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Before you go further into this,  I want to warn you that this is true story.

I didn't know you,  but I'm the one who found you. Its no disrespect to you, so I hope you do not point me out when I get to where you are. I want to share your impact in my life. I am not sure if it impact me greatly or not, but the image will never be erased.

So, the reader(that means you), you can stop here. Or you can give into your curiosity and read on.

Like I said, this is true story.
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It was either 2011 fall or 2012 spring.
I was working at a motel on HWY 99 in Lynnwood, WA. Now, if you know the area, you might think of all the junkies, hookers, and homeless, but I can say this place wasn't much like that.  It wasn't a bad place to work at. Of course, you have your difficult customers but that's every business.

The day started out as usual. My shift started at 7 AM, clocking in, read e mails, keep the breakfast area flowing, get the house keepers going, and check people out as needed.

The check out time was 10 AM, pretty much expected people to leave by 10 AM. I was more flexible and let people stay until noon because I thought 10 AM was early, so even though I acted like I didn't like it, I let many people stay until 12.

It was around 10 and that's when I would ask all the house keepers which room checked out and which hasn't. If they haven't,  I normally called the room for a bit of reminder. I normally tell the house keepers to give people an hour and report back at 11. Most of people normally check out by that time or relay back to ask for 1 more hour, which I allowed.

I remember that most of people checked out around 10. I asked the house keeper and they said 1 room is occupied and still sleeping. I said to let them sleep for another hour. 11, I asked to check the room again,  and they said the room is empty, so I went about the business and checked people out of the system. About 20 minutes later, another house keeper tells me that the room is actually still occupied and person is still asleep. I said I'll check the room.

In those situations, I normally have to put on my manager persona and tell them to leave. So same in this situation, I walked up to the room and knocked on the door and said this is the manager and you have to leave. Normally, in this situation you hear some moving sound or someone would respond saying they need few more moment; this time, nothing. It was about 10 minutes after my house keeper told me someone was still sleeping in the room, and I thought person has already left. So I got in the room with master key. Once again, if someone was in the room, they will say something when I try to enter the room or make movement or person may have left without saying anything. 

I walked in.
No movement of person, no sounding of running water for shower; I didn't think of much. I turned around to go back to the office. As I turned to walk out of room, my peripheral vision caught it. My peripheral caught her.

I turned around and saw her....
Laying at the edge of the bed, so I knew why my housekeeper thought no one was there.

Her head was facing the wall, which was opposite of the door so I didn't see her face right away. Body widespread with half of the body falling off the bed.

I walked up slowly to her saying "Ma'am? Are you ok? I'm from the front office. Ma'am?".

No response....

I turn the corner of the bed and saw the face and the eyes. The mouth slightly opened and the eyes, the soulless eyes.
The soulless eyes that is embedded in my head.

With hope, I nudged her and asked again, "ma'am?", hoping she will gasp for air and respond. But I already knew she wasn't going to.

I been to funerals before and I seen a dead body before. Not like the warmth or energy you get from alive person, when you see a dead person, you feel nothing.  It's like a shell without a content. I felt the same when I saw her and that's how I knew she wasn't going to respond.

After that first nudge, I didn't touch anything else except a wallet on the bed end table, hoping it would tell me about this person. I grabbed the wallet with my shirt not wanting to leave finger print and saw she was a part of Indian tribe, famous one, Tulalip Indian Tribe. I inspected the room without touching anything else.  I seen enough criminal shows to know I shouldn't tamper with crime scene. So next question is how did she die?  I didn't see any blood and any struggle. She was fully clothed so possibly no sexual activities or rape. But biggest hint was the big red needle mark on her inner elbow with spider web like blood vein. This is overdose.

I walked back to the office, radio all house keepers to keep out of the room. And called 911. Report DOA due to OD and they said they are on their way. Also called my boss as well. Lot of motels or lodges makes copies of IDs of customer renting the room, we were no different. I open the file and notice her ID was not scanned in. It was two white people; one male and one female. Looked at the checked in paper, paid cash and checked in around 11 PM.

So, it means,  this person came after they checked in and party with them. Probably doing heroin as heroin is only possible drug using needles. Probably gave her more than enough and OD. Panic that she died and instead of calling ambulance, decided to run. Probably had warrants, so not risking getting caught, they ran.
This is open and shut case.

A bit later, a detective and ambulance came. I opened the door for them,  they asked if I touched anything which I said I did by nudging her once and checked the wallet. I then stood outside. A bit later, they took the body in the stretcher. Whitesheet over her face; meaning she has deceased. Probably would be able to tell the time of death by rigor mortis/ stiffness of the body, as I was thinking. 

At 3 PM, my boss came and my shift ended.

Rest in peace.