The monster in me

The worst nightmare is deserted places, the thought that there is no escape from them, especially when we are in danger. We want to wake up from this dream, to return to reality, but for these seven young people, it was the real world that they had to face.

Whenever they pinched their hands, they were still stuck in that terrifying place...

The boys explored every corner of the abandoned hotel, trying to find something or someone that could be the answer to their questions. The girls, on the other hand, stayed in the room with the unconscious Nancy, providing her with care.

They looked around the room, still looking scared. They didn't like the fact that there was no guy with them currently who could protect them in case of danger.

- Who do you think could have done this to us?- Betty asked, looking at Jennifer with concern in her eyes.

The brunette girl shrugged.

- Each of us has had many enemies. People hate us, if only because we are rich, popular, and mean. It is true that we feel better than others, although we do not say it out loud.

The redhead girl moved her gaze to the still unconscious Nancy.

- She and Noah were always different from us. They were nice to everyone, so they suffered the most. Everything reflected on them.

- It's true. We were supposed to be their friends, but we treated them the worst. You should feel it the most - Jennifer said.

Betty closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, clearly tired.

- I felt hurt by them. You don't even know how much my heart ached, it actually broke in half when I found out after the whole affair that he was in love with Nancy.

- But we can't force someone to reciprocate our feelings. You loved him so much, and yet you were the one who hurt him the most. Same with Nancy... she was your best friend, and you treated her like trash. You're toxic, Betty.

The redhead girl laughed under her breath.

- Toxic? I think that, except for them, each one of us was. Don't blame me for everything. You're not a saint, either.

- I'm not saying it's just you. We all have a lot going on, but your behavior was always the worst. You thought you were God knows who because you became a popular influencer. All those people who loved you only knew your fake "self". The funniest thing was when you were forcing yourself to record yourself with Noah so that everyone would think you were together. Poor Betty, you couldn't stand the thought that he wasn't in love with you, but with your best friend.

- Shut up. You're starting to irritate me. I'm not picking on you for running after Jake, even though he doesn't give a damn about you. Everyone sees it and laughs at you.

- They certainly don't laugh as much as they did at you when you were most desperate.

Things could have gotten very tense between the girls if not for the fact that at one point Nancy opened her eyes, clearly disoriented by the image she saw after regaining consciousness.

- What is this place? Where are we? - she asked in a hoarse voice.

Jennifer sat down next to her, putting her hands around her cold hands.

- Have you recovered? Are you feeling better?

Frowning, the blonde girl glanced around the dirty, old-fashioned room again, finally settling her gaze on Betty's face. The redhead girl stood by the door with her arms folded across her chest.

- Where are we? I remember we were at Mason's party...

- We remember it too, in short, sleeping beauty... - Betty answered her coldly - we all woke up on a deserted island, there is no yacht, ship, or boat nearby... We are currently in some abandoned, haunted hotel. There are also boys with us, who are looking for excitement, while we had to take care of you and wait for you to wake up.

- You're kidding me, right?- Nancy asked, horrified, looking at Betty.

- I don't really feel like joking, especially with you - Betty added coldly, moving her gaze toward the window.

Nancy had to come to her senses and understand the situation they were in, while others had already come to terms with it and were searching for a solution.

***

Will and Jake explored the second floor, which was pitch black. While there were windows on the first and first floors, no light reached here. There was no electricity, no phones, and they could only count on the doors to their rooms being open.

- You check the right side, I'll be on the left - Will said, to which his friend nodded.

Jake turned one of the handles, still feeling as if he were being watched by something. The image of the red eyes still flashed before his eyes, and the words he had heard then echoed in his head in whispers.

It was like a moment in a movie when he managed to open the first door he came to. He glanced back and noticed that Will had only just come across an open room at the end of the hallway.

The creak sent cold shivers through his body. He looked around the interior uncertainly before entering. The excess dust and mustiness made him feel suffocated. Bright light streamed in through the window, which initially put him off as he emerged from the darkness.

The room was ordinary, unremarkable. The same eighties wallpaper, old TV, retro furniture... and yet, he felt a connection to the place that he couldn't explain.

He stared at one spot with wide open eyes, unable to move, when he felt sharp claws on his neck. He couldn't make any movement. Fear made him completely paralyzed.

