A Ridiculed Night in The Unknown

Creaking halls and lit candles never spooked me. Intrigued, sure, but I had thick skin. Nothing titled 'scary’ affected me. My two friends, Andie and Fatima had always tried to break that barrier. I don’t know why they were so dedicated to do so. Every year, they’d be doing something that always got too far out of hand.

This year, Andie had convinced me and even Fatima to stay in this ½ star rated American “torturer” haunted hotel, and unfortunately, it was just outside our state. In the pictures, it looked horrible. It was an older hotel, only three stories, and nobody worked there during the night, meaning you’re required to check in during the day and stay alone during the night. It was silly. But I’d be wrong if I said I didn’t want to check it out.

Despite the chances of likeliness, Andie’s mastermind plan to scare might actually work; staying in places I’m not familiar with irks me in a way nothing has before. I guess it’s one of my ‘phobias’. Either way, I’ll be sure that both Andie and Fatima get fooled again just because I didn’t show my scarceness on my face. We’ll see how that goes, though.

*

A duffle bag of mine was hauled into Fatima’s dads truck bed. He apparently let her borrow it for the trip, which was going to be a five hour drive.

“Thanks for the help, Manny!” Fatima shouted out of the passenger seat to her brother, Manny, who was still loading the rest of Andie’s things.

“No hay problema.” He responded, already walking away up the driveway, shooting one more glance to the three of us.

We all had agreed– well, except Andie, that Andie will drive us three hours. Then I and Fatima will finish the last two. Only since this was all her idea of course. I was stuffed in the small backseats of the truck, which actually wasn’t terrible since I was the only one.

About thirty minutes in, I plop my phone down. No internet. Fatima’s house wasn’t too far from the countryside, and it only took about twelve minutes to get pretty deep down south, which was the way we were headed.

“So Andie, how’d you convince Fatima to go? Let alone provide this nice ride.” I finally remark after a few minutes of looking out the window.

“Didn’t take much, actually. All I had to do was remind her this was still about you and that promise we made when we were young.” Andie blatantly replied. “Oh– and the ride, don’t know. I do know her brother said her dad was lending it to her… But,” Andie paused, “I have a feeling that isn’t the case.” A chuckle slipped out.

I noticed Fatima eyeing Andie from the corner of her eye with a playful smirk.

“Not true!” Fatima nudged Andie with her elbow.

*

A quarter til 3 o’clock, and we were nearing the end of Fatima’s turn for driving. We only had about an hour and 26 minutes before we got there in the city of the hotel. I was still cramped in the back, and also had just woken up from a stuffy nap.

“Sleep well? Won’t be long til you’re the one sittin’ up here stiff.” Fatima nagged.

“Yeah well unlike the two of you, we’ll finally be safe on the road. You guys are reckless and barely even have experience driving a truck– I drive my uncle's truck all the time!” I croak after a moment went by of me sitting up and waking myself.

Fatima exits the highway and finds a local, older looking gas station. It’s unpleasant. Unwelcoming. Just like every other thing is this trashed small town.

“I’m gonna run inside real quick, okay?” I said to Fatima and Andie. They both nod in acknowledgement.

I step outside of the truck. A cold, hostile breeze was invited into the atmosphere. The town was oddly silent. The air carried an eerie reminder that this was the last place we’d want to be stuck in for longer than needed. I quickly make my way down into the gas station’s store. A quiet bell rang and I let myself in.

“We’re closed!” The counterman jeered.

I flinched at the sudden shout from the side of me. “Oh– I didn’t see a sign outside. Sorry.” My eyes found the shaggy bearded man, I gaped for a moment.

“Yeah, well, g’yet on out before I make ya!” He demanded.

I waste no time following his command. Only God would know what’d he do next if I didn’t scurry on out already. I pace back up to the truck.

“Woah, what’s up? Did you get what you were looking for in there?” Andie noticed the petrified glare in my eyes.

“Quite the opposite.” Was my response. I slam the truck door behind me, sitting in the driver's seat. Fatima was in the car too. We didn’t speak.

