The Motel

Fatima Agha

It was a long weekend so Maria decided to visit the haunted motel on the highway with her friends. A news reporter by profession and an exuberant personality, Maria was always full of life. She had made documentaries in areas where no one else dared to go. Convincing her friends Vania and Sam to accompany her to this adventure was not easy but because she always stood by them, they finally had to give in.
So they hit the road on Friday evening. The drive to the motel was about four hours and the back of the motel was linked to an old village. It was said that whosoever stays in the motel dies mysteriously. It was believed that spirits from the village possessed the highway and the motel at night and they are behind these mysterious deaths. As soon as the motel signboard came into sight, something hit the car windscreen leaving behind a trail of blood drops; Vania maneuvered the steering with great difficulty while the car went spinning on the road, Sam could not stop screaming while Maria was shocked.

The motel itself was surrounded by tall banyan trees and a strange mist around it. It seemed well lit from the road but now it was all dark and gloomy with only one flickering light at the main door. Suddenly they felt a strong chill around and Sam panicked but Maria insisted to go inside. Now they climbed up the entrance step which was a creaking wooden floor, hand in hand.

As they entered, a gush if chill wind hit their faces and a gush of pungent smell could be felt in the air. They held each other’s hands even more tightly. A tall man with too sharp features and strange eyes, was seated at the greeter with a look that was not so welcoming. Vania gathered some strength and asked him if they could have a room for staying overnight. Suddenly they heard a strange, angry voice which scared them and as if the man did not hear it; he pulled out the only key hanging in the shelf and came out of the greeter. With a hand indication, he led them upstairs. They noticed the motel had a gallery with about five rooms on each side and they were led to the last room at the corner. Maria had put on her camera by now which was hidden inside her bag so she could capture everything they come across.

They entered the room and could not stand the smell of fresh blood that came as soon as the man opened the door. The three of them exchanged questioning looks and entered the room. Before they could ask for any room service they saw the door shut behind them. The man was gone. Vania and Sam threw themselves on the bed while Maria lied on the couch placed near the window. She took out her camera to see what had recorded. She was terrified by what she saw. They were not alone even before they entered the motel; someone in a black cloak was walking besides Maria whose face was not captured. There were strange shadows in every nook and corner of the motel, even beside the man at the greeter. Before Maria could speak Vania and Sam could feel the bed move, it was being dragged towards the window; they tried to move but felt as if they were glued to the bed. Maria shouted in panic, “Who is it and what do you want” and the bed became stationary. Now Vania felt someone strangling him but Maria and Sam could not see anyone. Vania started choking and it seemed like something was taking him towards the window; Maria tried to stop Vania but she felt a slap in her face and was thrown back on the couch. And before they could make any further move Vania jumped out of the window.

With tears streaming down her face Maria dragged Sam towards the door and they rushed for the main door. They came out and found Vania dead on the floor. Sam ran to pull out the car and as he turned on the ignition he heard something hit the car roof. Maria saw a tall, dark shadow on the car that was bending over to reach Sam through the window. Maria ran towards the car and the shadow disappeared; she got and Sam hit the accelerator. They noticed people coming from the village behind the motel. These people looked like the awakened dead. Both of them turned their faces away and didn’t look back until they reached the city.

Maria went into trauma and quit the job; her thirst was adventure was quenched but over their friend’s blood.