InsaniKey

Nobody has seen anyone at the front desk since we checked in, nobody has left the hotel. “If the rooms are all full, there must be other people here.” I thought out loud.

“Yeah dumbass.” Andy smirked. “It’s a hotel, why wouldn’t other people be here?”

I looked at Ashley with hope in my eyes. “We have to change this.” I pointed to the newspaper. “We have to do something so we don’t die.”

“We’re not going to die CC.” Ashley shrugged. “Why would there be a newspaper predicting our deaths? It’s just a tabloid paper.”

I rolled the paper up and stuffed it in my back pocket, intending to ask the neighbors if they had the same paper in their room. I knocked on four doors and nobody answered. Ashley and Andy watched from their doors. “See?” I said loudly. “Nobody else is here.”

“Bullshit. Open their doors.” Andy said.

I opened the door that had previously been Jake’s room and found it empty.

Andy laughed. “That’s one room they didn’t want to give you.” He took the master key and checked another room. “Empty!” He yelled.

“They can’t all be empty.” Ashley thought aloud, he kept glancing at the room in the far corner and back at Andy.

“Check that one.” I pointed to the far corner of the hallway where Ashley had been staring.

“Wait.” Ashley shouted. “What if somebody’s in there?”

Jinxx’s room door opened. “What’s with all the fucking racket out here?” Jake shouted. He looked at me. “Oh.” He said flatly. “This is part of your adventure isn’t it?”

“You trapped three of us in your room last time.” I said angrily.

“What the hell are you talking about?” Jake folded his arms.

“He’s having night terrors.” Andy said, opening the door in the corner of the hallway.

“Don’t go in there.” Ashley said sharply.

“Watch me.” Andy smirked and walked into the room. The door closed behind him.

I looked at Ashley and Jake, all of us silent as we waited for Andy to come out of the room. He didn’t.

“Good one Andy.” I said loudly, trying to open the locked handle. “This guy.” I looked at Ashley. “Total prankster.” I knocked on the door.

The master key slid out from underneath the door, covered in blood.

I jumped back when I saw the blood and looked at Ashley.

“I told him not to go in there.” Ashley went back into his room and shut the door.

“What the fuck?” Jake walked up to the keycard, wiped the blood onto his pants and looked at me. “That…wasn’t ketchup.” He grimaced.

I stepped further down the hall as Jake opened the door and went into the room.

“Annndy?” Jake called out loudly, standing in the doorway. He turned around to look at me. “I can’t see anything.” He flicked a light switch on the wall. “No lights.” He added. He returned to his room.

“Ashley?” I shouted into the hallway. “What’s in that room?” No answer.

Jake returned to the hallway with his key chain, showing me a small flashlight on it. “Now.” He said and smiled at me. I froze in fear. “Let’s see what we got here.” He went back to the room in the corner and I tried not to think of him shouting NOW a few hours ago.

He stood in the doorway and shined the light in. He was careful to remain on this side of the door where I could see him. “What do you see?” I asked.

Notes

♦ Chapter 17's title is from Knives And Pens by Black Veil Brides
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