The Grand Hotel

Justin's POV

As I step out of Daphne’s car I feel the cool October breeze brush across my skin. I look out in to the vast openness of the valley below. The moon is full and I peer down the cliff below, gulping heavily at the steep incline.

I look at Daphne trying to play it cool and not let it show how panicked I really am. I do not have a good feeling about this place. The lights of the few homes around us sparkle like jewels but they are far away. Turning to face the hotel we are to stay at my eyes widen even more.

The great white building stands about five stories high and is rectangular in shape. It is the epitome of the grandeur and elegance of times gone by. There is an eeriness that protrudes from the many windows that even seems to peer into my soul.

I take the luggage out of our trunk and look at my best friend. “Can you tell me why we are staying here again? At the …” I look over at the sign in front of the building that has a light glowing around it. I scrunch up my nose. “Why the fuck are we staying at the Grand Hotel? This place looks fucking ancient.”

She giggles. “You’re the one who wanted to see our fine country.” She rolls her eyes playfully. “If you insist on visiting a ghost town we might as well stay at their hotel too.” She smiles gleefully and her voice becomes very excited. “Maybe it’s, like, haunted or something, what an adventure that would be, huh?”

I huff out a laugh and reply dryly, “You don‘t honestly believe in that bullshit do you?”

She pats my back, chuckling under her breath. “Of course I do. Oh, did you know this place used to be the hospital of the community?”

I shake my head. “Only you would think of wanting to stay in a renovated hospital. Now, if it was filled with hot, sexy, sweaty guys with big cocks, then I might think it was an adventure.”

She playfully slaps me. “Shut up!”

We walk up to the hotel entrance. The branches of the trees above us sway in the breeze making a scratching noise on the side of the brick building. We climb the steep staircase and are greeted by a wide window. Daphne opens the door and we walk into the massive lobby. Old paintings clutter the walls and the room is dimly lit with old fashioned lamps casting a yellow glow. Daphne whistles. “This place is snazzy.”

I’m wondering if maybe she might be smoking crack because all I see is just plain creepy and fucking old. The art is fascinating, though. It’s a bit on the dark side, yet intriguing. As I walk across the rustic wooden floors they creek under my feet confirming my previous thoughts about how ancient this place really is. I am instantly drawn to the corner of the room where there is an old fashioned elevator. I am pulled out of my thoughts when I hear someone call my name. “Justin.” The sound brushes my ears in a soft whisper.

I call over to Daphne. “Did you say something? “

She shakes her head. “Nope.” She walks over to the counter and dings the bell.

I look at her in confusion and then proceed to walk closer to the elevator. My breath is taken away by the unexplainable familiarity of it. I peer in through the black sliding gate door, noticing a red upholstered bench sitting up against one side of the wooden walls. My eyes are drawn to a painting on one of the walls inside the elevator. I gulp heavily and blink hard. When I open my eyes again and peer even closer I am stunned.

The painting is one of mine. I painted it last week during our travels. At the time I painted it I was troubled by it. It is a portrait of a family I have never seen before. For some odd reason I painted myself amongst them. I look even closer to the detail of a tall lean man with chestnut hair. He’s sitting in the portrait and his hazel eyes seem to pierce into my soul. A young boy sits on his lap and I stand behind him with my hand on his shoulder. On the other side is a blonde woman. She smiles as she looks down at the young child. The color textures are done in dark tones, making even the lighter features seem almost ghastly.

I ponder for a moment how the painting got on this wall with so much dust collected on it, when I know I had shipped it home to keep it safe. This one has been there for a long time. I begin to walk backwards, shuddering a little as I wonder what kind of mess we’ve gotten ourselves into.

I am startled when I feel a hand on my shoulder. I jump and then hear a husky laugh. “I did not mean to make you jump Sonny boy. I do not suggest using that elevator,” he sounds almost sarcastic. Turning around I look at the man before me and I start a little as I realize he is the man from the painting. I feel a strange urge to reach out to him. It’s as if I somehow know all his features. I’ve memorized every line and every sadness like they are my own.

He looks almost stunned when he sees me, then I see him withdraw into himself and gather his composure.

I stutter my words. “I…I’m sorry sir. I was just admiring your painting.” I decide now is not the time to mention that I painted it and demand to know how he got it.

He clears his throat. I can tell he is uncomfortable with the compliment. “I mean it boy stay away from this elevator,” he practically growls “No one is allowed in it but me. You got that clear?”

“Crystal.” For some odd reason I am not intimidated by him, in actuality I find myself being drawn into his hazel eyes.

I notice the suit he is wearing looks like something from the 1800’s. He smirks down at me and smoothes out his clothes as he walks past me. As he moves by I feel a cold chill breeze through me and my body tingles from his presence.

