After a while, the adrenaline wore off a bit and I could think clearly again.

Since going back home to get my car was out of the question, I had to walk to the nearby village of Westbrook. I was familiar with the locals there, and they welcomed me warmly. I would usually hang out at the local bar or catch a movie or two.

I decided to go rent a hotel room for the night or even for several nights if needed.

As I made my way towards the town, my mind was racing with thoughts of what had just happened.

I was unable to shake off the feeling of terror, as I felt an evil entity wanting to take hold of my feelings.

I quickened my pace and reached the hotel, it was dingy and pretty run down, the type of place where questionable people did questionable things at night.

I couldn't shake off the feeling that I was being watched, as I made my way to the front desk to check in.

As I approached the front desk, a man in his mid-50s looked up and greeted me with a friendly smile. "Good evening, how may I assist you?" he asked.

“Hi, I’d like a room for the night, if that isn’t a problem.”

“For Mr…”

“Ethan Summers.”

The man nodded and began typing away at the computer in front of him. After a moment, he looked back up and said, "Welcome to our hotel, my name is Harold. I'll be your point of contact during your stay. Here's your room key, and please let me know if you need anything else."

The receptionist gave me a curt nod and handed me the key to my room. As I made my way to the elevator, I noticed that the walls were covered in a thick layer of grime, and the carpet had seen better days.

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When I finally reached my room, I was disappointed to find that it was just as dingy as the rest of the hotel. The wallpaper was peeling off the walls, and there was a musty smell in the air.

But it did have a bed and a small kitchen, it had to suffice.

As I sat on the bed, I couldn't help but feel uncomfortable. The sheets were scratchy, and the mattress was lumpy. I tried to distract myself by turning on the TV, but the reception was poor, and most of the channels were fuzzy.

I decided to freshen up and went to the bathroom. The tiles were chipped, and the showerhead was clogged. I turned on the water, and it sputtered out in fits and starts, never really getting hot.

The door that divided it from my room was missing too.

As I dried myself off, I heard a strange noise coming from the hallway.

It sounded like something heavy was being dragged across the floor. I hesitated for a moment, then approached the wall and pressed my ear against it.

"Is someone there?" I called out, but there was no response. The dragging noise continued, and I couldn't help but feel a sense of unease.

Thump thump.

Someone was right outside my room.

I opened the door, stepped outside, and looked both ways down the hallway, but there was no sign of anyone or anything. I tried to calm myself down and rationalize what I had heard, but I could not shake off the feeling of unease.

As I turned to go back into my room, I noticed something strange. On the carpet, there were clear footprints, as if someone had been standing right in front of my door. I knelt down to get a closer look, but the footprints disappeared as they approached the wall, as if the person or thing had simply vanished.

As I stood there in the hallway, I heard a faint whisper coming from behind me, It was almost too quiet to make out, but it sounded like someone was saying my name.

“Ethan...”

I felt cold hands with long, feminine nails seize my neck, applying pressure that made it hard to breathe. It was a chilling and eerie experience, and I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. But as fast as it had come, it had vanished, leaving no trace.

I quickly turned around and looked for any sign of who or what had grabbed me, but the hallway was empty. It was as if the presence had disappeared into thin air.

What the f…

I shuddered at the thought of what could have happened if it had lingered longer and tried to calm myself down, attempted to convince myself that it was just my imagination playing tricks on me, but deep down, I knew that I had experienced something out of the ordinary. The coldness of the hand and the pressure on my neck were too real to be a mere figment of my imagination.

If it was real, had the spirit of the lady, or whatever it was, followed me here?

Hope not.

I walked back to my room, heart pounding, still in disbelief. The room was in complete disarray, with overturned furniture and shattered glass from the windows scattered across the floor.

Suddenly, the door slammed shut behind me, making me jump. I tried to open it, but it was stuck. Panicking, turned around to find that the room had changed. The furniture was now in its proper place, and there was no shattered glass to be found. It was as if the chaos from before had never happened.

I suddenly felt extremely tired and climbed in to bed.

No other strange occurrences happened during the night, but rain clouds gathered on the horizon, prompting a heavy downpour.