September 14, 2021 • 17 mins
Nighty Night is a horror anthology series where famed attorney, author and podcaster Rabia Chaudry delivers bone-chilling bedtime stories that will be sure to keep you wide awake all night long. These creepy tales will be a mix of both original content and lesser known classics delivered with a modern spin. Listen on all audio platforms now!
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey, everybody, it's Robbia. I am very excited to announce
that I have a brand new podcast out today called
ninty Night, Bedtime Stories to Keep You awake. Ninety Night
is an anthology featuring both adaptations of classic horror stories
that you might have never heard of and fictionalize true
life stories that are so frightening that you will start
(00:22):
to think that reality is scarier than fiction. And also
we've got some amazing originals in there. Now. Look, As
an attorney, it's my job to investigate and find the truth.
But as the host of ninety Night, it will be
my job to make you question which monsters are real
and which ones are just in your head. So join
me as I tuck you into bed with stories that
(00:43):
will leave you sleepless all night long. Now I'm about
to play you a preview of episode one, but first
make sure you subscribe to Cast Media's new podcast ninety
Night wherever you get your podcasts, and please leave us
a rating and review ninty Night. Everyone, good evening and
(01:06):
welcome tonight E Night with Robbia Chaudhry. I'm DJ Luebell,
the show's producer. Tonight's tale is about a family that
seems to forget one of the most important rules when
going on vacation when in Rome, do as the Romans do,
or at least always listen to their warnings. Please enjoy
(01:29):
the children taken. Once upon a time there was a
family of travelers that didn't heed the advice of locals.
Their vacation began, as many vacations do, with absolutely nothing
going according to plan. Sarah and Tom had planned the
trip months ago, finding a week with their schedules aligned
(01:53):
and they could slip away together, leaving the kids behind,
even if just for a few days. It was no
easy task. They're lives were a hectic, constant swirl of work,
school events, after school activities, soccer and tennis, camp and
piano lessons for the kids. They could barely come up
for air, and lately had been feeling like strangers to
each other. So spending an intimate few days in a
(02:16):
luxury hotel in the mountains was what they needed to
recharge and reconnect, But their bags were already packed. When
it all fell apart. A stomach ache had morphed into
full blown appendicitis, and just like that the world's most
trustworthy babysitter Tom's sister, No less couldn't make it. Jeremy
was only eight and Stephanie had just turned ten, not
(02:38):
nearly old enough to leave alone, and finding someone they
trusted that could keep the kids for a week at
the last minute wasn't possible. They're only options were to
cancel the trip and lose the deposit, or just bring
the kids along. Forget it, said Tom. The whole point
of the trip was to get time together alone. Sarah agreed.
(02:59):
She desperate needed a break. Her kids were her life,
but she just didn't want them on this trip. Ultimately,
they decided it wasn't ideal, but they would have to
make it work, and they'd have to plan their own
getaway another time. The next morning, they loaded the kids
into the car and headed out. As they drove further
(03:19):
and further away from the city, Tom and Sarah felt
more and more relaxed. Large buildings slowly gave way to
groups of huddled homes, Stores and parks melted into fields
and trees. The kids buzzed with excitement, and Sarah began
to think that while this trip wasn't what was planned,
it was turning out okay. She hummed a song, stared
(03:40):
out the window at the changing landscape and smiled to herself.
Sometimes things not going according to plan, it's actually what
everyone needs. As the miles ticked by, the excited hum
in the back seat slowed down and then stopped altogether.
Soon it was replaced with the board frustration known to
all parents, one that made it clear to Tom and
(04:01):
Sarah that they were not going to be making it
to the hotel without finding a place to stop first.
As the bursts of conversation from the kids turned shorter
and snippier, Tom began scanning for a place they could
stop to stretch their legs. While the children mostly got
along being stuck in the backseat of a car for
hours on and was testing their friendship, they were lucky.