*

“We’re hereeee!!” Andie squeals from the back as I pull into a very sketchy parking lot filled with old, dirty cars that seemed like they’d been left there since 1985. The air was murky and thick, despite being in the middle of fall.

“Really? This is it?” I said, my eyes still wandering around.

“Mhm.” Andie hummed.

We parked at the very end, close to the short forest that was hidden behind the building. Andie was the first out, already hauling all of our stuff out. Fatima was next, rushing over to help. I was now alone in the car. I sit for a moment. Thinking. What did I really get myself into?

“El!” Andie shouted. “Get out here and start helping now!”

“Okay! Okay.” I hop out.

After we unpacked all of our stuff, me, Andie, and Fatima agreed to go ask someone who worked there if they had any luggage carts.

We made our way to the front doors, which were visibly old and rusted. Andie held the door for me and Fatima, Fatima did the same with the next set of doors. I was the first one to enter the actual building. When I stepped in, it felt like the air shifted, unlike I’ve ever felt before. The walls were yellow– and something brown stained one of them which seemed to be hidden behind a chair. Fatima and Andie stepped in behind me. Their eyes didn’t wander for as long as mine did.

“Are you kidding me?” Andie said.

“What?” I said, my head turning in the same direction as hers.

“Look! Who’s working here?” Andie beckons a hand at the front desk which appears to be left untouched.

“Nobody it looks like. . .” Fatima admits.

I walk over to the front desk, peaking behind it. Despite it looking tidy– everything looked old and yellow. Paperwork was sat next to one of the two old box screen computers.

“Andie, are you sure this place isn't abandoned?” I said after some time.

“I mean, I checked? I don’t know why they would. Hold on. . . Maybe we’re not at the right address.” Andie conceded.

A scoff. I noticed a telephone, an old one, and next to it were three sticky notes. One noted “staff assistance” with a number on it. Another noted “boss”.

“Hey guys, come he-” I paused halfway through turning my head. Andie was walking out and Fatima was gone. “Hey wait! Where’re you guys going?” I shout.

“We’re going outside to put our stuff back in the truck and call this place.” Andie shouts back before going out completely.

I sigh, eyeing the telephone again. Suddenly, it began ranging. My heart felt like I had just gone down a rollercoaster. I settled down as it rang for a few more seconds. My hand shadowed over it, debating whether to answer it. I did. A voice came through on the other end.

“Hello?” A woman’s voice said. It sounded like Andie.

“Andie!” I said.

“Eliana?” She said.

“Jesus. I know you said you’d call this place but I didn’t expect it to ring from the telephone inside here.” I said. A moment of silence followed.

“Me neither. . . Me and Fatima are heading back in now.”

About 6 minutes later, nobody came in. Not Fatima. Not even Andie. I walk to the front door, peering outside. It was dark. Nighttime. So dark I could barely make out the red stop sign down the street. What? How? We arrived here at 4:36– how could it possibly already be night? I tug on the door. It didn’t open. I pull hard. As hard as I can. Nothing. My breath grew heavier. I tug, and tug, and tug. I finally gave up, stumbled backward. I turn around, the lights are dimly lit. The room's air was cold and uncomfortable. Goosebumps trickled down my neck down to my arms.

“Hello?” I said, my voice gentle. Less of actually looking for if someone was there or not, but more for my own comfort. No response, of course.

I took a step forward, but when I was about to take another, the telephone rang. Loud. Echoing in the chilling atmosphere of the lobby. I turn and saunter toward it, prepared to answer.

“Andi-”

“Where the hell are you Eliana? Wait– how did you pick up the phone if I’m looking at the phone right now- what the hell is happening?” Andie spat.

“I. . . I don’t know.” I answered, my breath shaky. “Crap, Andie, I don’t know what the fuck is happening. I- It’s nighttime for me and I-” I paused. “I just- I don’t fucking know.” I was nearing the possibility of completely freaking out.

“What?” Andie questioned.

For a moment, I was unresponsive. “Ever since you left and said you were coming back, you never did. That was almost 10 minutes ago. I was gonna go back out– but I couldn’t.”