- Young Smith... - He heard a whisper in his ear. - We've been waiting for you, boy...

His breathing quickened. The shivering became more intense.

- Who are you? How do you know me?

- There is no one on this island who does not know you... - The terrifying voice made Jake start to panic. - The members of the Smith family... are to blame for the tragedy. - The boy did not understand what was happening. He did not know who was talking to him, but he did not dare to turn around. - Go to the dresser and open the cabinet, and you will see that it is not a coincidence that you appeared on the island...

Trembling with fear, Jake approached the dresser. Hesitantly, he opened the drawer that held an old newspaper. The photograph in the article showed three elderly men. The text included the fact that they were the founders and partners of this hotel.

Among them, Jake recognized his grandfather who died long ago...

***

Mason and Noah, who were on the first floor, kept close to each other as if they were afraid that someone would suddenly jump out at them intending to kill them.

The blond boy didn't let go of his brother's hand, squeezing it so tightly that the boy kept saying:

- I'm going to have bruises because of you.

- I won't let you go because I have the feeling that something is watching us. You know very well that I don't like this kind of atmosphere.

- Yes, once, when we watched a horror movie about ghosts, we didn't sleep all night from fear. Who would have thought that we would find ourselves in such a situation?

Noah screamed as the receptionist dropped the telephone receiver.

- Was that a sign for us that we were right?

- We were kids back then, so we had every right to be scared, but now, give it up. A ghost won't hurt you, worse a live person if someone is really after us - Mason said.

- Do you think our parents are looking for us? - Noah looked distressed. - We'll find a way out of here, right? I have a bad feeling...

- Stay strong, Noah . We'll get home, everything will be fine.

The blond boy nodded.

- Okay, I trust you. After that situation, I know you won't let me get hurt.

The brunette boy was confused, recalling memories of the worst time of their lives. He, too, was to blame for Noah's suffering, so how could his brother say now that he still trusted him?

- No matter how hard I try, I can't take care of you. You can't rely on me alone, Noah. You know very well that I'm the one who got you into all this trouble. I started something I couldn't get you out of.

- But I know that you tried your best to correct your mistake, and you were able to do everything to protect me. That situation was a misunderstanding, you had the right to misinterpret it, so I don't blame you. It was our pseudo friends who took advantage of that situation and decided to destroy me — people who called themselves our friends stabbed me in the back.

Mason faced his brother, who was a few months younger than him, and placed his hands on his shoulders.

- I was too protective of you, that situation distressed me, that's why I caused a mess. I still can't forgive myself for that, but you can't let me do that anymore, Noah. You're my brother, we've known each other practically our whole lives, but you can't rely on me as much as you did before. Because then it seems to me that I have to protect you from all the evil in the world. Don't let me do that, do you understand? Otherwise, I'll be consumed by remorse.

The blond boy nodded, forcing a smile.

In the darkness, across the hall, applause rang out. The boys looked in that direction, worried, as the figure of a young man emerged from the darkness.

His sight was the last thing they expected in this place.

- And it seems to me that you have already been consumed by remorse - Daniel replied in an amused voice. - Am I wrong?

- What are you doing here? How did you get here if you weren't at my party? - Mason stepped forward in a combative attitude.

This person was the man he hated the most.

- I'd like to know the answer to that myself... how did I end up here with your crew of pompous rich men? Why did I wake up in this stinking, abandoned hotel?

- You should be used to such conditions, living in a similar environment, loser.

- Brother, please don't pick a fight with Daniel. - Noah grabbed his brother's forearm, worried that another fight might break out between them.

- You have a serious problem with yourself, man. You can't control your emotions, you treat poorer people like worms... I wonder if anyone else knows your darkest secret besides me and Noah?

- What are you talking about? - Mason narrowed his eyes like an angry cat.

- Noah and I were friends who told each other everything, so I know a thing or two about you, Mason.

The brunette boy looked at his brother as if demanding an explanation from him.

- It's not like that. I didn't tell him everything about you, I swear. He's trying to mess things up between us, destroy our relationship, to get revenge.

Daniel crossed his arms over his chest, looking at it with a dark gaze.

Dusk was slowly setting in outside, forcing these young people to experience their first night in this horrible place... and it was going to be a nightmare.