The Invitations...[BMHWC]

“It better be good...” I told Ann as we were driving down some dirt road in the middle of nowhere, trying to find that stupid Hotel.

Ann and I had received invitations from our friend Raymond, stating that he had won the lottery and that he wanted to meet us at the “All Hollow’s Eve Hotel” on October 31st. The invitation stipulated that we didn’t need to bring anything, all would be supplied, from clothing if we decided to stay longer, costumes if we wanted to celebrate, meals and beverages were also supplied. At first, we thought that Raymond just wanted to flip money on a friendly Halloween party but the invitation ended with “You’re in for the $urprise of your life...” and we overwhelmingly thought that he would share some of his new fortune. Or so we hoped...

When we finally reached the place, we both were in awe. I had expected a low budget resort that would go along with a name like All Hollow’s Eve but this was a shock. This was no crummy little place! This place was huge, no, magnificent! As I pulled in towards the front door, a guy wearing a tux happily greeted us.

“Welcome to All Hallow’s Eve” he said, with a smile.

“Thank you” I replied. “Are we...”but I could not finish my sentence as the guy, who I assumed was a valet, continued...

“You have your invitations?”

“Err...yes” I replied and as I was reaching into my vest pocket to retrieve it, he continued...

“Fine. I am Frank, one of Ray’s friends. I also received an invitation and have agreed to welcome guests. Now, you don’t need to do any check-ins, and you have your own garage on the left side. Please, leave your SUV in there and come back in, we’re almost all there.”

“We? I inquired...

“Yeah” he laughed, “there’s twenty of us invited for this little private party.”

“Great.” I replied trying to mimic a smile. Twenty of us??? As I drove towards the garage area, I looked at Ann and as she had heard our conversation, she also looked disappointed. I sure hope he won enough to make all of this worthwhile!

“It better be good” I said again as I approached the garages area. Garages as in, a line up of garages, all with individual names on big silvery plaques. It was fairly easy to find, actually. A big silvery plaque on one of them with “Carl & Ann Harroway” engraved, glued on the front of an immense garage door. As I parked close enough to the garage itself, a side door automatically opened. I asked Ann to go in and open the garage door. This garage was huge and could easily fit two or three SUVs.

“That was quick” I told Ann as I set foot on the ground.

“I didn’t do anything” she said, somewhat surprised. “It opened automatically as I passed the side door.”

As we walked back to the front lobby, I wondered how much all of this cost Raymond. A bundle, that’s for sure! He must have won big! My spirits were lifting again. I was all smiles again when we walked in the hotel. This time, we were greeted by Raymond himself.

“Carl! Ann! Welcome! Welcome!” he cheered as he shook my hand and happily kissed Ann on the left cheek. “Come, there’s much to talk about”.

Ann and I just looked at each other with a smile and followed him to some sort of a ballroom area. People were there. I didn’t know any of them but I knew that they had all received invitations from Raymond and therefore were all his other friends.

“If you’ll excuse me,” he said loudly, so that everyone could hear, “Frank has told me that our last guests have arrived. Make yourselves comfortable, there are showers and baths on your right for those of you who have traveled from far, pastries, delicatessens and drinks on your right for those of you that are hungry or thirsty. I will be back shortly.“ he said, as he exited back the same way we came in.

I looked around and the people seemed as uncomfortable as I was. Ann wanted to take a quick shower in the meantime and I sure felt for a drink. I had this strange feeling that something was wrong. I had time to take two or three vodkas before Raymond got back, with two other guests. Some people were still in the individual showers, one of them was even taking a bath when he started talking again, not waiting for them to be there. That made me VERY uncomfortable.

He stayed by the entrance door, leaned against the doorframe, smiled and said:

“My friends, I must thank all of you for coming to meet me tonight. I take it that you took your invitations seriously. I have promised every single one of you that you would have the surprise of your life and this moment has arrived. As most of you have followed your greedy instincts, thinking that I would share a fortune that I haven’t won to start with, here is your surprise.” As he walked a few inches back and closed the door.

“What the...” were the common replies, cut short by a ceiling speaker, resuming the explanation.

