Motel From Hell

First Day

"You're really good at this. Very thorough. " Chester says from his check in desk. In capri black leggings, and a tshirt I'm cleaning out the lobby. Every window is open to vent out the stale air, and stinging fumes of bleach. The chipped floors are soapy, and shinning with a sheet of water. The yellowing, peeling wallpaper is now pulled from the walls, and there is a pile of old broken furniture sitting outside in a sad pile of ripped upholstery.

"Cleaning is kind of my niche." I respond with a sheepish shrug. I'm scrubbing the floors, scrubbing extra hard at cracks between the tiles to get the black gunk out.

"I didn't even know you were suppose to clean between the cracks." Chester says, leaning on his elbows to look over his desk.

"That's so gross." I cringe, while scrunching my nose. I hold up the sponge in my hand, the spongy service completely black with grime.

"Now that's gross." Chester gags.

"It wouldn't be if you had properly moped." I say, glad I have latex gloves on.

"To be honest you're lucky I moped at all." Chester says, making my skin crawl. Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew, just gross.

"Ms. head of housekeeping you're judgment is hurting my feelings." Chester fringes hurt.

"You're dirty floors are hurting mine." I joke. I get a new sponge, and tuck a loose dirty blonde strand behind my ear.

"I'll finish cleaning the floors, and they'll be like new, and we can pretend this filth never existed." I promise with a smile.

"A wage and another deal of no judgement? You are a tough sell." Chester jokes sarcastically. I grin down at the wet floor, I'm really glad I took this job.

Ding

We both look up at the door, shocked clear as day on our faces at the sound of the bell. That bell only goes off when there's someone walking through the door, and since Chester and I are inside already that can only mean one thing, customers.

Actual customers. A young couple in their twenties stand in the doorway, put off by our shock. A young man with a head of red hair tied up into a man bun raises a brow at us, shadowing a pair of light blue eyes. His Korean girlfriend gives us the same look, her short brown hair high on her head like her boyfriend's bun.

"Hi, is this the bed and breakfast?" The girl asks, her brown almond eyes sweeping over the room. In its current state the lobby looks far from five star hosting, with bare walls, no curtains, no furniture, and practically a puddle on the floor we're not in the shape of hosting, but we're in better shape than before.

"No," Chester answers honestly. "But we are a motel." Chester states, a hopeful gleam in his eyes that screams 'pick me! Pick me!'

"Oh... Just give us a moment." The guy says, looping an arm his girlfriend's shoulders, and pulling her to the side. I get off the floor, and walk up to Chester behind his desk.

"Customers! Actual customers!" I whisper under my breath.

"Wait, I'm listening..." He whispers.

"We're lost, we can't find it, and we can't keep driving all over the state all day." Chester whispers, narrating their conversation through their thoughts.

"I guess we took the wrong exit... And a dozen of wrong turns." Chester continues.

"Our phones are dead, we're almost out of gas, we're starving, and both desperately need a shower. Lets just stay here for tonight." Chester continues, a beaming smile on his face.

"... There goes our reservations." Chester finishes just as the couple turns to us.

"One room please." The girl asks. Chester gives them a toothy smile, and hurriedly fumbles around for a room key. He hands them a bronze key labeled with the number 205.

"Enjoy your stay." Chester says with a charming smile.

Later

"Their pizza should have been here an hour and a half ago." I say, grabbing Chester wrist, and checking his watch. The couple up in the motel called us here in the lobby about their expecting order.

"Speak of the pepperoni, and it shall appear." Chester says, looking out the door at the parking lot. An approaching delivery boy walks into the lobby, a steaming box in his hands.

"They paid by credit so I'll just leave it here." The boy says, then he quickly ducks out of here. Mouth watering sausage, and cheese fills the lobby with thick, heavenly aromas.

"We should have ordered pizza." I say, inhaling deeply over the hot pizza box.

"I'm already on it." Chester calls from his office. "Hawaiian? Or buffalo?"

"Half it!" I answer, pulling the box into my hands.

"I'm gonna go bring up their food, they must be starving by now. I'll be back." I call out as I leave the lobby. The chilly air makes the hairs on my body stand on end, and it is surprisingly dead silent. Not a cricket clicks, or the wind doesn't howl. Even as I climb up the stairs my steps don't make a sound.

"Hello," I say when I reach room 205. "Your pizza is here!" I knock. No one answers so I knock again, tapping my knuckles a little harder on the door.

"Your pizza has arrived!" I say a little louder. For another ten minutes I stand outside knocking, and hollering but I never get an answer.

Finally the heat seeps through into my hand, nearly burning it, and I finally decide to unlock the door. The world just suddenly feels to slow, life weighs on my shoulders more, the lock doesn't seem to turn fast enough, and the creak of door eerie shrills in my ears.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" Everything rushes at me, the pure fear rushing in my veins, the realization hits me like a ton of bricks, and bile burns at it rushes up. The pizza clatters on the ground, and I hunch over, coughing hoarsely as I attempt to hold back my vomit.

"Blake!" I hear Chester's voice, he must have transported up here when he heard me scream. "Blake! What's wro-" Chester's words die off, an arm draping over my eyes.

"Breathe, just focus on deep breathes, and nothing else!" Chester's voice soothes me, making the nausea fade away.

"Oh.. M-my God!" I choke out. "He's dead!" I cry out. The red head boy is hanging ten feet off the ground, swinging lifelessly with cold, dead eyes. His skin is ghostly pale, making his red hair look more vibrant than usual.

"T-t-the girl!" I burst with a cold realization. I burst out in a run into the motel room, running past the guy's lifeless body, and into the bathroom.

"Blake! No!" Chester transports into the bathroom doorway, stopping me in my tracks. "Don't look." He warns in a pleading voice.

"To late." My voice sounds hollow while it cracksThe girlfriend is laying in the tub, water up to her chain, the water completely red with blood.

"Ah," a sob slips out, letting free sob shaking wails.

"I told you not to look." Chester whispers, pulling me into his chest.