CHAPTER THREE ⚜ THE ELEVATOR BOY (PART II)

[Illustration 06] The view from inside the elevator. The closing brass lattice cuts the scene into diamonds. Beyond it, the shadows crowd shoulder to shoulder around the entrance, yet not one of them crosses the threshold. In the foreground, Ryan’s white-knuckled hand grips the handle of his suitcase, while the elevator boy’s white-gloved hand rests calmly upon the brass gate.

But in the oval mirror, three figures are reflected. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6H4xNUFJnc

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“What are they?” Ryan stared and murmured.

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The elevator boy gave no answer. He simply drew the cage gate shut. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTEUY5OHYIH

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The brass lattice closed with a metallic rattle. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgY2Or5tBt0

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Every shadow in the corridor had gathered outside the elevator, packed shoulder to shoulder—and yet not one of them crossed the threshold. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpmPc67zAON

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They only watched . 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL9DVqBbcaN

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They looked less like predators than passengers standing upon a platform, watching a train they had just missed. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuZSKBEZhWA

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The elevator began to descend. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnxkwbDm2uR 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf9wWY7M2d3

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Beyond the lattice, the rows of glowing eyes appeared to rise, climbing slowly higher until they vanished above the doorframe. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡav3O8g5szb

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Ryan slumped against the wall of the car, breathing hard. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLD9of6RpZX

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“They won’t come in,” the elevator boy said. “Or, more precisely, they can’t.” 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTA5coUrzUv

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Ryan looked at him and wondered, “… Why not ?” 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYGtXvV8smy

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“This elevator is marked territory,” the elevator boy continued. “They know better than to cross its threshold.” 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWNOgJjmPyd

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For the first time, Ryan got a proper look at him. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡXtJNw8zRnW

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The young man could not have been more than twenty-five or twenty-six. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqLiHCBkHjQ

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The shadow cast by his cap ended just above his brows, leaving a pair of unusually dark eyes visible beneath it. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡolhyKEVLiW

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Their outer corners dipped slightly, and his lashes were almost unreasonably long. Even when he was not smiling, he looked as though he were listening with endless patience.

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His skin was very pale, though not with illness. It had the preserved quality of an old photograph kept carefully out of the sun for far too long. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBacEn9Hrlx

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His nose was fine and straight, his lips nearly colourless, and the line of his jaw almost unnaturally clean. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSvvyDw5nIn

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A few strands of black hair had escaped from beneath his cap and fallen beside one eye, softening the otherwise severe neatness of his uniform. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQCu8x0Al15

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Deep wine-red cloth fitted closely across his shoulders and throat. Two rows of brass buttons ran beyond the line of his stiff collar, while one white-gloved hand remained upon the gate. His fingers were long, his posture impeccably polite. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIDNWDiPRed

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It was not a face that put anyone at ease. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ54D9YKPwKf

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Quite the opposite. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxy0SyMFeSh

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It was beautiful in a way that felt too deliberate—too perfectly still—as though the hotel itself had designed it for the sole purpose of persuading its guests to stay. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEoXyVKsey6

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Less than a minute ago, Ryan had escaped from a corridor filled with faceless things. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPARMD62W7t

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Still, his gaze lingered upon that face half a second too long. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe0B7jGhW4w

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The elevator boy tilted his head slightly. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPNUMWqtQ68

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“Sir?” 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ22FpUQTb4Z

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“…Nothing.” 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFgeHXwxehn

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Ryan looked away at once. Then he continued :

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“I was just thinking that this hotel has surprisingly high hiring standards.” 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡV5G5sLVqo6

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The elevator boy blinked once. 88Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6SH3EykzWe

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Then the small, professional curve of his lips softened into something that looked, for a moment, almost real.

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