(04:23):
Sarah knew plenty of siblings didn't get along at all,
but these two were usually thick as thieves. Right now though,
they were just getting on each other's last nerve. Just then,
as they began ascending the valley towards the mountains, the
Green Orchard Gas and convenience store came into view, promising gas,
snacks and bathrooms. Tom pulled off the empty two lane
(04:44):
road up to the little store you can each pick
out one snack, Sarah shouted as Jeremy and stuff sprinted
to the store. She smiled at Tom and reached out
for his hand. She took a few deep breaths of
the fresh country air, which was sweeter and cleaner than
anything that exist stood back in the city, and then
they followed their kids inside. The store was small but clean,
(05:06):
and Sarah watched as Jeremy and staff wandered up and
down the aisles, examining the chips and cookies and candy.
An elderly man complained about the price of gas to
the friendly looking woman standing behind the counter, and she
smiled and nodded, agreeing with him. The bathrooms were immaculate
and empty, and the coffee was fresh and hot and short.
It was exactly the kind of spot you hope to
(05:27):
stop at when you're traveling. Sarah navigated a small selection
of books, choosing a thriller to read by the pool,
and then collected the snacks that the kids had picked out.
By the time she got to the checkout. As Tom
herded the kids back to the car, Sarah had an
entire armful of goodies to pay for. She fished around
in her purse with one hand to find her wallet
(05:48):
and noticed a picture of a young girl with dark
hair taped to the front of the cash register. Sarah
smiled at the photograph. Must be the cashier's daughter, she thought.
So nice to a young families in here, said the
woman behind the counter, nodding towards the older man who
had been so cranky about the cost of gas earlier,
and who was still in the corner of the store
comparing prices on bottles of water. What brings you to
(06:11):
the area, visiting or passing through? We're here for vacation,
Sarah smiled. We're staying at the Grand Mountain Hotel. Do
you know it? The woman nodded with a grin. Oh,
you'll love it. It's a wonderful spot to stay. But
you know, just one piece of advice so you don't
get lost. I think you're staying at the Grand Mountain Resort,
not the Grand Mountain Hotel, because the hotel is actually
(06:31):
an older building all the way up on the top
of the mountain. Sarah furrowed her brow as the woman continued,
See they're both owned by the same company, and they
really should change the name to avoid confusion. But but
just in case, you get turned around in new directions,
you'll want to make sure you're asking for the right one,
you know, otherwise you're liable to end up at a
place that you don't want to be. Sarah's face stayed confused,
(06:54):
and the woman continued, your kids, actually, see, that's that's
how I knew families stay at the resort. The hotel
is adults only. Sarah shook her head. Well, we we
didn't think we were bringing the kids when we booked,
but actually we're staying at the hotel and not the resort.
The woman's eyes turned hard in an instant. You'll want
to change then tell them about the kids when you
(07:16):
get there, because you know, an old building like that,
it's no place for kids. It just wouldn't be safe.
Sarah blinked at the lady and responded, Uh, well, thanks,
but I'm sure it'll be fine. The hotel looks great.
The woman moved quickly and grabbed Sarah's wrist hard. Tell
them at the desk when you arrive that you decided
to bring the kids, and ask them if they'll switch
(07:37):
you to the resort. I'm telling you that building is
not safe for kids to be wandering around in there've
been they're in accidents, and then they're very accommodating with
these things. Sarah pulled her wrist firmly away, and the
woman released her grip. She smiled as she went back
to bagging the items of the counter. I just want
to make sure you enjoy your time in the area
(07:57):
as all. I mean, you know, tourism is a big
deal for us. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful trip. Uh. Yeah,
I'm sure we will too, Sarah mumbled. She got back
to the car quickly, her face read. Tom could see
if something was wrong. She told him what the woman
had said, how she grabbed her wrist and insisted that
the hotel wasn't safe. Yeah. Well, look, I'm not changing
(08:18):
our plans because some crazy woman doesn't think kids belong
in a nice hotel. They'll be fine. What kind of
trouble could they get into with us there? We're not
changing where we're staying. Sarah felt embarrassed about taking the
woman even a little bit seriously, but Tom was probably right.
