The VHS remembers

“What brings you out to the coast this time of year? You’re not planning on going for a swim I hope, unless it’s in the indoor pool.” The receptionist said.

“I just wanted to get away to somewhere nice and quiet, that’s all.” Elena chuckled.

“Well, you’ve come to the right place dear. The only thing you’ll find loud in this hotel is your thoughts. Or the wretched tinnitus.” The receptionist replied.

2

           The box television caught her off guard. It had a working VCR within it as well. Elena couldn’t remember the last time she had seen one. There was no cable and her cellphone had no service either. Quiet indeed. There was a small stack of VHS tapes beside the television, ranging from the light-hearted Mr. Bean to the dark irony of The Shining. Elena opted for the indoor pool.

3

           The walls were floor to ceiling tile, and there was a giant circular air vent that hung over the pool. It was dark and caked with dust. The motor gave her a small start when the vent roared to life. Every footstep and splash of water seemed to echo for eternity in this room. After a quick swim, Elena wrapped herself in a towel and wandered back to her floor, opting for the stairs. Elena wondered how long it would take to get help if she got stuck in the elevator, given how empty this place was. When Elena made it back to her floor, she heard the ding of the elevator echo down the hallway. Was there another guest here after all?

           The ‘guest’ turned out to be the receptionist, pushing a cart with a tray of food.

“Ah, what splendid timing dear! I’ve brought you a complimentary dinner!” The receptionist said.

“Oh, you didn’t have to do that.” Elena chuckled nervously.

“I insist! Well, the manager insisted rather. He was thrilled to know a guest checked in after the holidays. After New Years this place can go unoccupied on some weekdays.” The receptionist said.

“Well, I’m glad I could help out during the slow season.” Elena chuckled.

“We are most grateful. You aren’t one of those fussy vegans though, are you? The cook does not provide many…options for people with such diets.” The receptionist replied.

“Nope, no worries here.” Elena replied, starting to feel uneasy.

“Good. The cook is not inclined to serve rabbit food. Oh, and the manager insisted you watch this tape while you enjoy dinner.” The receptionist said.

“Sure. Um, wh-what’s on it?” Elena stuttered.

“Well, hopefully an explanation on why the air vents at the pool area are left so dusty. I’d take care of it myself if I were younger. I suspect those dust bunnies are likely older than me by now. Perhaps you should mention it to him. Then he might finally hire some help.” The receptionist replied.

“Maybe I will if I get the nerve.” Elena replied.

“Perhaps you’ll be more comfortable around him once you’ve watched the tape.” The receptionist said.

“Do you know what’s on the tape?” Elena asked.

“Oh heaven’s no. He likes to make customary tapes for our guests now and then. If it were something inappropriate, I’m sure I would have heard about it by now. So, you needn’t worry.” The receptionist said.

“I’d love to watch it but,”

           Elena’s cheeks grew hot when the receptionist grinned.

“Oh my. You’ve never used a VCR in your life, have you?” The receptionist asked.

“I…um, no.” Elena replied sheepishly.

“I weep for your childhood, dear. Well, unlock your door please. We don’t want your steak to get cold.”

4

           The receptionist turned on the television, then showed her the correct way to insert the tape. She hit the stop button immediately before it could play.

“Just press play when you’re ready dear. It should be self-explanatory from there.” The receptionist said, then dismissed herself.

           Elena ate her steak first while the screen remained blue in front of her. Then, she got up and pressed play before moving on to her mashed potatoes. There was a brief moment of snowy static, before a classroom emerged before her. It was an overhead view, and no desks were spared from the camera’s gaze. There was a moment of grainy overlay as the VHS tape transferred from one recording to the next.

           Elena coughed and hacked on her mashed potatoes when she recognized her younger self; who stood up from her desk when her teacher left the room. Her younger self turned in a sheet of paper, before discretely slipping a pill into the unattended cup of coffee.

           She dropped her fork on the tray and pushed it away from her.

“Oh God.” Elena blurted out.

           She got up and tossed the rest of her food in the trashcan as the VHS replayed a memory she spent years trying to forget:

Mr. Black excused himself for a quick restroom break. When he returned, he took a sip of his coffee, hoping it would give him enough energy for his next class. Entertaining high school students as he did, took its toll. After a few gulps, Mr. Black stuck out his tongue and tossed the remainder of his coffee in the trash.  

“Apparently the barista mistook mocha for dog shit.” He said, making the class laugh. “What are you smiling at?” he asked Elena a moment later.

“You’re still funny…sometimes.” She replied.

“I suppose only a person’s suffering would be considered humorous to you.” Mr. Black replied.

           Elena rubbed her index finger and thumb together.

“Boo-hoo, first world problems. It’s coffee from Starbucks, what did you expect?” she chuckled.

“At least something that doesn’t taste like dog shit!”

           After that everyone quieted down and worked on their assignments. Then, a rumbling sound suddenly caught everyone’s attention. When it happened again, a few students looked up and saw Mr. Black had grown pale. He grimaced but couldn’t prevent himself from ripping a loud one. Elena was the first to giggle, followed by others.

