Read 27 - A Night in Terror Tower for Free Online Page B

I said, leaning my elbows on the desk. “They’re in the meeting, I think. Can you tell us
where the meeting is?”
    He stared at me for a long moment, his face blank, as if he didn’t
understand. “What meeting is that?” he asked finally.
    I thought hard. I couldn’t remember what the meeting was called. Or what it
was about.
    “It’s the big meeting,” I replied uncertainly. “The one people came from all
over the world for.”
    He twisted his mouth into a thoughtful pout. “Hmmm…”
    “A very big meeting,” Eddie chimed in.
    “We have a problem,” the clerk said, frowning. He scratched his right ear.
“There aren’t any meetings in the hotel this week.”
    I stared back at him. My mouth dropped open. I started to say something, but
the words just didn’t come out.
    “No meetings?” Eddie asked weakly.
    The clerk shook his head. “No meetings.”
    A young woman called to him from the office. He signaled to me that he’d be
right back. Then he hurried over to see what she wanted.
    “Are we in the right hotel?” Eddie whispered to me. I could see the worry
tighten his features.
    “Of course,” I said sharply. “Why do you keep asking me these dumb questions?
I’m not an idiot, you know. Why do you keep asking, is this the right room? Is
this the right hotel?”
    “Because nothing makes sense,” he muttered.
    I started to reply, but the clerk returned to the desk. “May I ask your room
number?” he demanded, scratching his ear again.
    “Six twenty-six,” I told him.
    He punched several keys on his computer keyboard, then squinted at the green
monitor. “I’m sorry. That room is vacant,” he said.
    “What?” I cried.
    The clerk studied me, narrowing his eyes. “There is no one in room 626 at the
present,” he repeated.
    “But we are!” Eddie cried.
    The clerk forced a smile to his face. He raised both hands, as if to say,
“Let’s all remain calm.”
    “We will find your parents,” he told us, leaving the smile frozen on his
face. He punched a few computer keys. “Now, what is your last name?”
    I opened my mouth to answer. But no answer came to my mind.
    I glanced at Eddie. His face was knitted in concentration.
    “What is your last name, kids?” the clerk repeated. “If your parents are in
the hotel, I’m sure we can track them down for you. But I need to know your last
name.”
    I stared blankly at him.
    I had a strange, tingly feeling that started at the back of my neck and ran
all the way down my body. I suddenly felt as if I couldn’t breathe, as if my heart had stopped.
    My last name. My last name…
    Why couldn’t I remember my last name?
    I could feel my body start to shake. Tears brimmed in my eyes.
    This was so upsetting!
    My name is Sue, I told myself. Sue… Sue… what?
    Shaking, tears running down my cheeks, I grabbed Eddie by the shoulders.
“Eddie,” I demanded, “what’s our last name?”
    “I—I don’t know!” he sobbed.
    “Oh, Eddie!” I pulled my brother close and hugged him. “What’s wrong with us?
What’s wrong with us?”

 
 
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    “We have to stay calm,” I told my brother. “If we take a deep breath and just
relax, I’m sure we’ll be able to remember.”
    “I guess you’re right,” Eddie replied uncertainly. He stared straight ahead.
He was gritting his teeth, trying hard not to cry.
    It was a few minutes later. The desk clerk had suggested that we go to the
hotel restaurant. He promised he’d try to find our parents while we ate.
    That suggestion was fine with Eddie and me. We were both starving!
    We sat at a small table in the back of the restaurant. I gazed around the
big, elegant room. Crystal chandeliers cast sparkling light over the
well-dressed diners. On a small balcony overlooking the room, a string quartet
played classical music.
    Eddie tapped his hands nervously on the white tablecloth. I kept picking up the heavy silverware and twirling it in my
hand.
    The tables all around us were filled