She pulled into the Shady Oak Motel and chose a park close to the office. Gripping her handbag tightly under her arm, she made her way into the small office and looked around. The room was empty except for a large logbook and a bell sitting on a white counter located in front of a doorway, reminding her a little too much of the Bates Motel. Brenna smiled, she’d seen those ring for service bells in over a hundred movies and had always wanted to test one out. She dinged the bell and stood patiently waiting for service. A short, middle-aged man appeared from the doorway, pulling up his trousers as though they were too big. He stood behind the counter and looked up at Brenna. What little hair he had left on his pate was grey, and he wore wide-rimmed glasses that looked big enough to be used for TV screens.
“Can I help you, miss?” He pushed his glasses up just as they slid down his nose.
“Sure, I’d like a room please.”
“Any room in particular? We have spa baths in some.”
“Anything is fine.” Brenna smiled at the man and fished around in her bag for her purse. The man disappeared into the doorway behind him and came back holding a small key. “How much for the night?” she asked.
“Hundy for the night.”
“That’s cheap.” Brenna paid the man and recorded her name in the logbook. He handed her the key to room six.
“Name’s Clark by the way.”
“Nice to meet you, Clark.”
Brenna collected her things from the car and made her way to room six. She had to walk up some stairs and across a balcony. Once inside, she dropped her luggage on the ground and sat Maggie’s box on a dresser. The room was small but cozy with a double bed and thick green curtains. A small television sat across from the bed, as did a pay per view box. Brenna frowned. She had to pay for the room - and the entertainment. Oh well, the room was unusually cheap. Hopefully, that didn’t mean she would contract some hideous skin condition from using the shower. She sat on the edge of the bed and bounced up and down a little. Comfortable enough. Happy with the results, she lay down on her back and laced her fingers behind her head. Her eyelids grew heavy and she was on the cusp of sleep when she heard a faint chanting coming from outside.
Curious, she jumped off the bed and pulled the curtain across and peered outside. The chanting sounded as though it was right outside her window but there was nobody in sight. Brenna felt chills run down her spine. The chanting was loud and steady and soulful. She couldn’t help but feel gloomy even though she couldn’t hear the actual words of the chant.
The chanting faded away leaving the motel room quiet apart from the occasional car driving by. Brenna sat up straight on the bouncy bed. She no longer felt tired and decided to order a meal, after remembering seeing a sign advertising room service outside of the office. She looked around the room and found an old dust-covered menu on the window. Brenna blew off of the dust and skimmed over the options.
Her stomach rumbled at the thought of a large slab of steak and chunky chips, but considering the impact on her thighs, she opted for a cooked chicken breast served with a fresh garden salad. Brenna looked around for a phone to order but couldn’t see one. She checked under the bed and in the tiny closet, then decided to go downstairs to the office and order.
Brenna made her way carefully across the dark balcony, clutching her purse. Thankful she left the light on in her room, as it shone dimly through the curtains, guiding her way. Except for the light from Brenna’s room, the office, and motel sign, outside was completely dark. She crept to the stairs and made her way slowly down each creaking step. She relaxed a little when she reached the office and felt the tension run out of her shoulders. Not sure why she was feeling so anxious, she ducked into the office. Clark was standing at the reception desk reading a newspaper. Brenna cleared her throat and he dropped his newspaper on the desk. “Something wrong with the room?” he asked, his expression drooping.
Brenna smiled. “The room’s fine. I was hoping to order some food.”
“Oh.” Clark scratched his head. “The chef left a long time ago, but I could whip up something for you.”
“The chef’s finished for the night?”
“No, he’s finished full stop. Went and quit about five years back now.”
“Have you thought about hiring another one?”
“To tell ya the truth, young lady, you’re the first to ask for food since the chef left.”
“Don’t many people come through here?”
His bony shoulders moved up and down in a shrug. “They used to. Ah yes, I was very busy running this little place. Now it ain’t even worth opening up most times, but I got nothin’ better to do anyhow.”
“Well, what happened? Is it because the woods are supposed to be haunted?”
“No. Everybody already knew about the woods, ya see those woods are haunted don’t get me wrong, but nobody cares about that. They say they are the restless souls of them witches that were burned so many years ago, but they don’t cause no trouble. There’s something new around here. I can feel it. Something dark.” The man’s words sent buckets of shivers all over Brenna’s body. Was that the sad chanting was she could hear?
“Something dark you say?”
“Very. I’ve even been tempted to move after running into some strange occurrences myself.” The man pulled up his sagging pants.
“Why, what have you seen?”
“It’s not what I saw, it’s what I didn’t see that scared me.”
“Really?”
“Really. Just two nights ago I was walking up them stairs to the top rooms and along the balcony when I heard the steps creaking behind me. I spun around as I was the only one here as usual, but there was nobody there. I decided I was hearing things until a door slammed and the light in room number seven flicked on and off. I ain’t been up there since then.” He pulled at his pants again. Brenna couldn’t help but wonder why he’d put her in room six. And, if he hasn’t been up there, was anybody cleaning the rooms?
“Are you sure there was nobody in the room? Maybe somebody broke in.”
“As sure as you’re the only one here tonight. There’s more. Peggy Dew, the resident nurse, was walking home one night from the local doctor’s office as she always did around seven o’clock. She heard a faint snarling sound and turned around to find two blood-red glowing eyes just floating in the air as though they were being held up by strings. They stared right at her podgy round face until she opened her trap and let out a high-pitched scream that woke the whole town. Poor ol’ Peg’s been shut inside her house ever since.” The old man rubbed his forehead.
Brenna stood in the small office, reliving the mysterious chanting that appeared from nowhere.
“Well, I guess I’ll get started on that food.”
“Oh, thank you.” Brenna’s voice was a tiny squeak. Her mind was clouded with dark images of floating red eyeballs. Clark walked through the doorway behind him, leaving Brenna standing alone in the office. She crossed her arms and looked around the small bright room. A curtain-less window gave Brenna a view into the back of the motel. Too dark to see anything. Turning away from the window, she chewed on a fingernail.
Clark returned holding a tray full of goodies. Brenna smiled; she was happy to see the food but even happier to see him. She didn’t feel like being alone but knew she would have to go back to her room sooner or later. He passed her the tray and she rested it on the desk so she could search her bottom-less pit of a handbag for some money. The man shook his head and refused to take any, saying he was grateful to have the company.