Chapter 1 Marion and Sam

Introduction

At first she thought she was dreaming. A hotel, here, in the middle of nowhere? Impossible. She closed her eyes and opened them again. Yes, it was true. There it was. A small sign shining in the night:

BATES MOTEL

'I don't believe it,' she said to herself as she drove towards the sign. 'This is my lucky night.'

Marion Crane is a secretary from Phoenix, Arizona. She is in love with Sam Loomis, who lives far away in Fairvale,Texas. She wants to marry him, but Sam cannot marry her because he doesn't have enough money. So Marion steals $40,000 from her boss and drives away with the money to be with Sam. It's a long, dangerous journey and, not far from Fairvale, Marion gets lost. It's dark, it's raining, she's tired and hungry. If she can find somewhere to stay for just one more night, then all her troubles will be over ...

But for Marion, as she drives through the rain towards the small, quiet motel by the side of the Old Highway, the bad dream is only just beginning.

Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980) made the film Psycho in 1960. Hollywood believed that the book, by Robert Bloch, was impossible to film, but Hitchcock had different ideas. Working in black and white, he made one of Hollywood's most frightening films ever.

Robert Bloch was born in Chicago in 1917. His first book, The Scarf, came out in 1947. He wrote many mystery and science fiction books and stories for television. He also wrote the films Psycho II (1982) and Twilight Zone:The Movie (1983). He died in Los Angeles in 1994.

Chapter 1 Marion and Sam

In a small, dark hotel room in Phoenix, Arizona, Marion Crane was looking at herself in the mirror. She was worried. Her hair was untidy and she was late getting back to work.

'Don't go, Marion,' said a voice from behind her.

Marion looked in the mirror at the young man who was sitting on the bed. She smiled at him sadly. 'I must get back to the office, Sam,' she said. 'My boss is beginning to get worried about these long lunch-hours.'

'But it's Friday afternoon,' Sam said. 'I don't see you very often. Can't you stay?'

'When we're married,' Marion replied, walking across the room to pick up her handbag.

Sam jumped off the bed and stood behind her. He touched the side of her face softly with the back of his hand. 'Can I see you next week?' he said.

'Why?' she said, not looking at him.Tor another secret lunch, hoping that nobody will see us together in a small, cheap hotel room? It's the same every week.'

She turned to Sam, her eyes shining angrily. And then suddenly they softened. 'Oh, Sam,' she said quietly. She rested her face in his hand as she looked up into his eyes. 'Why can't we get married now? I want to be with you all the time. I want to walk along the street with you so that everyone can see us together.'

This time, Sam walked away. He stood alone by the window and looked down at the hot, dry city. 'We can get married when I've paid off all my father's debts,' he said. 'I only need to pay another $11,000.'

'And how long will that take?'

'Two years, maybe three.'

'Oh, Sam,' Marion cried, throwing the handbag onto the bed and running to hold him. 'I can't wait three years. I don't care about the money.' She kissed his face, but she was almost crying.'I want to be with you. I'll leave my job. I'll come and work in your shop.'

'Marion, please. You must understand. I don't want us to be poor when we get married. I want us to be happy. In three years' time, you'll be my wife — Mrs Sam Loomis. I promise.'

Marion sighed and turned round in his arms to rest her head against his shoulder. 'In three years, I'll be twenty-nine,' she thought unhappily.

Then she suddenly remembered that she was late for work. She left Sam by the window, picked up her bag and walked towards the door. 'I have to go, Sam,' she said again. 'I'm late. Mr Lowery will kill me.'

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 891