He walks behind the check in desk and smiles at Daphne gracefully. Yet, there is something about his mannerisms that tell me he really does not want to be here. I notice Daphne is looking off into space, lost in her own thoughts when he asks. “Can I help you?”

Daphne jumps slightly, and then laughs. “You snuck up on me. I didn’t see you there.”

He smiles wryly, and then looks around the room mysteriously like he is looking for something. When he speaks again there is pain in his eyes. “It’s this place; it has a way of…” He pauses for a moment placing his hands on the desk ad he leans forward. “Getting under your skin.” His eyes practically glow with intensity.

Daphne fidgets a little uncomfortably then giggles nervously. “I’m Daphne Chandlers and this is my best friend, Justin Taylor, we have reservations for a couple of nights.”

“Yes, yes, we have been expecting you.” He takes a key and begins to walk to the staircase. He looks back at us. “Well, are you two coming?” I’m a little confused why we are not paying up front but I just shrug my shoulders and follow him. Apparently he knows what he is doing.

We walk up a couple steps and he grabs a candle off a small windowsill and lights it. Suddenly the lights turn off and he turns to us, a wicked smirk playing across his lips. “I hope you don’t mind the darkness.” He laughs sardonically. “You will find candles in your room. Be sure to keep the mirror covered during the night.” He smiles at us wickedly once again and I can feel a chill run through my bones.

He leads us up a winding staircase to the fifth floor. We walk down a long hallway where candles are set in sconces along the wall to light the way. He stops and opens room 533. “Here is your room. Remember what I told you; do not take the covers off the mirrors. You’ll find candles on the dresser. If you need anything…”

Daphne interrupts him as she walks into the room taking hold of the man’s arm. “I need your light so I can see to light our candles.”

“Oh, is somebody afraid of the dark?” He laughs snidely as he lights the candle Daph is holding with his own.

“Fuck you.” She pushes him playfully. “Thank you for the light.”

“You’re welcome, and by the way, you’re not my type so I will not be fucking you any time soon.”

She giggles. “I kind of already figured that out, with how you where eyeing my friend.”

I gasp in horror. “Daphne!” Both oh them laugh at me.

He looks at me slyly and I suddenly realize he is looking me up and down shrewdly. “If you need any thing at all I’m in room 433.”

He begins to walk back down the hall and my best friend calls to him. “Sir.”

He clears his throat. “Don’t call me sir. My father was a sir.”

“Okay, what shall we call you then?”

He nods his head. “Brian, Brian Kinney.”

“Thank you Brian. Is there a place we could get some supper around here?”

“On the second floor there is a restaurant that is open all night. By the way if you hear any strange noises in the middle of the night it’s just the building settling. It’s very old.” He laughs maliciously under his breath.

I watch as he walks down the hall and is engulfed by the darkness. A strange wind blows through the building and extinguishes his candle. I stand there in wonder and confusion pondering why I am here. Why is my painting in the elevator? And how come Daphne seems to have had such a natural, playful rapport with Brian just then. I feel the wheels in my head spin and I know I need to be alone just for a moment.

I feel my friend’s hand on my cheek. “Justin, you don’t look like your feeling well. Is everything ok?”

“Daphne, this place…there is something about it that’s bothering me. Remember that painting I did last week of that family?”

“Yeah.”

I just saw that painting in the old elevator and that guy.” I point down the empty hallway was the man from the painting. “

She covers her mouth. “Oh my God I thought he looked familiar.” She sits down on the bed. “This is weird.”

“I need to go look at it again and make sure it was my painting.”

“Okay, don’t forget a candle and be careful. I would go with you but I have a feeling you want to do this alone.”

I nod my head yes, still not able to get over the strange sensations I felt around Brian, about this building and the painting. Something about this place is so oddly familiar and I know I should feel freaked out, but I‘m not.

I light my candle and close the door behind me. Walking down the hall I begin to feel uneasy, as though someone is watching me. I gasp as I come face to face with the young blond woman from the painting. She screams and I do too. Okay so maybe I’m just a little freaked out. She holds up her candle and giggles. “Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scream and scare you. This place just kind of gives me the heebie jeebies.”

“Yeah, me too. My best friend thinks it’s haunted, or hopes so anyway.”

She laughs warmly. “I have it on good authority she’s right.” Her eyes glisten in the candlelight and then she holds out her hand to me. “I’m Lindsay.”

“My name’s Justin.”

She smiles widely. “We were hoping you would come.”

I begin to back away slightly wondering if I’m in some fucked up horror film. She touches my arm lightly. “No need to be frightened Justin. Your reservation; we were hoping you would keep it is all. You would not believe how many people back out at the last minute, especially when they check this place out.”

I laugh nervously. “Yeah, it is rather creepy.”

“Come on. Come meet the other guests. I’m sure you’ll like it here. Just don’t move anything. Keep things as they are.”

“You and Brian are full of rules aren’t you?“

“Brian?! You saw Brian?”