The woman did seem a bit crazy. Why would they
change their entire plans because a stranger told them to, Plus,
(08:40):
she was lying the hotel wasn't adults, Only it didn't
say anything like that on the website. Tom pulled the
car out of the parking lot and onto the road
that climbed uphill towards the hotel. Sarah returned to staring
at the window, feeling her alarm grow duller as they
ascended the slope of the mountain. She watched as they
passed the turn off to the sort, and a little
(09:01):
voice inside her told her to follow the sign. She
ignored the voice, though, and she said nothing to Tom.
The Grand Mountain Hotel loomed at the summit of the mountain,
a behemoth of sandstone, gothic and intimidating that perched above
(09:24):
the valley below. They pulled into the mass of circular
driveway and stopped in front of the pillars that framed
the entrance. The bellhop that had come running with a
luggage cart stared at the children while Tom began unloading
the car and Sarah entered the massive carved doors to
check them in. The lobby was immense and dark, and
Sarah guided Jeremy and stepped towards the front desk. The
(09:46):
walls were covered with large tapestries and paintings, framed in gold,
and a silent grand piano sat in the corner. The
deep red carpet was almost ominous, and a shutter ran
through Sarah. The man standing behind the on desk made
of polished wood that shone under the lights, smiled politely
but coldly at her. He wore a name tag that
(10:07):
identified him as Edgar the manager. Ma'am. He said to her,
you missed the turn off for the resort halfway up
the mountain. Sarah set her jaw no, we're staying here.
You'll find the reservations under the name Frasier. He took
his eyes off of her to look at a computer
screen and then met her gaze again. Mrs Fraser, my apologies,
(10:30):
but you told us when you booked that it would
just be you and your husband on this visit. Otherwise
we would have directed you to the resort. It's much
more family friendly. We can change your booking without any fee,
and you'll find the resort's much more comfortable and enjoyable
for your children. Well, Sarah replied, exasperated. We didn't know
we'd be bringing the children we booked, but this will
be fine. We don't need to change and we're looking
(10:52):
forward to staying here. Edgar frowned. Children are not allowed
in the dining rooms here. He replied, well, we like
room service anyway. This now seemed to be a challenge,
and Sarah was not backing down. Look, I checked the
website and there were no age restrictions for staying on
the property, and the suite that we booked accommodates for people.
(11:13):
So I don't understand what the issue is. Tom arrived
and now stood by Sarah's side, joining the standoff. Is
there a problem, he inquired. Edgar smiled politely, not at all,
Mr Fraser. I was just explaining to your wife that
you would all be much more comfortable at the resort.
We have pretty strict rules here, like children are not
allowed the dining rooms, they can't be in the hotel
(11:35):
common spaces or elevators alone. It's really quite a hasshole.
The resort has lots of activities in areas for children,
and there'll be other children there as well. Tom shook
his head. We'll be fine and are happy to follow
any rules you have here. We're not interested in changing
our plans, though Edgar nodded, slowly, fixing his eyes on Sarah.
(11:56):
Please do pay very close attention to your children. Again.
We'd be happy to change you to a family suite
at the resort if you change your mind. I think
you'd enjoy it a lot more. However, I will fetch
your keys. Edgar turned and walked away. Jeremy looked at
his parents with concern. Are we going to get thrown out?
Tom ruffled his son's hair and smiled, not at all, buddy,
(12:18):
don't worry about it. He leaned over to Sarah and
whispered in her ear. Wait till I review this place online.
Edgar returned a moment later. You'll be on the thirteenth floor.
