Ocean Mist Resort
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St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
“We have a guest room for you,” said the front desk clerk in a cheerful voice as he handed me my key card. “And we can take care of your luggage right away.”
I followed him to the elevators and nodded. I was too tired to say anything at all. I didn’t even bother to thank him. The elevator door closed on his surprised face, and I let out a deep breath.
It had been a long day. I’d arrived at the airport in Miami, Florida, after flying from London, England. The flight had been uneventful—a bit cramped, but nothing that couldn’t be endured. After the flight, I’d taken a taxi to the resort, where I’d checked into my room and then gone out to the poolside bar for a drink.
A few hours later, I returned to my room to get some sleep before my meeting with the resort’s director the next morning.
I took a step forward and the elevator doors opened again. I stepped inside, looking at the woman who’d just entered. She was tall, slender, and dressed in a bright red bikini. Her dark hair was cut short and styled in a sleek bob. I couldn’t help but notice how her breasts bounced and jiggled as she walked across the floor.
She wore a white tank top and blue shorts. As she passed me, she smiled and gave me a quick wave. I looked away, but not before I caught a glimpse of her perfectly sculpted ass.
I sighed. It was going to be a long week.
I stepped off the elevator and walked down the hall. I looked around. The hotel was a small one-story building. There were two other buildings nearby, but they were about five miles away.
“The rooms are over here,” said the clerk, pointing to a door at the end of the hallway. He started to open it for me, but I stopped him.
“No, thanks,” I said, smiling. “I’ll take the stairs.”
I turned and began walking down the hallway. The walls were painted a soft green, and the carpet was light brown. I stopped at the first door and looked through the glass window. Inside, there was a king-size bed, a TV, and a desk with a chair.
“Is this okay?” I asked.
“Yes, sir,” he said. “We have another room that has a hot tub if you’re interested.”
I nodded and turned to go.
“Mr. Taylor?” called the clerk. “Would you like to use the fitness center or the pool?”
I glanced back at him. “Pool, please,” I said.
He nodded and pointed toward the door. “Right this way.”
I followed him through the hallway, and then we walked down a set of stairs to the ground floor. I followed him across the lobby and into the pool area. It was a large patio surrounded by a six-foot-high wall. The pool was circular and looked out onto the beach. There were several lounge chairs arranged around the pool, and a few people were already sitting on them.
“Thank you,” I said, stepping out of the pool and taking off my trunks.
The clerk nodded and smiled. “If you need anything, just let me know,” he said as he turned to leave.
I took a deep breath and started to walk toward the pool. I felt the water on my skin, and it was wonderful. I looked up at the sun. It was bright and warm. I’d been in the air too long.
I swam for a while, and then I climbed out of the pool. I toweled myself dry and went back inside. I grabbed a drink from the bar and sat down in a lounge chair. I ordered a hamburger and fries. I was hungry.
A few hours later, I went back to my room and changed into a pair of shorts and a t-shirt. I pulled out the folder that held all of the information I’d gathered on the resort. I went over the numbers again and again.
It had been a good year for Ocean Mist. The resort had a steady stream of guests. In fact, they were so busy that they were having a hard time filling all of their rooms. I’d read in the newspaper that the resort was looking to hire more employees. They were even advertising for a new chef.
I pulled out my phone and began to dial.
***
A few minutes later, I was standing outside the hotel. I’d gotten dressed and left my room. I was wearing a pair of black slacks and a blue button-down shirt. I walked through the lobby and out the front door. I looked around. I could see the ocean from where I stood. It was a beautiful day, and there were many people walking along the beach.
I stopped and looked around. A young man was walking toward me. He had short brown hair and wore a black t-shirt and jeans. He was carrying a surfboard under his arm.
“You’re Mr. Taylor, right?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yes, that’s right.”
“My name is John,” he said. “I’m the resort manager here. I have a job for you.”
He held out his hand. I shook it.
“What kind of job?” I asked.
“I need someone to go around and check on some of the cabins on the beach,” he said. “We’ve had a few complaints about them, and we want to make sure they’re in good shape.”
I smiled. “I can do that,” I said.
He glanced at his watch. “Are you free now?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yeah, I am.”
“Great,” he said. “Meet me by the water tower in five minutes.”
I nodded and turned to leave.
