Ethan sat at the dinner table, glancing around at his friends. "Did anyone else see anything strange in that building?" he asked, his brow furrowing with concern.
"Dude, it was just a boring waste of time," one of them replied, rolling his eyes. "Nothing interesting happened at all."
After dinner, they feasted on delicious satay and fried rice, savoring each bite. Once they were done, they gathered around to edit the videos on their cameras, including Ethan's. As they sifted through the footage, Ethan couldn't help but feel surprised when they all missed the photos of the strange creatures he had captured.
After extracting the videos they wanted, they handed Ethan his camera back. Later, they settled in to watch a scary movie called "Hamba Setan," and once the credits rolled, they all headed to bed.
Ethan sat on the edge of his bed, staring at the shadows dancing on the wall from the dim light outside. The image of the woman from the building haunted him, her long limbs and plain expression replaying in his mind. As he prepared to head out, a wave of anxiety washed over him. What if he encountered her again? What if the stories about the hotel were true? He could feel his heart racing, each beat echoing the doubts swirling in his head.
He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. The chill in the air sent a shiver down his spine as he pulled on his sweatpants and hoodie. The thought of stepping outside into the dark night filled him with dread, but the pull to investigate was stronger. He felt like a moth drawn to a flame, despite knowing the danger that lurked in the shadows.
When he reached the reception area, the receptionist and guard exchanged glances, their expressions a mix of curiosity and concern. "Where are you headed?" the guard asked, his tone cautious.
Ethan swallowed hard, feeling a knot tighten in his stomach. "I'm just going to the convenience store to buy more film for tomorrow," he said, trying to sound casual as he held up his camera for proof. But the unease in their eyes made his heart race even faster.
"Want us to come with you?" the receptionist asked, her voice laced with worry.
"No, I'll be quick," Ethan replied, forcing a smile that felt more like a grimace. The idea of them tagging along made his skin crawl; he needed to be alone, to confront whatever was drawing him to that building. With a nod, he stepped out into the night, the cool air wrapping around him like a shroud.
As he crossed the threshold of the hotel, fear gripped him like a vice. The silence of the night was deafening, and every rustle of leaves or distant sound made him jump. He hesitated for a moment, glancing back at the warm glow of the hotel, a stark contrast to the darkness ahead. But the thought of the woman, the mysteries of the old hotel, and the strange creatures he had captured on camera propelled him forward. He took a deep breath, steeling himself for whatever awaited him in the shadows. Suddenly his phone rang scaring him out of his wits.
"Hey baby, what are you doing?" His wife's voice crackled through the phone, a hint of concern lacing her words, echoing in the stillness of the night.
"I was in bed, but I stepped out to grab something at the convenience store," he replied, trying to sound casual, though the shadows of the old hotel loomed large in his mind.
"Be careful and hurry back, okay?" she warned, her tone shifting to one of urgency, a stark contrast to the eerie stillness surrounding him.
"Come on, it's a safe country. There are nice, hospitable people everywhere. Even at night, it's safe to walk," he reassured her, a chuckle escaping his lips despite the unease settling in his gut like a heavy stone. "Besides, who would attack a 6'5" well-built guy like me?"
"Just stay safe, alright?" she insisted, her worry palpable, wrapping around him like a thick fog.
"I love you," he said quickly before hanging up, a smile creeping onto his face despite the dread clawing at his insides.
As he stepped into the building, an odd warmth enveloped him, contrasting sharply with the desolation of the night outside. The flickering fluorescent lights cast eerie shadows on the cracked walls, illuminating the peeling wallpaper that seemed to whisper secrets of the past. He felt an inexplicable pull toward the staircase, urging him to ascend. He rushed up the stairs, reaching the 12th floor, when he spotted a staircase that hadn't been there before. Doubt crept in, and he pulled out his pills, swallowing them down, hoping to quell the fear that he was losing his grip on reality.
The moment he set foot on the 13th floor, the air pressure shifted, thickening around him like a heavy blanket. The dim light revealed a corridor lined with doors, their paint chipped and rusting, each one a silent sentinel guarding its own dark mystery. Using his photographic memory, he hurried to the room he had seen the woman in from the drive to the hotel the previous night. Inside, clothes and books lay strewn across the floor, a chaotic mess that mirrored his racing thoughts. The air was thick with dust, and the faint scent of mildew hung in the atmosphere, creating an unsettling ambiance.
He heard whimpers coming from the bathroom to his right, a sound that sent a chill down his spine. Driven by instinct, he opened the door. The bathroom was a disturbing sight; the once-white tiles were now stained and grimy, with a few bloody handprints smeared across the wall, as if someone had clawed their way to escape. Footprints led to the tub, their origins unclear, adding to the unsettling atmosphere. There, sitting in the bathtub, was a woman. She was pregnant, her figure strikingly similar to his wife's, but her white dress was soaked in blood, the fabric clinging to her skin like a second layer.
Her hair hung in tangled strands, obscuring her face, and the dim light flickered, casting shadows that played tricks on his mind. He tapped her gently, and she looked up at him, her eyes filled with fear and despair, a haunting image that would linger in his thoughts long after this moment.