CHANCE | luke castellan

A NIGHT IN A HOTEL OF HORROR

We were in separate rooms. Luke and I in one room and Arthur and Dionysus in another. We were on the second floor, and they were on the third. I didn't like that one bit. Nothing good ever happens when you're apart, I've seen enough horror movies to know that. Maybe it was just my paranoia, but this place is so spooky. It's not that I was afraid of ghosts or anything like that, but the hotel itself was located in a bad place. This hotel seemed to me to be really, really old. I wasn't afraid, I had Luke with me. But in general, I find this hotel spooky.

-What's wrong? You look kind of absent.; Luke asked. He probably noticed my concern.
- Nothing, I'm just tired.; I answered. I didn't want to transfer my paranoia to him.
-Okay, but if something is wrong, you know you can tell.; he sat on my bed and took my hand. Man, what did I do to deserve this wonderful being as my best friend?
- Everything is fine, I promise. But if anything bothers me, you're the first to know.; I said with a smile. That was probably enough to convince him, he went back to his bed.
- Good night Helen!
-Good night Luke!
I was looking out the big window, the moon was beautiful and the stars were shining brighter than ever before. It seemed to me that the outside was much nicer than the inside. I got up and walked to the window. The air was too stuffy inside the room, so I wanted to open the window. I tried to open it, but it just wouldn't open. I thought that it was simply broken and didn't want to open, I was really trying to avoid that paranoia of mine. I lay down, but I couldn't sleep. Maybe an hour has already passed since I went to bed. I looked at Luke, and he was already asleep. He's really cute when he sleeps, one quick detail by the way, Luke sleeps with his mouth open. Normally I really hate details, but this one generally makes me happy when I think of it.

I finally fell asleep, but I wish I hadn't. Those stupid nightmares again. This time I was on the bus. I was sitting, there were some people around me, but their faces were blurred. I heard a voice behind me, but I couldn't turn around. I have never heard a more shrill voice in my life. I resisted that voice, but that voice was trying to reach me. I couldn't understand what that voice was telling me. I woke up suddenly. I felt sweat and tears on my face. I was even shaking a little. I looked at Luke and he was still asleep, I was glad I didn't wake him up. Suddenly I heard some strange noises. I can't describe them well, but something similar to scratching with your fingernails on a school blackboard. That's what one of the teachers at the orphanage used to do all the time when she lost our attention. I hated it, I hated it from the bottom of my soul when she did it. But my hatred of that sound never made her stop doing it. When I think about it, she has always been one of my most hated teachers.

I got up and went to Luke's bed. I didn't want to wake him up, but those sounds didn't stop.
-Luke, Luke; I gently woke him up.
-Helen, what's wrong?; he asked quietly.
-I hear some sounds, it seems to me that they are coming from outside.; I said. The sounds didn't stop, they were tearing my ears.
-Helen, I can't hear anything.; he replied. That was not possible, I heard those sounds, they were quite clear. Is it possible that it's all just in my head?
-Luke, I hear sounds coming from outside, I swear.
-I believe you! We can go check it out.; Luke suggested. I knew he didn't trust me. That's my problem, I don't trust anyone, so I don't think anyone trusts me either.
-Okay, let's go check.; I said. Luke got out of bed and rubbed his eyes. My paranoia must have gone to my head, so now I'm hearing stupid noises. We had to check, otherwise I wouldn't be able to sleep until morning.

We went out into the corridor, there was no light at all. Luke lit a lantern and we started walking. I swear I felt like we were the only ones in that hotel. Not a single living soul anywhere, no light, no sound, except for that stupid screeching. As we got closer to the stairs, the sound got louder and louder. The place was so spooky that I felt myself start to shake. Luke wasn't scared at all, he just looked very tired and sleepy.

-Helen, do you hear this too?; he asked as we walked down the stairs. Finally he hears them too, I'm not crazy.
-Sounds like scraping a school board?; I asked to be sure.
- Yes, I think they come from the first floor.; He said. I walked a little behind him. The closer we were to the first floor, the louder the sounds got. I also saw Luke get a little scared. I can feel the slight fear on his face. We heard a crash, as if something had fallen. I was very scared, I huddled next to Luke and grabbed his hand.
-Who is there?!; Luke asked loudly but got no answer.

-There is nobody.; I said, shaking with fear. I'm not a person who is afraid of ghosts, but this place really seemed to me to be haunted. Luke grabbed his belt, as if searching for something, and suddenly became abnormally nervous.
- I forgot the sword in the room.; He said. That was the moment when my heart stopped for a few moments.
- Shall we go back?; I asked. I really just wanted to pick up my things and get out of this damn place. Luke didn't have his sword, and I was completely unarmed anyway. What if someone or something is down on the first floor? We have nothing to defend ourselves with. What are we going to do, throw bad jokes and hope they pass out laughing?

Luke kept walking down the stairs, so I just kept following him. When we came down, the floor was divided into two parts. There were rooms in the left part, and the reception and the exit from the hotel in the right.
-Should we separate?; I asked.
-Definitely not, that's what they want, to separate us. We are more vulnerable apart.; Luke answered.
-What should we do then?
- I don't know, the problem is that I can't figure out which direction these sounds are coming from.; Luke answered. I took the lantern from the bench that was there and lit it.
I took a coin out of my pocket, threw it and caught it without looking.
-Letter or header?; I asked.
-Ha?; Luke didn't understand my question.
-Which do you choose letter or head?; I asked again.
- Helen, we will not separate.; he said, a little louder this time.
-Letter or header?; I didn't give up.
- Woman, why are you so stubborn? We will not separate and that's it.; he was trying to change my mind.
-Letter or header?; my question hasn't changed.
-Okay, letter!; he finally answered. I raised my hand and there was a letter.
-You choose the side you go to.; I said. He hesitated for a few seconds, and then wordlessly started walking towards the left side. He is so fascinating. I could talk about him for hours. I started walking on the right side.