Aspiring Writers Second Place Winner
Jealousy Can Be So Cruel
Rob Meager had been the Director of Security for 15 years and he had just about enough of being
shown up by Miss "Know it all". He would show her what hotel management was really about. He
was so tired of her new ideas and changes "for the better".
Rob had been called to room 230 by Gina, who ran the housekeeping department, for a "very
serious situation", as she put it. Yep, the guy was dead alright, but he'd seen many dead people in
his 25 year cop career. This was the opportunity he had been waiting on to show the new young
and beautiful operations director who was really in charge around here. After all she was the
"manager on duty" and should be involved in this situation.
Rob radioed Kendra to room 230 to file an incident report. As she entered the room in her tailored
business suit and heels, Rob said a little too loudly " this man is deceased!" The police woman
arrived at that very moment and came rushing through the open door to where the dead man lay
face down on the floor. The officer reached down and firmly tapped his large back saying "sir, sir!"
She might as well have knocked on a wooden block, the sound it made was sickening. When he
didn't respond she rolled him over with a horrible crunching noise. The heavy set man had bushy
long hair and a full beard and mustache. His face was a deep purple gray color from where the
blood had pooled and his lips were puckered up like a blow fish from the pressure release after
death. His body was frozen with death and his arm was stuck in the folded position across his
chest. The police officer said he had been dead at least 10 to 12 hours.
Gina had worked with Rob all of her 10 years at the Sheraton and she knew he was the man to call
in these strange situations. She believed once a cop, always a cop. This situation was strange
indeed. There was another man in room 230 who was very thin, incredibly nervous, and a little
scary looking to her; that came down to the housekeeping office early that morning to borrow a
plunger. In all of her 10 years no guest had ever made the effort to walk to housekeeping verses
calling and then offered to actually plunge their own toilet! So she gladly obliged him. Once he
returned it a short time later he asked her to call the police, because he felt his friend was very
sick. Most likely the overweight man had a drug overdose or a massive heart attack triggered by
his obesity and drug use. It was a fairly gruesome scene but again nothing Rob hadn't seen before.
Young Kendra however who was all of 23 years old and always smiles was as white and serious
as an ivory statue. She looked Rob right in the eyes and said "I'll need you to take care of this
incident report Rob, I need to get back down stairs, excuse me everyone."
Kendra barely made it to the elevator before the sobs rang out. She composed herself as best she
could until she reached her office, where she completely lost control of her emotions and her four
limbs. They were shaking violently and her teeth chattered through her sobs.
Rob made out the incident report as asked and stayed to assist the police officers clear out room
230. Rob went to the front office to distribute the copies of the incident report. He could see
through Kendra's office window that the fire chief was with her. He could hear him calmly
explaining that she was in shock and adrenaline was causing her arms and legs to jump that way.
Rob no longer saw the new young executive as a threatening competitor but instead his own
granddaughter, who was almost Kendra's age, sitting there traumatized. Why was she having to go
through this right now? Jealousy. Rob hated being bald, fat, old, and retired from his powerful
career. Seeing someone who had their whole life ahead of them twisted his stomach with envy.
Jealousy could be so cruel.
By: Natalie Drury
All Rights Reserved
Rob Meager had been the Director of Security for 15 years and he had just about enough of being
shown up by Miss "Know it all". He would show her what hotel management was really about. He
was so tired of her new ideas and changes "for the better".
Rob had been called to room 230 by Gina, who ran the housekeeping department, for a "very
serious situation", as she put it. Yep, the guy was dead alright, but he'd seen many dead people in
his 25 year cop career. This was the opportunity he had been waiting on to show the new young
and beautiful operations director who was really in charge around here. After all she was the
"manager on duty" and should be involved in this situation.
Rob radioed Kendra to room 230 to file an incident report. As she entered the room in her tailored
business suit and heels, Rob said a little too loudly " this man is deceased!" The police woman
arrived at that very moment and came rushing through the open door to where the dead man lay
face down on the floor. The officer reached down and firmly tapped his large back saying "sir, sir!"
She might as well have knocked on a wooden block, the sound it made was sickening. When he
didn't respond she rolled him over with a horrible crunching noise. The heavy set man had bushy
long hair and a full beard and mustache. His face was a deep purple gray color from where the
blood had pooled and his lips were puckered up like a blow fish from the pressure release after
death. His body was frozen with death and his arm was stuck in the folded position across his
chest. The police officer said he had been dead at least 10 to 12 hours.
Gina had worked with Rob all of her 10 years at the Sheraton and she knew he was the man to call
in these strange situations. She believed once a cop, always a cop. This situation was strange
indeed. There was another man in room 230 who was very thin, incredibly nervous, and a little
scary looking to her; that came down to the housekeeping office early that morning to borrow a
plunger. In all of her 10 years no guest had ever made the effort to walk to housekeeping verses
calling and then offered to actually plunge their own toilet! So she gladly obliged him. Once he
returned it a short time later he asked her to call the police, because he felt his friend was very
sick. Most likely the overweight man had a drug overdose or a massive heart attack triggered by
his obesity and drug use. It was a fairly gruesome scene but again nothing Rob hadn't seen before.
Young Kendra however who was all of 23 years old and always smiles was as white and serious
as an ivory statue. She looked Rob right in the eyes and said "I'll need you to take care of this
incident report Rob, I need to get back down stairs, excuse me everyone."
Kendra barely made it to the elevator before the sobs rang out. She composed herself as best she
could until she reached her office, where she completely lost control of her emotions and her four
limbs. They were shaking violently and her teeth chattered through her sobs.
Rob made out the incident report as asked and stayed to assist the police officers clear out room
230. Rob went to the front office to distribute the copies of the incident report. He could see
through Kendra's office window that the fire chief was with her. He could hear him calmly
explaining that she was in shock and adrenaline was causing her arms and legs to jump that way.
Rob no longer saw the new young executive as a threatening competitor but instead his own
granddaughter, who was almost Kendra's age, sitting there traumatized. Why was she having to go
through this right now? Jealousy. Rob hated being bald, fat, old, and retired from his powerful
career. Seeing someone who had their whole life ahead of them twisted his stomach with envy.
Jealousy could be so cruel.
By: Natalie Drury
All Rights Reserved