Horror Stories from Horrified - Volume One (2)

They appr oached the lar ge, pointed-ar ched door and r ead the hand-w r itten notice stuck
inside against the glass:
?Vacancies. Open Chr istmas Eve.?
?It?s a hotel!? Simon said, w ith a laugh of r elief. ?Thank God for that! We can stay her e
tonight and go back for the car tomor r ow. We w ill have that single malt, yet.?
They pushed the door open and it cr eaked, just like it should. They giggled like childr en
w ith the r elief, and w ith excitement at the new and unfor eseen adventur e. They stepped
str aight into the bar ar ea and their smiles began to w eaken and wane. A fir e smoulder ed
low in the gr ate, and wall sconces glow ed dir ty and dim, but not a soul was astir. Dr inks
stood unfinished on the little mahogany r ound tables, and a cigar ette bur ned in an ashtr ay
on the bar. But ther e was no one ther e.
?Wher e is ever yone?? Beth asked, quietly. ?I know it?s late but it looks like they w er e just
her e. Wher e did they all go??
?They?ll be back,? Simon said w ith a smile. ?Let?s wait her e and someone w ill tur n up. At
least it?s warm,? and he walked over to the fir e w ith his hands open as if in sur r ender.
?Tr ue,? Beth said, and she star ted to sur vey the dingy r oom that had offer ed them
sanctuar y. The dar k w ood panels of the scuffed, gouged wainscoting, and the deep gr een
tar tan and blue car pet made it sombr e and dr ab, in spite of the Chr istmas tr ee that
tw inkled a little for lor nly in the cor ner. She w ent over to it and touched the hanging
decor ations lightly w ith her finger tip. She smiled at them: glass baubles w ith
kaleidoscope-patter ned indents scooped out of one side, fading paper -chains, and dismal
little w ooden painted or naments of ancient-looking Santas and r eindeer.
?My Nan used to have decor ations like this,? she said, but Simon was too busy poking the
fir e to tr y to r evive it and w onder ing how long he should leave it befor e he helped himself
to a dr ink. He could pay for it w hen the bar man came back.
?Hello!? he called to the emptiness behind the bar. ?Hello, is anyone ther e??Beth
wander ed ar ound the r oom. Her finger s w er e beginning to bur n w ith chilblain pain as
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