It was empty. And it was so quiet you could hear a pen drop. He stepped out, his sweaty palm
gripping Susan's hand tight. He began to tip-toe down the hall toward the lobby. Not a sound
could be heard. He continued to tip-toe. Nothing. No movement. No sound. Even the air seemed
dead. He came to the end of the hall and stepped out into the lobby.
                        He was really scared now. No one at the desk. No one in the lounge. Not a soul
to be seen. And that ominous silenced still reigned. He stepped into the middle, and looked up
at the 2nd and 3rd floor railings. Nothing. He couldn't understand it. Then the scratch, scratch broke
the tension. Again coming from nowhere. "Honey, I am going to get you to a safe place."They
ran out the front door.
                        Black, with the orange light from nearby street lamps. They quietly jogged down
the sidewalk. Michael realized, that even though they were in a city, he heard no cars driving by
on the highway. "Just my imagination." Closer, and closer. Their car was parked at the end of
the sidewalk, at the corner. The sidewalk angled off down the side of the building, and then made
a T, the I part being where their window was. Closer, and closer. They reached the car. Reaching
into his pocket, Michael grabbed the keys. Susan looked around. A cold, lonely, black, orange lit
lot. "What the...." Michael looked up, then followed her gaze.
                         Nothing. She was starring at the corner the T made. "What honey.....". Not a word.
"Get in, fast", he said. Silently, she climbed in. He started the car. Pulled out. Onto the empty
highway. He pulled into a nearby Supermarket parking lot. Parked in the middle. "If anyone comes
that is not me, drive away." He got out. "I am going to investigate." He checked his gun. Beretta
9mm w/silencer. 15 bullets. He turned and jogged back toward the hotel. Susan sat numb with
terror. The thoughts of murder, evil, and ghouls filled her mind. Her sweaty palm held tightly
the keys.

                          Michael jogged down the street. He glanced from side to side. Every building was
dark. No cars to be seen. He reached the hotel lot. Nothing in sight, just full of empty cars. He
headed toward the door. Closer, closer. Something in the corner of his eye. He turned toward one
of the cars. Nothing. Closer, closer. He stepped up to the door. Still lit for late night incoming.
He opened it.
                          Nothing. No one at the desk. No one in sight. He walked to the middle. He looked
up. A torso. Drapped legs first over the railing. Blood dripped from the shoes toe. Dripping, Dripping,
Dripping. He walked toward the pool area. He opened the door. The pool was outside, in cement, with
a spa on the other side of it. The pool was empty. He walked toward the spa. It was running. A person
was sitting in it. A guy was sitting in it. His back was facing Michael. Michael tapped the person on
the shoulder. Nothing. He walked around the spa. He looked at the guy. His eyes were hollowed out.
No blood. No guts. Just empty. His mouth was in an O. No teeth. No tounge. No blood. No guts. Just
empty. Michael turned and walked back toward the lobby door. There was a dead body, face down in
the pool water. No blood. No movement. Michael looked around.

Nothing.

                        He walked back into the lobby. Nothing. The blood still dripped from the hanging body.
He headed back down the hall he first came from. Toward the stairs up. Toward his room. Directly
before his room was the stairs. He walked. Nothing. Suddenly, the eriee Scratch Scratch caught his ear.
He froze. Silence. The horror was killing him. His hand was on his gun. Closer to the stairs, closer....
                        He reached them. Room 31 was right after them. He quickly looked at all the doors.
Room 31 was the only one open. "I know I closed that door." He stepped into the doorway. Turned
on the light. Everything was as it should be. Nothing in the bathroom. Nothing in the living room. He
checked the bedroom. Everything was normal. But........

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