Room 13

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"I can't even see 2 feet in front of me

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"I can't even see 2 feet in front of me. Are you sure we're going the right way?"

"Yes I'm sure. The map says so."

"Well if the map said so, shouldn't we be on a much safer route?"

"Look the sooner we get to an actual road, the sooner we'll be to hotel."

"Which could take forever if we keep walking around in circles!"

"NO WE'RE NOT!"

"YES WE ARE! I HAVE SEEN THAT SAME TREE FIVE FUCKING TIMES!"

"OH PLEASE! YOU HAVEN'T EVEN LOOKED AT THE MAP! ALL THE TREES ARE-"

BOOM!

The downpour of rain drops buckets onto the two bickerers, soaking their already messy clothes. Leaving a rundown car a long ways back, the two had been walking for hours into the night. With the weight of hastily packed backpages stock full of reminants of what used to be neatly packed luggage on their backs, the two were tiring fast.

Now with the rain drenching their clothes and bags, tension between the two were soaring. Looking down at the map for guidance, they gasp as the map became a spoggy mush in the first of the two's hands.

"GREAT! JUST GREAT! Now how the hell are we gonna get out of this forest?!" The second yells out of frustration, angering the first as they throw the soggy nmesh into the fog.

"I don't know! Our last resort ran out of gas and slowly drifted down the fucking hill 20 yards back! All because SOMEONE fell asleep at the wheel!" The first exclaims. "I TOLD YOU TO REST AT THE AIR-BNB AND KEEP AN EYE OUT WHILE I DROVE THE FIRST HALF!"

Another loud boom of thunder roars overhead as the two bicker on and on, failing to notice lighting strike down nearby. The bolt hitting an old rotting tree a few leauges away. It cracks off its stump and drops to the muddy ground below.

It rolls hurriedly through the forest, knocking down smaller trees in its path. Mud and muck picks up onto its bark and causes it to form into a large mush of forest as the ground shakes beneath its growing weight.

The second of the two slowly adverts their gaze from their yelling partner, feeling the mucky earth tremble under their feet. "Uhhhh hun?" They say, eyes widening as they see the evergrowing mush of fallen tree and mud come barreling towards them.

"WHAT?! DIDN'T YOU HERE ME-" The second grabbed the first's shoulders, spinning them around to look at the oncoming doom.

"RUNNNN!" The first yells, holding the second's hand as trees falls all around them.

The two book it as hard as they could, calves aching and knees buckling as they trudged through the forest. Fog rising all around them as the rain kept pouring down, mud puddles forming even more. One even losing their shoe to a deep mud puddle as the rolling mush slows down, sinking into the deepest mud puddle imaginable as they reach the outskirts of the forest.

The sky was now dark with only a sliver of light coming from the half moon sbove, obsuring their already poor vision as they came to a halt.

"Wait...where are we now?" The first asks, hearing faint babbling of in the distant.

"I think we're by a river. I hear water so.." The second hastily takes out a mini flashlight, it being a bit damp from their soaked jeans but still had enough battery juice to keep running. They switch it on revealing a shabby walkway that stretch across a seemingly endless algae covered lake.

"Let's cross before a mudslide comes." The first suggest, grabbing their partner's hand gently and steps in the first board. The second shakily follows as they start to cross, taking their time across the slippery walkway. The sound of rushing water echoes around them, creating an eerie atmosphere. With each step, they can feel the wooden boards creaking beneath their weight, adding to their anxiety.

As they make their way across, the dim light from the flashlight reveals glimpses of the murky water below. The algae-covered lake seems to stretch endlessly, its surface disturbed only by occasional ripples caused by the raindrops.

The rain continues to pour, making the walkway even more treacherous. The second's shoe gets caught in a hole in the walkway, causing them to lose their balance. They let out a gasp as they teeter on the edge, desperately clutching onto to the wood beneath em.

The first turns, wiping their face before clutching the arm of their partner. "I got ya hun. We're almodt at the end." They say, hwlping their partner up to their feet.

"Careful! Hold on!" the first exclaims, reaching out to steady their partner. With a collective effort, they manage to stabilize themselves and continue their cautious journey across the walkway.

Their hearts pound with fear and adrenaline as they inch closer to the other side. Each step feels like a small victory, bringing them closer to safety. Finally, after what feels like an eternity, they reach the end of the walkway and step onto solid ground.

Breathing heavily, they take a moment to gather themselves, their clothes drenched, and their bodies exhausted. The rain continues to pour down on them as they made towards some large shadowy figures in the distance. For behind the trees laid an old mountainous terrain, it sending a cold draft that chilled the still human air.

The first stepping into the tree barrier that protected the terrain, unsure of what to make of the shadows first. Brandishing the dim fladhlight, they shine it into the forest, guiding the two into the barrier. The trees seemingly curved inward as they traveled.

Finding a muddy path that led upwards and out of the barrier, they spot the mountain. The huge rock formation spreading miles across, most of it shrouded in darkness. Their little light only illuminating a few yards horiztonally and vertically ahead. The two braved enough so surely a hike up a small mountain couldn't hurt. It wasn't a Mount Everest but could take a tole.

Clutching onto one another for dear life, they ventured on. Finding a final pathway, it led a safe route up the rocky environment with warnings of possible avalanches strung about. "Well at least it isn't snowing." The second remarks, chuckling softly as the first points to another warning. It saying:

WARNING! POSSIBLE ROCK AND/OR MUD SLIDES WHILE ON TRAIL. REPORT TO HOTEL PRAEMONITUS PERICULUM FOR SAFETY IF ROCKS FALL OR MUCH RAIN IS SPOTTED!

"Oh look, there's a hotel on the mountain. We'll finally get to rest our legs." The first cries out in joy, hurriedly rushing up the pathway with the second holding their hand itghter.

"YAYYYY! WE WON'T HAVE TO WANDER THE DAMN FOREST AGAIN!"

The two gleefully traverse further up the mountain, getting high enough to where fog covered much of the space around them. All they could make out is one sign but it seems someone painted over whatever the sign used to say.

(Strikeout is what used to be on the sign, the line means it was painted over)

S̶T̶A̶Y̶ ̶A̶W̶A̶Y̶ ̶F̶R̶O̶M̶ GO TO HOTEL H̶E̶L̶L̶ PRAEMONITUS PERICULUM, LOCATED AT THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN IS̶ ̶Y̶O̶U̶R̶ ̶D̶O̶O̶M̶!

The two spot a faint light in the fog, running faster than esrlier through the mist. The first clutching the flashlight as the darkness seemed to grow the higher they got. Once near the light, the second spots something through the trees.

To Be Continued~

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