Kyle felt sick. He went through the fire door, sat down on a stair and hunched over, clutching his knees.

  Now what'll I do? He saw me. Shit, oh shit.

  What were you doing in that room?

  Maybe he didn't see me.

  He looked right at me. Maybe he'll forget about it.

  Fat chance. I've gotta have an excuse. Darcy phoned from town, said she couldn't find her purse, and wanted me to see if it was in her room? That won't work. How could I get the call? Dad would've been at the switchboard.

  Dad doesn't know why I was there. He might think I wanted to steal something. That'd be better than the truth, anyway. But maybe he'll guess the truth.

  I've gotta have a story!

  How about if I say I was out back and thought I saw someone in the window? I knew Darcy and Lynn were gone, and thought somebody'd broken
in, so I came up to check.

  Okay? That's not bad. Okay, that's what it'll be. He might believe it.

  The best thing to do is go see Dad right away. Tell him the story. That's what I'd do if I really had seen someone in the window.

  Kyle sat on the stair, unable to move.

  Dad'll never believe it. It never worked, trying to lie to him. He always knew the truth. Like he was a mind-reader, or something. He'll know what I was doing in there. He'll think I'm perverted.

  Better not to say anything, Kyle decided. That way, at least, I won't get it for lying. Just wait and see what happens. See what he asks.

  Kyle finally got to his feet and went downstairs. He pushed through the metal door. Feeling numb and shaky, he headed for the lobby.

  Please, he thought, let Dad not be there.

  Kyle's father was behind the registration desk and looked up at him as he approached. Nobody else was around.

  'You have some business in 210, young man?'

  'Darcy wanted to borrow a couple of my speleology books,' he said, and wondered where that idea had come from. 'I just took them up and left them for her.'

  He nodded.

  He believed it!

  'Business pretty brisk at the Chalet tonight?'

  'About the same as usual,' Kyle said. 'It was pretty full.'

  'Glad to hear it.'

  'Guess I'll go watch some TV, okay?'

  'Go on ahead. I'll let you know if I need you.'

  Kyle stepped around the end of the registration desk and opened the door to their rooms. He went straight to his bedroom and shut himself in. Immediately, he slid two of his speleology books off the shelves and hid them in the space behind some other volumes. Not that Dad was likely to check. But when you make up a story, you have to follow through with the details.

  Once the books were concealed, Kyle felt a lot better. He turned the television on, and sat in the middle of his bed.

  He was too uneasy to follow the shows. Part of the time, he worried about Dad finding out the truth. (He's gonna. No, he won't. What if he asks Darcy about the books? What if he just knows?) Part of the time, he got past the worries and took himself back into Darcy's room. There, he lifted her things from the drawers, looked at them and touched and smelled them and dreamed of how they would look on Darcy.