“And Mr. Taylor,” he called after me.
I turned back. “Yes?” I asked.
“Please call me John. Everyone does.”
I smiled and nodded. “Okay, John,” I said.
He gave me a thumbs-up and then turned to walk away. I watched him walk across the sand and disappear behind one of the cabins.
I glanced down at my watch. It was 10:00 A.M. I took a deep breath and began to walk toward the water tower.
***
The water tower was a large metal structure with a green roof. It was located on the edge of the property. It had a small concrete platform at the top, and a staircase led up to it. The water tower was painted white and had a black roof.
There were two wooden poles stuck into the ground at the base of the tower. I’d seen them before. They were used to tie the ropes that helped people climb up the side of the tower.
I walked over to the edge of the platform and looked down. It was about fifty feet to the ground. I took a deep breath and then climbed up the stairs. I grabbed onto the wooden poles as I climbed. The first step was difficult, but I managed to get up it.
The second step was easier. I reached out and grabbed the rope. I pulled myself up. I got to the top and looked around.
It was a beautiful day. I could see the ocean from where I stood. It was blue and clear. I looked down and saw the waves crashing against the shore. It was a beautiful sight.
I took a deep breath and then turned to look at the water tower. I walked over to it and looked at the rope. It was a thick, white rope with a red stripe down the middle.
I tied my shoes together and looped the rope around them. I took another deep breath and then jumped.
I fell for a moment before I hit the water. I sank down beneath the surface and kicked my legs. I was able to swim to the surface. I took a deep breath and then swam to the side of the tower. I grabbed hold of the rope and pulled myself up. I was careful not to touch the wooden pole.
I climbed onto the platform and then turned around. I looked down at the water. I could see a few people swimming in the ocean. It was a beautiful day. I took a deep breath and then looked back at the tower.
I took another deep breath and then began to climb down the rope. It was difficult, but I managed to make it to the bottom.
I walked over to the water tower and looked around. The water was about a foot deep. I looked up and saw a large hole in the roof. It was about five feet wide. There were several metal pieces sticking out of it. I guessed that they were some kind of support beams.
I looked around and saw a couple of small wooden planks lying on the ground. They had been cut from the base of the tower. I picked one up and carried it over to the hole. I used it to cover the hole.
I looked around. A few more wooden planks were scattered around. I walked over and picked them up. I moved them to the edge of the hole and stacked them up next to it. Then I took one of them and walked back to the water tower.
I walked back to the side of the tower and placed the plank against it. I pushed my shoe through the plank and tied it to the rope attached to my shoe. Then I walked back to the hole and placed another plank inside it. I tied it off with the rope as well.
When I finished I looked around for a bucket or something that would fit into the hole. I found what I was looking for near where I’d first spotted the plank. It was about two feet long and a foot wide. It was made from a thin piece of wood that was covered in dark brown paint.
The paint had dried and flaked off in places, revealing a lighter brown color underneath. It reminded me of a turtle shell.
I grabbed it and walked back to the side of the tower. I placed it into the hole, tying it to the rope. I repeated this process twice before I was done. My bucket was full. I took the bucket back to where I’d dropped my shoes, and then walked back to the hole.
I put one end of the rope into the bucket, then tied off the other end to the rope attached to my shoe. I took another deep breath and stepped forward.
I jumped into the hole and fell head-first down into it. It was about four feet deep now that I’d added all of the planks to the sides of it. When I surfaced, I could see the ocean just below me.
I took a deep breath and began to climb out of the hole. It was harder than I thought it would be. There was no way that I was going to be able to do anything except climb out with my hands.
My arms felt like lead after I climbed out of the hole and hung over the side of the tower. After several tries, I finally got back to solid ground.
I took another deep breath and looked around. The tower was still standing. It was a beautiful day.
I smiled when I saw a group of men walking across the beach toward me. They must have been watching me from above. I could see them looking down at me.
A few moments later, a man approached me. He looked at the hole that I’d created in the side of the water tower and asked, “Are you alright?”
I nodded and said, “Yes, but there’s not much left in my bucket.”
The man looked disappointed and said, “We’re sorry. You’ll need to fill it again if you want to use the tower to drink from.”
He walked away and I stood there for a moment thinking about everything that had happened today. What a wonderful day this was turning out to be!
The End