Please remember once again, the children are not allowed to
be unsupervised in the hotel at anytime, and cannot be
alone in the elevators. He slid the plastic hard keys
across the counter and nodding towards the children. We're very
(12:41):
strict on our rules here, but they are for their safety.
Tom collected the keys and shook his head at Edgar,
and the family walked towards the elevator bank. Jeremy rushed
ahead so he could beat his sister at pressing the
call button, and the four of them entered the musty
smelling elevator mirrored on all four sides, the floor covered
in the same dark red carpet as the lobby. Tom
(13:03):
glanced at the buttons and hit the number thirteen. The
elevator groaned, hesitating for a second while the lights flickered,
then the car began to climb. Tom smiled. Mystery solved.
They're worried about our kids getting stuck in this whole thing.
Imagine that lawsuit. Sarah laughed in agreement at the absurdity
of the realization. Yeah, mystery solved. Their suite was cavernous,
(13:28):
an enormous amount of space with panoramic views of the
surrounding hills. They unpacked and ordered room service and put
on a movie, but Sarah kept turning to look at
the breathtaking view beyond the window. She was glad they
hadn't switched to the resort. Nothing they could offer would
make up for these views. The next couple of days
passed well, with hikes on local trails and hours by
(13:49):
the pool. In the backdrop, though, was Edgar, who turned
up at all hours of the day, it seemed, glaring
at the children. He seemed intent on catching them misbehaving.
He never managed to. They watched movies together in the
evenings and ate piles of candy from the hotel gift shop.
Sarah made sure the kids weren't left unsupervised anywhere. She
(14:10):
admitted to herself that she was just a little bit
afraid of Edgar and didn't want to give him any
excuse to kick them out. Things were going great, and
she wanted to keep it that way. One morning, a
few days into the vacation, the family had just arrived
at the pool when Jeremy announced that he had forgotten
his book back in the room. Tom and Sarah were
both half covered in sunscreen and told him to wait
(14:31):
so one of them could go back inside with him.
Jeremy bounced around and moaned, it's okay, I can go.
I'll be fast. I promise, I won't even use the elevator.
I'll just go up the stairs. Come on, it's not
a big deal. I'm not a baby. Sarah looked around.
They were alone at the pool, and Edgar was nowhere
in sight. She sighed, okay, just don't go to the lobby,
(14:54):
don't use the elevator, and be quick. She handed him
a key and watched as he took off disappearing into
the bill ding. Only a few minutes had passed when
Jeremy returned with Edgar, whose glare was unrelenting. I reminded
you multiple times with the rules, but I just found
your child wandering the hotel by himself. Come on, now,
he wasn't wandering. Tom responded, he was just running up
(15:16):
to our room. He wasn't going to use the elevator.
We just forgot the book he's reading. Edgar's eyes narrowed
and his words became a hiss, each one enunciated carefully.
You have no way of knowing he wouldn't use it
since you weren't there. Sarah tried to defuse the situation
before it spiraled. I'm so very sorry, Edgar. I was
(15:39):
a mistake. I promise we won't make it again. Edgar
turned to look at her see that it doesn't. If
there's another incident, I'm afraid you'll have to leave. Safety
is one thing I cannot make exceptions on. With that,
he turned and walked into the hotel. Tom met Sarah's
gaze and rolled his eyes. That guy must be fun
at parties. The rest of the day passed as the
(16:00):
others had swimming and lounging in the sun. Early in
the afternoon, they decided it was time to head back up,
take showers, and order some lunch. They entered the old elevator,
the blood red carpet reflecting all around them. As they
rode up, slowly, passing floor after floor, Sarah heard a
sound that seemed to swell up from the elevator shaft.
(16:21):
It sounded faintly like a child crying. She squinted, trying
to listen closer. M
Hey, everybody, it's Robbia. I am very excited to announce
that I have a brand new podcast out today called
ninty Night, Bedtime Stories to Keep You awake. Ninety Night
is an anthology featuring both adaptations of classic horror stories
that you might have never heard of and fictionalize true
life stories that are so frightening that you will start
(00:22):
to think that reality is scarier than fiction. And also
we've got some amazing originals in there. Now. Look, As
an attorney, it's my job to investigate and find the truth.
