Day 312: I wake up. Something’s not right.

I wake up. Something’s not right. It’s a feeling.

I listen. Nothing. Hmmm. Maybe I’m just hot. I shift a blanket.

And then — a voice. Or maybe it’s two. Can’t make our what they’re saying. Still sleepy. It’s late.

The voices seem to circle my car as I lay in the dark. Cigarette smoke drifts in through the opening in my sunroof.

There is animated talking — minutes pass. The rhythm to the conversation doesn’t seem natural. Is someone on their cell phone? Yes…no — maybe? Why are these two voices talking to each other. Who’s on the cell phone?

A pause…

Truck next to me starts. Can’t see it at the moment — my windows on that side are blocked. The driver’s side door of the truck slams into my car so hard that it rocks it. I’m thinking about what kind of ding that’s going to leave when I realize those events are out of order.

Did I imagine that? Truck starting, then driver’s side door slamming into my own? — No, that’s how it happened.

The truck idles for a minute or three, then pulls out. This is out of the ordinary — people tend not to vacate hotel parkings late at night.

I hear it drive off into the distance. Now silence.

No. Wait —

I hear voices again — cannot make out what’s being said. They’re getting closer.

Same voices as before? Yes. This is strange — I’m trying to make sense of these events.

Now I hear bodies in motion, footsteps, they’re close — and then, “What about the Honda over there?”

The sound fades — no wait, it’s just muffled, as if it’s being blocked by something. There’s more talking. I make out only the occasional word — mostly profanity, and “dude”.

I’m nervous. Beginning to make sense of the situation — I think the door slamming into the side of my vehicle was a test to see if my alarm would go off.

The discussion shifts to the side of my car that I can peer out. But I have limousine tint, everything is darker than normal, my windows keep fogging up because I’m hot & breathing heavier than usual — but I see figures in the dark and the sinister glow of a cigarette.

Two figures two cars from mine. Standing in one spot, just talking. No. Wait —

Now they’re splitting up, circling — looking at cars as if deciding on a purchase. Consulting each other.

Now they’re both next to another car. This definitely isn’t natural. These are not hotel guests.

More talking. And then —

They leave. Their voices drift off towards one of the other hotels next door.

I’m a bit relieved. Maybe it was nothing. No — it wasn’t nothing, my heart is beating faster than normal.

I lay in silence trying to make sense of what that was — thinking about what I would do if that ever happened again. What if someone tried to break into my car when I was in it — how would that go?

Thinking — thinking. And then —

Someone across the street whistles.

Oh wait, it’s just someone calling for their dog. I can see out the front. But —

The person doesn’t have a leash. There doesn’t appear to be a dog. That’s weird.

And I recognize the voice. It’s back and —

Now someone else is on a cell phone in the parking lot.

What time is it? I check my watch. After 1 am.

The voice from across the street and the one in the parking lot merge. Now they are talking to each other.

I’m peering out my window again — the figures are back at the previous vehicle two cars from mine. Looks like an SUV.

Nervous again. I don’t like this. I want to go.

I reach forward and start my car from the back seat. My passenger seat window is blocked, they cant’ see me.

I hop into the driver’s seat and back out of my parking spot, turning so my headlights are a spotlight on figures. I pause longer than necessary — at the time, I think I’m making a point.

They are both 30 somethings. Fitness buffs. Overly large muscles. Tight shirts.

They are standing next to the back of the SUV trying hard to look natural — they look surprised.

I exit the parking lot and find another place to sleep thinking —

“Did that just happen?”

It happened.

-

Commentary:

This whole ordeal took about 10-20 minutes. And in retrospect, I should have called the police. I didn’t. :-/

I couldn’t sleep right away after the events above, so I wrote 95% of this on my cell phone. I didn’t want to forget details.