Scary Stories to Chill Your Bones

Room 13

Once upon a time, there was a lively hotel called the Snowhill Lodge. Many people stayed in this hotel, and for many years, it was the most popular hotel in the United States. Located on a mountain in Denver, Colorado, it had so much business there was actually a line to get in to the hotel. But that all changed on a bitter night one December.

13 year-old Carter Jergins and his family had just checked in to room 13 in the Snowhill Lodge. Carter, his parents, and his 6 year-old sister Logan were just about to board the elevator when a strange man they had never seen before stopped them. "Have you heard the legend?" He asked. His voice was deep and gravely. His eyes were a startling green color, the color of garden snakes. His arms were so muscular, Carter thought he was hallucinating. "What legend?" Carter's dad asked, gripping Logan's shoulder a bit tighter than he had been. The man took a raspy breath. "It is said," He croaked. "That every time there is a Friday the 13th, one of the 500 rooms in this hotel comes alive, and kills all the people staying in that room."  "Is it true?" Mrs. Jergins asked, glancing at her husband, her eyes full of worry. "No one really knows," The man said. "Anyone that stayed in this hotel Friday the 13th didn't live to tell the tale." "Then how come you know it?" Carter asked. But the man was gone.

Carter stretched out on his bed, breathing in the fresh sheet smell. From the second he stepped into his room, he loved it. It was the most luxurious place he had ever stayed at. He stretched his arms out and pretended he was floating in the air on a soft cloud. All his troubles were gone, taken away by the wind, until he remembered the strange man's story. He took a shaky breath and pulled out his phone. He opened up his calendar and almost had a heart attack when he saw what day it was. It was Thursday, December 12th. That meant tomorrow would be Friday the 13th.

All that night Carter tossed and turned in his seemingly too comfy bed. He couldn't stop thinking about that man's story. If it really was true, that would mean tomorrow, one of the rooms in this hotel would come to life and kill all of its residents. Sure, there was only a 1 in 500 chance that it would be Carter's room that came to life, and, hey, the man might be making up the story just to scare Carter, but still, that was 500 reasons Carter wanted to high-tail it out of this hotel.

It started out subtle. Just a gentle clanking in the hallway, like 2 metal plates bumping against each other. Then it got louder. Bang, bang, bang. And then came the laugh. It wasn't loud, just terrifying. It was deep and it echoed off buildings, getting softer and softer until it was gone. And then there were a couple of sounds- claps, snaps, whistles, coughs. But that was just the first of it. A cold, raspy voice said, "I am alive. You are alive. But you won't stay that way for long." More laughter came. Carter sat bolt upright in his bed, still shaking from his dream. But was it just a dream?

"What do you want for breakfast?" Mrs. Jergins asked Logan and Carter. It was morning, and the family was in the hotel's kitchen. Mr. Jergins was getting food for himself and Mrs. Jergins. Carter and Logan were relaxing at a table near a TV, enjoying the hockey game that was playing. "I want eggs," Logan said. "And a bagel." "Okay," Mrs. Jergins said. "What about you, Carter?" "Um..." Carter bit his lip and thought about it for a moment. Finally, he decided. "I'll have a waffle," He said. "Do  we get dessert?"

An hour later, Carter and his family had eaten and were back in their hotel room. Mr. and Mrs. Jergins were in the kitchen, discussing something quietly. Logan was in her room, watching TV. Carter was in his room, enjoying a good book when he heard something that jarred his insides. Thump, thump, thump. The sound made Carter jump. He dropped his book and raced into the kitchen. "Mom! Dad!" Carter shouted. His heart was beating so fast he had to keep convincing himself that he did not just run a marathon. "What is is, son?" His dad asked, a puzzled look an his face. "There- there were thumps in my room," Carter said, his voice full of fear. He had barely finished his sentence when Logan came racing out of her room. Tears were streaming down her face like a waterfall. "MOMMY!" Logan shouted. She ran into Mrs. Jergins outstretched arms. "There were coughing sounds in my room! But I'm the only person who was in my room!" Another waterfall of tears came streaming down Logan's cheeks. "Well, that's the strangest thing," Mr.Jergins said. "Me and your mother heard sounds, too. We heard snaps."

(A/N) In case you were wondering, the Snowhill Lodge isn't an actual hotel. I know some people make up stories about real places, but the Snowhill Lodge is a fictional place.