A Night in Room 2

The Bed & Breakfast was cute in a quaint kind of way. From the outside, I spotted a single candle alight in several of the windows. ‘What an interesting touch,’ I thought to myself. Inside, the furniture was old and dated, but well looked after, and the wallpaper in the reception had the kind of busy floral pattern that made my head hurt. This wasn’t the kind of place I’d usually go for, but it was close to the conference centre and only a few minutes away from the train station. It was also cheap and had received more than a few positive reviews online. It would do, and it was only for the one night.

The reception was empty, and I cleared my throat while I looked for a buzzer or a bell to get someone’s attention. I found one at the end of the counter. A small brass thing that looked like it could have been an antique. I took a cursory look around and reached for the bell.

‘Good evening,’ a voice said before I could press the button. I turned to see a tall man dressed in a black suit. Even though it was clearly an expensive, tailored outfit, it looked old and somewhat ragged. The same could be said for the man himself. He was well-presented, but a little frayed at the edges. If he noticed I was staring at him, he didn’t say anything. I guess he was just too polite. Deciding that I should have a go at being polite, I tore my gaze from his clothes and looked him in the eye. They say the eyes are the windows to the soul and, if that’s the case, this man’s soul was exhausted.

‘Good evening. I’m here to check-in. I booked the room online,’ I said, holding out my phone with the confirmation of my booking on the screen. The man looked at it and smiled.

‘Very good. We were wondering if you would turn up. It’s getting rather late.’

I’d been caught up at the conference for an hour or so longer than I’d planned, but I didn’t think that much time had passed. Looking at the clock on my phone, I realised it was coming on for eleven-thirty. How did it get so late? ‘Oh, I didn’t realise it was that late. I’m so sorry. I must have lost track of time somehow.’

‘Oh, don’t worry about it. There’s really no need to apologise. It happens far more than you’d think,’ the man replied.

‘Is it too late to check-in? I don’t want to be any trouble.’ Even as I said the words, I knew I’d throw a fit if I couldn’t get a room. I knew it wasn’t the man’s fault, but I was in a strange town with nowhere else to go. Walking the streets until the trains start running again didn’t appeal to me at all. Anything could happen out there. I could be mugged... or worse.

‘It’s no trouble at all,’ the man said. ‘Now, you’ll be in Room 2. Here’s your key and here’s your candle. Breakfast will be served at-’

‘Sorry to interrupt,’ I said, ‘but why do I need a candle? Don’t you have electricity?’

The man chuckled. ‘Yes, we do. But sometimes candlelight does things lightbulbs just can’t.’

‘Such as?’

‘Such as chase the monsters away, of course,’ he replied as if it was the most normal thing in the world.

‘Of course,’ I said as I thought I’d never heard anything so ridiculous. At least this would be a good story to tell when I got back home. The tale of the quaint B&B and its eccentric owner... my friends would lap it up.

‘Will you need help finding your room?’

‘Er... how many floors are there?’

‘Including this one? Just the two,’ the man replied.

‘I’m sure I’ll be fine,’ I said, taking the key and the candle. I left the man in the reception and took my overnight bag up to the next floor, the stairs creaking with each movement. The corridor was covered in dark green wallpaper making it appear even more gloomy than it would be already. As expected, Room 2 was the second door I found and the key turned easily in the lock. The room smelled rather musty as if no-one had stayed in there for a while, but once I turned the lights on, it looked clean enough. ‘It’s just for one night,’ I reminded myself.

After dropping my bag next to the bed, I set about my nightly routine. In record time, I was snuggled up in the bed and beginning to drift off to sleep. I must have slept for a short while as I woke up with a start. Sitting up in the bed, I turned on the light and tried to work out why I had awoken. Around me, the old house creaked and groaned. These sounds were nothing to be afraid of, old buildings always came with a bunch of nocturnal noises. I lived in an old house myself, so I knew what to expect. So why was I awake?

Rubbing my eyes, I looked over to the alarm clock on the nightstand, moving the unlit candle out of the way so that I could see the clock’s face. It told me it was a little after 1 a.m. A small smile formed on my face as I noticed the candle. The candle I should have lit and put in the window. ‘Maybe the monsters woke me,’ I thought, stifling a giggle. Deciding there was no point in trying to solve the mystery, I turned the light off and burrowed deep under the covers. Sleep claimed me within moments.

But it wasn’t long until I was awake again.

I turned on the light and looked at the clock and saw only half an hour had gone by. What on earth was going on?

And then I heard it. Breathing. Slow, deep, ragged breathing.

The light revealed nothing in my room. Maybe it was something leftover from a dream? I couldn’t remember what I’d been dreaming about, but that didn’t sound right. Or perhaps the walls were really thin and I was hearing someone in one of the neighbouring rooms? Yes, that must be it.

I closed my eyes again, but this time I left the light on. I haven’t done that since I was a small child, but I have to admit that I was starting to feel a little unnerved. Again, I slept.

And again, I was awoken. This time, it felt like the breathing was coming from inside the room. It was like it was in the bed with me. But that couldn’t be possible, could it?

I was about to roll over and have a look, but I stopped. What if there was someone there? What would I do? It wasn’t like I had a weapon to hand to protect myself. What if it was the strange man from the reception? My body shuddered and my blood turned to ice.

The breathing continued; I could feel its hotness on the back of my neck. It felt hot enough to singe the small hairs that grew there. Swallowing my panic, I rolled over. The man wasn’t there, but there was something. A dark swirling mist. An obsidian shadow. As I stared at it, different shapes appeared. Sometimes I saw an eye. Sometimes a face. Sometimes a huge, gaping mouth filled with serrated teeth. Frozen in fear, I could do nothing but watch as it morphed and its breathing turned to moans.

It felt like ages until my sense of preservation kicked in, but it soon did. Trying to ignore the impossible monstrosity that shared my bed, I shuffled away. I can’t be sure, but think the shadow laughed. It was a horrible noise, one that made my insides clench and my bowels want to loosen. Screaming for help felt appropriate, but I couldn’t make a sound. It was like the shadow had stolen my voice. I reached behind me for anything I could use as a weapon. My heart leapt to my throat as my shaking fingers closed around the candlestick holder and the candle it held. I wasn’t sure if I could hurt a shadow, but I was determined to try.

Holding the unlit candle aloft, I stared at my opponent with a burning intensity. It repeated the sound that could be a laugh before doing something I wasn’t expecting. It spoke.

‘It’s far too late for that, child,’ it said as it doubled in size. To my utter disbelief, its yawning maw widened, revealing rows and rows of deadly teeth. Before I could move away or try to use the candlestick to defend myself, those teeth started to rotate. I felt myself getting sucked closer to those saw-like teeth, it was as if I was being pulled into a vacuum or sucked into a vortex. The sucking grew harder, and bit by bit I disappeared.

But that wasn’t the worst part. The parts of me that were sucked in were gone, but at least it was painless. It was the parts that got caught on the teeth that were the trouble. Time stretched to unnatural proportions as my flesh caught on the moving fangs, being ripped and torn to shreds while I felt every cut and tear. I thought it would never end.

Until it did.

Now I’m nothing but a shadow myself. A shadow filled with a relentless hunger. But at least I can talk to you. It's wonderful that you chose to stay here. I’m so glad you didn’t light that candle.