“What the hell do you mean you couldn’t? How? And– nighttime?” Andie entreats.

“Look, I don't understand either. What I mean by I couldn’t, is I wasn’t able to get the door open. Like it just. . . Didn’t open.” I declared.

“Holy shit. You’re right. Fuck. El I can’t get this fucking door open.” Andie attested. I could hear the faint static of the door being pulled.

“Andie, is Fatima with you?” I finally said.

“No.” Andie admitted.

“Shit. You need to call her. You’re on your phone, right?”

“Craaap. Yeah, I’m on my phone. You don’t have yours though?”

“Yeah, I never brought mine in. Do you think Fatima has hers with her?”

“Yeah, definitely. She had it when we both went outside. Wait. I just thought of something– crap. I need to call her right now. She could still be outside. I need to go. I’ll call back. . . Just be safe.” Andie explained, and before I could respond it was too late. The line ended.

*

It was nearing dawn. It was weird how time worked. . . In this place. It felt like only twenty minutes had passed after Andie hung up on me. I was sitting at the edge of one of the filthy couches in the lobby. The front desk was still in view. This whole time, I was waiting for Andie to call back, but she never did. I should still be patient, because maybe she got help from Fatima. Or, something worse happened. I stand up, making my way to the telephone. I look at the sticky note beside the one with listed “staff assistance”, the one that wrote “boss”. Maybe I should give it a ring.

I dial the number through the numbers on the telephone, beeping after each click. I finally had typed the number in full. Here goes nothing.

Ring. . . Ring. . . Ring. . .

Someone had picked up. Or, something. Either way, all I was able to hear was silence. The static in the faint background grew louder before something grunted. It sounded like a man.

“Hello?” My voice was probably so quiet that the other line could barely hear what I said.

“Wh- why– why- wh-” The other line repeated. It sounded like it was glitching. The voice was a male.

“W-what?” I crooned.

Nothing. Silence fell so quiet that even the static in the background was nearly noiseless. It affected the whole room. Something began to ring in my ear. My eyes go wide– and my face pale. I threw the phone and gasped, nearly falling backward as I stumbled to the side.

A few minutes later, and I was still as stiff as a scarecrow. Alert. My eyes darted back and forth. The phone was still connected, and I could hardly hear that the static was building up again.

“Lea- le- leave!” The glitching voice demanded from the other line.

Tears coated my eyes and I trek forward to the front desk, pulling up the telephone by the cord, bringing it back to my ear.

“I can’t. I can’t leave.” I sniffle.

“Th- the- the- then. . . You’re going to- t- to d- die.” The voice glitched once more.

I didn’t say anything because only fear spoke to me, taunting me in the ear. I gulped that fear down, pressing down the phone so it hung up. I turned around and faced the elevator that stood between both the right and left hallway. I walk forward with a steady pace. Turning left first, the dim light only reached halfway until the rest of the hallway was pitch black.

Suddenly, something started to scratch the wall, it was coming from the hallway behind me. It sounded like long strides of something, and it got closer, and closer. I take a step back, fear prickling my senses. It came out of the dark. It was a long, thin shadowy figure with long limbs and a drooping face with many sharpened teeth. Its eyes were white with a completely black pupil that grew bigger at the sight of me. It growled. Maybe out of hunger– or fear, or maybe to scare me off. Either way it made me dash down the other hallway into the pitch back.

I ran just as fast as I could. But too fast. I tripped and fell flat on my stomach, knocking the wind out of me. I gasp, still glued to the floor. I heard that haunting scratching again. Along with it came that eerie growling. I bare my teeth, clenching my jaw as I attempt to get back up to my feet. I failed. I turned around so I was facing the noise. It drew closer until I saw its white eyes appear in the pelting black of the hallway.

Its face moved closer to mine, until it was only a few inches away. It smelled of carcases and rotting of some sort. Its mouth opened, revealing the sharp teeth. As it inched closer I backed up, until I was fully on the ground. My breath was loud and my eyes were sheeted with invited tears. Closer, and closer, until there was nothing left of me. It consumed me. Biting and ripping me apart.