Doors: Hotel Hell

Chapter 4: Silent As A Corpse

Vince leaned heavily against Door Forty-Seven, the lock on the handle dangling ominously as if to mock their predicament. His chest heaved with the effort to steady his breath, his hand gripping his side where a bruise was forming from the last encounter.

"Goddamn it, y'all..."

He muttered, more to himself than anyone else. AJ crossed his arms turning to Brian, the bandages on his face now doused in blood. Across the room, Desmond sat slumped against the wall, his eyes distant and unfocused, his mind clearly racing.

"We're not making it out..."

Aaron, still trying to catch his breath, turned to Desmond, concern etched on his face.

"Don't say that, Desmond. We have to make it to Door One-Hundred. That's our only way out."

Desmond slowly lifted his head, his eyes wide with something beyond fear-something darker, more resigned.

"No... You don't understand... We're not making it out..."

"What do you mean? What are you talking about?"

"We're all going to fucking die in here! None of you will listen! There isn't an end! They're telling me the truth..."

Aaron's heart pounded in his chest as he took a step back, uncertainty gripping him.

"Who told you? Who's talking to you, Desmond?"

Desmond's eyes grew glassy with tears, his lips quivering as he struggled to find the words.

"I... I don't know... They're... They're curious for more..."

He admitted, his voice cracking. He turned away from Aaron, his shoulders shaking with silent sobs. Desmond continued.

"I'm not lasting another thirty doors in this place... Not many of us are... I-I can feel it... There's only fourteen of us left... They're curious to know how many of us will be left at Door One-Hundred... If any... And Door One-Hundred isn't even the end..."

The room fell into a tense silence as the weight of Desmond's words sank in. The fear was palpable, each member of the group processing the grim prophecy in their own way. Ryan clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white, while Charlotte wrapped her arms around herself, her eyes darting nervously between the others. AJ cursed under his breath, his usual humor nowhere to be found, and even Butch, who had been so ruthless moments ago, looked shaken. Billy lifted a key.

"We should forget about all that... For now... Please. Let's just get somewhere more safe."

With that, the group stood up and exited room forty-six.

The group pushed through Door Forty-Seven. The room was very small, nothing more than a hall, so they continued. As they entered Door Forty-Eight, they found themselves in what looked like a more traditional part of the hotel, if anything about this place could be considered normal. The hallway stretched ahead, lined with doors to hotel rooms, windows on the left letting in flashes of lightning from the storm outside. Rain pounded relentlessly against the glass, but the outside world was nothing but a swirling void of shadows. No ground, no sky-just the storm. The air was thick with tension. Aaron kept glancing back at Desmond, who hadn't spoken since his outburst, his face pale and gaunt. Ryan was beside him, scanning the windows as if hoping for a glimpse of something, anything, beyond the storm. Charlotte limped slightly, still nursing the burn on her leg from earlier. She was quiet, her mind clearly trying to process everything. Butch walked at the front, his shoulders squared, eyes cold. Aaron looked at the hotel rooms.