SHORT HORROR STORIES

HIGHWAY HOTEL

Two friends Clara and Alice were driving through the highway, heading back to the city at night when their car suddenly began to slow down. Clara who was driving saw that the car was almost out of patrol. "Oh no, we have to find a patrol pump quickly or we will be stranded here." she told Alice. Alice stared ahead of the endless road, the thick fog made it difficult to see but her eyes widened as she saw something. "There is a patrol pump just ahead, keep going". As they came near they realized the building was a hotel, a board with lightning read "highway hotel". "Why would someone build a hotel in such a deserted place, Alice thought. As they entered they saw a man standing at the reception smiling widely, he must have been in his late twenty's and his name tag read BEN. "Hello my name is Ben, how can I be of service?" "Hello, our car ran out of patrol and we just wanted to know if we can get a refill" Alice informed politely. His smile disappeared and he stated seriously "I'm sorry there is no such arrangement right now but I can book you a room and tomorrow morning make a call to the nearest patrol pump". Alice turned to Clara "what do you think?" She asked. "Sounds okay, but we have to leave early tomorrow." she answered. "Ok, we will take the room Clara informed him. "Ok, just write your names here and this is your key, I will escort you to your room, please follow me," Ben announced. He walked past them at the end of the room while the girls followed him. They reached a staircase and they went up, they reached a narrow row of rooms situated on the opposite side of the walls, they started from 100 and continued. A strange aroma spread in the air. "What's that smell?" Alice complained. "It smells like some kind of chemical, Clara stated. "Yes, some rooms were sprayed with chemical recently for pest control, he stated. "Doesn't that bother the guests?" asked Clara. "Oh... those rooms are not occupied, even your room was cleaned long before so don't worry about it", he assured politely. After settling in their room they were so tired that they decided to go to bed, after falling asleep for a few hours Alice heard faint knocking at the door, she thought she was dreaming but the sound was clearer the second time, she got out of bed and dragged herself towards the door and opened it. A young girl stared back at her she must have been in her early twenty's, her face was pale white and she looked frightened. "You must leave. Or He will get you, she hissed almost in a whisper. "Who will ... what are you talking about?" Alice asked. The girl grabbed her arm, Alice tried to remove her hand but her grip was strong and her touch was ice cold this caused chills running down her spine. "You must leave, your life is in danger, she hissed again moving closer causing her icy breath to sting her face. "What are you doing?" a voice called behind her, she turned and saw Clara sitting on her bed. She turned back to the girl, but she was gone. Alice closed the door and turned and walked towards Clara. "I think we should go now, Alice said. Clara looked at her wrist watch "its twelve mid night and how will we go, just walk back home for the rest of the night, Clara stated sarcastically. "I just met a girl who warned me about Ben and don't you think it's weird that we haven't seen anyone else. Maybe it would be for the best to leave. Alice argued back. Clara's face whitened "ok, but we have to find some patrol first, it has to be somewhere, I will check down stairs and you can check one of the rooms. "Ok". Clara said in agreement. As Clara left, Alice tried to knock and open the doors, suddenly she grabbed a door knob and it unlocked and she entered the room, the girl whom she had met earlier was lying on a bed. "Hi could you.. Alice began to speak but as she turned on the switch of the ceiling bulb the dim light it produced sent a strange appearance of the girl, her skin was pale and grey, her eyes stared straight at the ceiling wall and a strange chemical odor came from her. The girl was ...... dead. Suddenly she heard loud multiple clicking sounds, completely frightened she went outside to find all the room doors wide open, and she started running as she ran she saw glances of dead people lying on the beds. Her heart started to beat at extremely fast pace, she began to sweat profusely and she wasn't able to breathe. As she ran downstairs she tripped over something, looking back she saw it was Clara lying on the floor. Suddenly a sharp pain hits the back of her head she screams in agonizing pain and falls to the ground as her vision becomes blurry she sees Ben pull out a steel rod and bring it crashing down on her and she blacks out.