But as the host of ninety Night, it will be
my job to make you question which monsters are real
and which ones are just in your head. So join
me as I tuck you into bed with stories that
(00:43):
will leave you sleepless all night long. Now I'm about
to play you a preview of episode one, but first
make sure you subscribe to Cast Media's new podcast ninety
Night wherever you get your podcasts, and please leave us
a rating and review ninty Night. Everyone, good evening and
(01:06):
welcome tonight E Night with Robbia Chaudhry. I'm DJ Luebell,
the show's producer. Tonight's tale is about a family that
seems to forget one of the most important rules when
going on vacation when in Rome, do as the Romans do,
or at least always listen to their warnings. Please enjoy
(01:29):
the children taken. Once upon a time there was a
family of travelers that didn't heed the advice of locals.
Their vacation began, as many vacations do, with absolutely nothing
going according to plan. Sarah and Tom had planned the
trip months ago, finding a week with their schedules aligned
(01:53):
and they could slip away together, leaving the kids behind,
even if just for a few days. It was no
easy task. They're lives were a hectic, constant swirl of work,
school events, after school activities, soccer and tennis, camp and
piano lessons for the kids. They could barely come up
for air, and lately had been feeling like strangers to
each other. So spending an intimate few days in a
(02:16):
luxury hotel in the mountains was what they needed to
recharge and reconnect, But their bags were already packed. When
it all fell apart. A stomach ache had morphed into
full blown appendicitis, and just like that the world's most
trustworthy babysitter Tom's sister, No less couldn't make it. Jeremy
was only eight and Stephanie had just turned ten, not
(02:38):
nearly old enough to leave alone, and finding someone they
trusted that could keep the kids for a week at
the last minute wasn't possible. They're only options were to
cancel the trip and lose the deposit, or just bring
the kids along. Forget it, said Tom. The whole point
of the trip was to get time together alone. Sarah agreed.
(02:59):
She desperate needed a break. Her kids were her life,
but she just didn't want them on this trip. Ultimately,
they decided it wasn't ideal, but they would have to
make it work, and they'd have to plan their own
getaway another time. The next morning, they loaded the kids
into the car and headed out. As they drove further
(03:19):
and further away from the city, Tom and Sarah felt
more and more relaxed. Large buildings slowly gave way to
groups of huddled homes, Stores and parks melted into fields
and trees. The kids buzzed with excitement, and Sarah began
to think that while this trip wasn't what was planned,
it was turning out okay. She hummed a song, stared
(03:40):
out the window at the changing landscape and smiled to herself.
Sometimes things not going according to plan, it's actually what
everyone needs. As the miles ticked by, the excited hum
in the back seat slowed down and then stopped altogether.
Soon it was replaced with the board frustration known to
all parents, one that made it clear to Tom and
(04:01):
Sarah that they were not going to be making it
to the hotel without finding a place to stop first.
As the bursts of conversation from the kids turned shorter
and snippier, Tom began scanning for a place they could
stop to stretch their legs. While the children mostly got
along being stuck in the backseat of a car for
hours on and was testing their friendship, they were lucky.
(04:23):
Sarah knew plenty of siblings didn't get along at all,
but these two were usually thick as thieves. Right now though,
they were just getting on each other's last nerve. Just then,
as they began ascending the valley towards the mountains, the
Green Orchard Gas and convenience store came into view, promising gas,
snacks and bathrooms. Tom pulled off the empty two lane
(04:44):
road up to the little store you can each pick
out one snack, Sarah shouted as Jeremy and stuff sprinted
to the store. She smiled at Tom and reached out
for his hand. She took a few deep breaths of
the fresh country air, which was sweeter and cleaner than
anything that exist stood back in the city, and then
they followed their kids inside. The store was small but clean,
(05:06):
and Sarah watched as Jeremy and staff wandered up and
down the aisles, examining the chips and cookies and candy.
