hotel ; phan

1

The flicker of the lights and the unearthly buzzing sounded from the gold plated panel above my head, my ears ringing at the sound of the machinery reeling its way up to the fourth floor.

It came to a halt, the sound of a bell ringing loudly before it faded away and opened the doors to reveal a hall.

The carpeted floors stretched like a long catwalk, halting at each of the mahogany doors, golden numbers siding on the beige wallpaper.

I stepped out, the lift doors shutting with a loud clang before leaving me with the silence that wavered about the place.

I dragged myself across the carpet, warily looking from side to side for any passing figures considering the woman's warning, and the fact that this was the particular floor room 46 was sat on.

I raised my left hand that held my key, 44 engraved onto the wooden keychain.

I heard some footsteps coming my way and I halted to see a woman, holding several white blanket, unmistakably stained with a red substance, "wine" I supposed.

"Good evening sir." She greeted politely before she dropped a sheet and gasped.

I ran back to aid her and realised she was missing her hands.

"Don't worry about it sir, I'll handle it. Thank you." She said before hurriedly trotting away and shutting a door behind her.

I shrugged and continued to find the room, which in fact stood before me.

It didn't take long for me to notice that the number 46 stood by the right side of my door.

A scream emerged through the hallway and I hurried and shoved the key in the lock before shutting it, hearing a bed creaking as moans were emitted through the thin ceilings.

"What a pleasant surprise." I mumbled before setting my bag down onto the bed and retrieving my notepad and pen, inking down poems on the thin papers.