“You see, the only way I could survive this place, when I also got an invitation from a friend, was to invite twenty more, the twenty of you.” As we all recognised his voice, he continued. “The other nineteen person that had gathered within these walls, as you do tonight, have all died, but me. This hotel is alive and very very, VERY hungry. I would wish you all good luck but you are not really worth it. Have a nice evening.” The speaker went silent.

“This is a bad joke.” I told Ann as we heard the first scream of terror. It came from the showers and baths area and a few of us rushed down to where the screams came from. As the door wasn’t locked, we opened it just in time to see that the bath’s side walls had curled up around some woman, crushing her bones, cutting both her feet right off, above the ankles, splashing water, blood and brains all over the place. We were all frozen solid. Terrified. Petrified.

I turned back to look at Ann but she was almost halfway consumed by the wall she had stood close by.

“&$^%)&^” I yelled in horror! I started running but was too slow. She had vanished inside the wall, melting through it as a body would through water. I was totally freaking out but I had to find a way out.

People were being taken chunks of bodies from the furniture. The chairs were alive, the tables were alive and the carpet had sucked up two or three people already that were eaten down to their thighs. I ran for the door but it was locked. I pulled my hand back just in time to see the handle change form and try to grad my hand. Some woman beside me didn’t notice and tried to open it as well. She was done for. The handle pulled her through the small hole where it once stood. Her flesh, body fluids and bits of bones started flying all over the place.

It was a matter of minutes before it was all over. I had run to the closest window to try to break it, slamming my fist against it to no avail. A guy grabbed one of these folding wooden chairs to try to break it but that chair broke him. Like, big time!

As I turned around to see who was left, the main door reopened and Raymond walked in.

~Continued

“Congratulations Carl, you’re tonight’s winner” he said as I ran and jumped on him. I was trying to choke that supposed friend to death but he managed to say:

“Don’t....Carl....if...you do...she won’t.....let you....live....”

I released the grip and just sat beside him, in total disbelief.

“Raymond...for God’s sakes.....Ann...Good Lord.....Ray....”

As he regained his breath, he sat down beside me and concluded:

“Carl, you can never leave this place. Not until you send out twenty invitations, as I did. You then must change all the name signs on the garage doors. You must clean up the place, prepare fresh pastries and delicatessens, you must bury all the cars and trucks. You have to change the name of the Hotel and set the date to match. You have a month. She’s always hungry, Carl. If you try to run, she’ll get you, if you are lazy, she’ll get you, if you are ineffective in your invitations and don’t gather twenty friends, she’ll get you and you cannot use the same invitation idea that I had or she’ll get you. Oh, I almost forgot” as he was getting up, “there are some remains of Frank to be picked up in the lobby...”

“How can I beat that...that lottery idea was genius...” I said, like in some kind of whisper, lost in my own thoughts as I was simultaneously trying to conquer my growing fear.

“It better be good” he replied with a smile and a tap on my shoulder. “Good luck Carl.”

“And what happens to you?” I inquired.

“Me? I’m a free man again. I will tell you this, I will always think twice before making hasty decisions again and I won’t trust anyone but myself. Lesson learned.”

As Ray walked out the door, I turned around and looked at what I was facing. I felt sick. But I only have a month. And I better start thinking about good invitations too.

As I started sweeping the mess, Ray had entered his garage, the one with “Ray & Linda Wheelan” engraved on the silver plaque. The side door had softly closed behind him but the garage door never opened.

The End.

I liked that very much!!!

Anytime, I read a story of being trapped, I feel like I would figure away out, much easier, then those who are doomed to die.






S&F

reply to post by sonnny1


Thanks !

I am not claustrophobic at all but a situation like that would be a serious nightmare...no exit...till you somehow die in a horrible way...sick isn't it?

reply to post by SonoftheSun


Thats the beauty of Your Story.............

Delightfully horrific.

S&F

Nice ending with the garage door never opening.

reply to post by isyeye


Thank you !!

Nice ending with the garage door never opening.

Well...let's just say that Ray wouldn't be part of a sequel...