“Looks like I might need to have a conversation with that barista after all.” He said, beginning to stand.

“I have to ask, is flatulence a common side effect of covid?” Elena asked.

           Mr. Black turned and glared at her, realizing why she smiled earlier. But, before he could say anything, he felt his stomach rumble again, and he rushed out of the classroom. Elena smiled and turned back to the book on her desk and continued reading. It was a lesson learned for Mr. Black, never to leave an open cup of coffee unattended in a room full of students.  

           The VHS overlayed, and showed the classroom two weeks later:

Mr. Black returned to work from his two-week hiatus. After he spent nearly two hours hugging the toilet in the teacher’s restroom, the school had quarantined him due to the reemerging Covid-19 panic going on in the U.S. The school administration was nothing but liberal cucks to him, who refused to listen to his pleas. It was simple. He was pranked by a student who put laxatives in his coffee.  

           The automotive class started at 9:00 A.M. Elena, as expected, showed up to class ten minutes late.  

“Let me guess, was the short bus tardy again?” Mr. Black asked Elena, making the class crack up.

“I sure hope you packed some Imodium, so we don’t have to breathe in your radioactive flatulence!” Elena mocked, making the class laugh. 

“You shut your potty mouth.” Mr. Black replied.

“I bet the janitor calls you Chernobyl man after the hazmat scene you left on the potty for him!” Elena giggled.

           The VHS overlayed again and Elena jumped when Mr. Black appeared before her on the screen. He was seated with the camera facing directly at him.

“I was quarantined for two weeks because the administration thought I had covid. Now talk about a load of shit.” Mr. Black said.

           Elena swallowed hard.

“Speaking of a load of shit, I’m sure you’re feeling rather queasy now, don’t you?”

           Elena’s stomach growled impatiently and she grew pale. A shaky groan escaped her mouth, and she grabbed a water bottle before running to the bathroom. It all came rushing out of her seconds later. Elena bared down and buried her face in her hands.

           A loud beep from the tv startled her later. Elena whimpered and her legs trembled weakly as she stood up. She wrapped a towel around herself, praying she wouldn’t have another bowel movement before returning to the toilet. The television had a blue screen again, and a continuous beep that unsettled her. Elena stopped the tape immediately and turned the television off. The beeping noise made her ears ring. How did she get unlucky enough to book the one hotel he happened to manage? Was it just a strange coincidence, or did he go through all this trouble just to get vengeance? The thought made her nauseous all over again and she rushed back to the bathroom.

5

           What felt like a colonoscopy cleanse ended about an hour later. Elena grabbed her car keys, but a dizzy spell struck her like a tidal wave. She stumbled into bed and closed her eyes, trying to ward it away. But sleep pulled her under soon enough.

           A ‘housekeeping!’ alarm woke her up around 9:00am that morning. The maid let herself in without waiting for a response. Elena groaned, feeling too weak to get out of bed. The maid waved her off, assuming she was hungover, and started cleaning.

“Ay, Dios Mio!” Elena heard from the bathroom several minutes later.

           Her face reddened and she sheepishly pulled the bed sheets over herself, pretending to be asleep until the maid left. Elena started drifting off again until the hotel phone startled her awake. She groaned, wishing she could just get some sleep in peace. It was likely her mother, trying to contact her since her cellphone had no service.

“Mom?” Elena uttered into the phone.

“Ready for your colonoscopy miss?” A voice on the other end asked.

           A frightened moan escaped her mouth.

“Bet you want mommy now, don’t ya?” Mr. Black mocked.

           Elena slammed the phone down and unplugged the cord. She pulled her coat over her pajamas and grabbed her car keys.

6

“Where are you off to on this brisk morning?” The receptionist asked, giving her a start.

“J-just getting some breakfast, that’s all.” Elena said.

“We have a complimentary breakfast you know. Was your dinner not satisfactory?” The receptionist asked.

           Elena’s stomach growled and she involuntarily grimaced.

“Oh dear. Your face says it all. I shall have a word with the cook at once.” The receptionist said.

“N-no. That’s not necessary. It’s okay.” Elena replied nervously.

“Oh, but it is. Making a guest ill is not acceptable. The last thing we need is one careless employee to jeopardize our jobs.” The receptionist said.

“Okay, um, if you insist. I should be going now.” Elena replied.

           Elena wondered if Mr. Black was acting alone or if everyone here was in on it.

“In your pajamas? You’re not skipping town are you dear? I beg you not to allow one careless cook to tarnish your stay at this place. We cannot afford a negative review. Allow us to make it right.” The receptionist said.

“I-I’m just dressing comfortably that’s all. I’ll be back don’t worry.” Elena chuckled nervously, then quickly left to the parking garage.

7

           It was so eerily deserted still. Elena doubted this garage ever reached its capacity. She walked down two levels, wondering if the echoes she heard were other footsteps besides her own. When Elena found her SUV, she wasted no time putting her key into the ignition. There was no hint of life when she turned the key.

“No, no, no,”

           Elena dug her jump box out from the trunk and popped open the hood.

“Wh-wh-what??” She stuttered in disbelief.