An elderly man complained about the price of gas to
the friendly looking woman standing behind the counter, and she
smiled and nodded, agreeing with him. The bathrooms were immaculate
and empty, and the coffee was fresh and hot and short.
It was exactly the kind of spot you hope to
(05:27):
stop at when you're traveling. Sarah navigated a small selection
of books, choosing a thriller to read by the pool,
and then collected the snacks that the kids had picked out.
By the time she got to the checkout. As Tom
herded the kids back to the car, Sarah had an
entire armful of goodies to pay for. She fished around
in her purse with one hand to find her wallet
(05:48):
and noticed a picture of a young girl with dark
hair taped to the front of the cash register. Sarah
smiled at the photograph. Must be the cashier's daughter, she thought.
So nice to a young families in here, said the
woman behind the counter, nodding towards the older man who
had been so cranky about the cost of gas earlier,
and who was still in the corner of the store
comparing prices on bottles of water. What brings you to
(06:11):
the area, visiting or passing through? We're here for vacation,
Sarah smiled. We're staying at the Grand Mountain Hotel. Do
you know it? The woman nodded with a grin. Oh,
you'll love it. It's a wonderful spot to stay. But
you know, just one piece of advice so you don't
get lost. I think you're staying at the Grand Mountain Resort,
not the Grand Mountain Hotel, because the hotel is actually
(06:31):
an older building all the way up on the top
of the mountain. Sarah furrowed her brow as the woman continued,
See they're both owned by the same company, and they
really should change the name to avoid confusion. But but
just in case, you get turned around in new directions,
you'll want to make sure you're asking for the right one,
you know, otherwise you're liable to end up at a
place that you don't want to be. Sarah's face stayed confused,
(06:54):
and the woman continued, your kids, actually, see, that's that's
how I knew families stay at the resort. The hotel
is adults only. Sarah shook her head. Well, we we
didn't think we were bringing the kids when we booked,
but actually we're staying at the hotel and not the resort.
The woman's eyes turned hard in an instant. You'll want
to change then tell them about the kids when you
(07:16):
get there, because you know, an old building like that,
it's no place for kids. It just wouldn't be safe.
Sarah blinked at the lady and responded, Uh, well, thanks,
but I'm sure it'll be fine. The hotel looks great.
The woman moved quickly and grabbed Sarah's wrist hard. Tell
them at the desk when you arrive that you decided
to bring the kids, and ask them if they'll switch
(07:37):
you to the resort. I'm telling you that building is
not safe for kids to be wandering around in there've
been they're in accidents, and then they're very accommodating with
these things. Sarah pulled her wrist firmly away, and the
woman released her grip. She smiled as she went back
to bagging the items of the counter. I just want
to make sure you enjoy your time in the area
(07:57):
as all. I mean, you know, tourism is a big
deal for us. I'm sure you'll have a wonderful trip. Uh. Yeah,
I'm sure we will too, Sarah mumbled. She got back
to the car quickly, her face read. Tom could see
if something was wrong. She told him what the woman
had said, how she grabbed her wrist and insisted that
the hotel wasn't safe. Yeah. Well, look, I'm not changing
(08:18):
our plans because some crazy woman doesn't think kids belong
in a nice hotel. They'll be fine. What kind of
trouble could they get into with us there? We're not
changing where we're staying. Sarah felt embarrassed about taking the
woman even a little bit seriously, but Tom was probably right.