           The battery was gone. Elena’s right thumb plugged into her mouth as she felt her sanity begin to slip. The glass from her windshield suddenly exploded like a grenade and Elena screamed. The battery had fallen through it from the level above. Elena shivered and went pale as moonlight when she saw him grinning at her.

“I figured we would disconnect the battery so it wouldn’t die on ya. Just a friendly courtesy.” Mr. Black said.

           Elena whimpered and sprinted for a nearby elevator. The doors creaked open and she leapt inside, causing the elevator to shutter and drop an inch down. It was old and did not appreciate being jumped into. Elena pressed the ‘Lobby’ button frantically. She would have to find a hotel phone and call the police before he could get his hands on her. Elena backed against the wall and her heart fluttered in her chest like a trapped hummingbird, as the elevator stopped on the next level up. A nervous squeak escaped her mouth as the doors opened. A maid with a rolling cart wandered in, looking uneasy after seeing Elena cowering against the wall.

“P-P-Policia?” Elena stuttered.

           The maid studied her for a moment, then lifted the towel that was covering the sides of her cart.

“Gracias.” Elena squeaked, then quickly crawled under.

           The elevator went up to the hotel lobby, then Elena stayed inside the cart as it rolled to another elevator.

“Going down.” The automated voice of the elevator spoke.

           Elena swallowed hard. Perhaps the maid was finding a hiding spot for her. The cart rolled for some time before stopping abruptly. She heard the maid walking away now, hopefully to call for help.  

“Come on out dear.” A voice spoke.

           Elena’s nerves went numb as a corpse. She whimpered as she crawled out.

“Have a seat why don’t you?”

           Elena’s hands crossed protectively over her chest, and she remained standing.

“Your behavior has been most peculiar.” The receptionist said.

           They were in a large room with a low plaster ceiling. Dull fluorescents droned on above them. This appeared to be the basement level, which almost looked like an abandoned Sears.

“S-someone smashed my windshield.” Elena said.

“I will notify the authorities at once. Do have a seat dear, you appear ready to faint any second.” The receptionist said.

           Elena felt her right eye twitch, and she reluctantly sat down in a chair.

“Please, someone here is after me. I-I need to leave.” Elena begged.

“No one besides employees have access to this level. You’ll be safe here.” The receptionist replied.

“N-no! It’s an employee th-that’s after me! That’s why I got s-sick from the food!” Elena cried.

“Don’t tell me, the cook was a former lover of yours, wasn’t he? I’ve had suspicions that he sniffs around girls that are much too young for him.” The receptionist said.

“N-n-no!” Elena yelped, her face flushing as she started to get flustered. “It’s the manager. He used to be my teacher in high school. Please, h-he holds a grudge and wants to hurt me.”

           Tears began to roll down her face.

“Oh, don’t you cry now dear.” The receptionist said.

           Elena flinched before the receptionist pulled her into an embrace.

“We’ll keep you safe down here until the authorities arrive.” The receptionist said.

           Elena whimpered and trembled in her grasp.

“I’ve noticed his gradual decent into madness.” The receptionist said, brushing Elena’s tears off her face.

“You have?” Elena replied with an awkward crack in her voice.

“Yes. Insolent children tend to drive adults to it.” The receptionist said.

           Elena’s heart seized in her chest as she felt the receptionist’s nails digging into her arms.

“No!” Elena cried, trying to squirm away.

“You misbehaving brats think you can weasel your way out of facing consequences?” The receptionist hissed.

           Elena could hear the squeak of a rolling wheelchair, and to her horror she saw Mr. Black pushing it towards them. Her amygdala hijacked her brain, and Elena swiftly headbutted the receptionist before scrambling free. The pain rushed to her head like a tidal wave and Elena stumbled into a pillar after succumbing to dizziness. She yelped when she felt the receptionist grab the back of her neck. When Elena yanked herself away, the receptionist’s nails tore into the back of her shirt, ripping a large hole in it. A punch to the ribs knocked the wind out of her, and the world began to spin again.

“No more for me tanks!” Elena slurred as Mr. Black yanked her up by her hair.

           Elena wrapped her arms around his leg, pleading for mercy. She now understood the true meaning of fear, and that karma always kept receipts no matter how long it’s been. And in a liminal space like this basement, the world’s memory of her could be forgotten soon enough if she couldn’t find a way out.

           They strapped her to the wheelchair, then Mr. Black rolled out a TV cart a moment later. It reminded her of the ones her elementary teachers used to roll out in the early 2000’s, for a movie day. Mr. Black and the receptionist gathered a stack of chairs and spread them out around her, all facing the television.

           Other employees arrived from the elevators soon enough. Mr. Black instructed them all to take a seat.

“Welcome to our next case. If any jurors wish to be dismissed, speak up now.” Mr. Black said.

           The room remained eerily silent.

“Then we shall commence by watching this found footage of the defendant. It is up to you all to decide whether she is guilty or innocent.” Mr. Black said.

           Elena whimpered helplessly. The sound of her desperation echoed through the basement, and was left unanswered in the shadows.