The woman did seem a bit crazy. Why would they
change their entire plans because a stranger told them to, Plus,
(08:40):
she was lying the hotel wasn't adults, Only it didn't
say anything like that on the website. Tom pulled the
car out of the parking lot and onto the road
that climbed uphill towards the hotel. Sarah returned to staring
at the window, feeling her alarm grow duller as they
ascended the slope of the mountain. She watched as they
passed the turn off to the sort, and a little
(09:01):
voice inside her told her to follow the sign. She
ignored the voice, though, and she said nothing to Tom.
The Grand Mountain Hotel loomed at the summit of the mountain,
a behemoth of sandstone, gothic and intimidating that perched above
(09:24):
the valley below. They pulled into the mass of circular
driveway and stopped in front of the pillars that framed
the entrance. The bellhop that had come running with a
luggage cart stared at the children while Tom began unloading
the car and Sarah entered the massive carved doors to
check them in. The lobby was immense and dark, and
Sarah guided Jeremy and stepped towards the front desk. The
(09:46):
walls were covered with large tapestries and paintings, framed in gold,
and a silent grand piano sat in the corner. The
deep red carpet was almost ominous, and a shutter ran
through Sarah. The man standing behind the on desk made
of polished wood that shone under the lights, smiled politely
but coldly at her. He wore a name tag that
(10:07):
identified him as Edgar the manager. Ma'am. He said to her,
you missed the turn off for the resort halfway up
the mountain. Sarah set her jaw no, we're staying here.
You'll find the reservations under the name Frasier. He took
his eyes off of her to look at a computer
screen and then met her gaze again. Mrs Fraser, my apologies,
(10:30):
but you told us when you booked that it would
just be you and your husband on this visit. Otherwise
we would have directed you to the resort. It's much
more family friendly. We can change your booking without any fee,
and you'll find the resort's much more comfortable and enjoyable
for your children. Well, Sarah replied, exasperated. We didn't know
we'd be bringing the children we booked, but this will
be fine. We don't need to change and we're looking
(10:52):
forward to staying here. Edgar frowned. Children are not allowed
in the dining rooms here. He replied, well, we like
room service anyway. This now seemed to be a challenge,
and Sarah was not backing down. Look, I checked the
website and there were no age restrictions for staying on
the property, and the suite that we booked accommodates for people.
(11:13):
So I don't understand what the issue is. Tom arrived
and now stood by Sarah's side, joining the standoff. Is
there a problem, he inquired. Edgar smiled politely, not at all,
Mr Fraser. I was just explaining to your wife that
you would all be much more comfortable at the resort.
We have pretty strict rules here, like children are not
allowed the dining rooms, they can't be in the hotel
(11:35):
common spaces or elevators alone. It's really quite a hasshole.
The resort has lots of activities in areas for children,
and there'll be other children there as well. Tom shook
his head. We'll be fine and are happy to follow
any rules you have here. We're not interested in changing
our plans, though Edgar nodded, slowly, fixing his eyes on Sarah.
(11:56):
Please do pay very close attention to your children. Again.
We'd be happy to change you to a family suite
at the resort if you change your mind. I think
you'd enjoy it a lot more. However, I will fetch
your keys. Edgar turned and walked away. Jeremy looked at
his parents with concern. Are we going to get thrown out?
Tom ruffled his son's hair and smiled, not at all, buddy,
(12:18):
don't worry about it. He leaned over to Sarah and
whispered in her ear. Wait till I review this place online.
Edgar returned a moment later. You'll be on the thirteenth floor.
Please remember once again, the children are not allowed to
be unsupervised in the hotel at anytime, and cannot be
alone in the elevators. He slid the plastic hard keys
across the counter and nodding towards the children. We're very
(12:41):
strict on our rules here, but they are for their safety.
Tom collected the keys and shook his head at Edgar,
and the family walked towards the elevator bank. Jeremy rushed
ahead so he could beat his sister at pressing the
call button, and the four of them entered the musty
smelling elevator mirrored on all four sides, the floor covered
in the same dark red carpet as the lobby. Tom
(13:03):
glanced at the buttons and hit the number thirteen. The
elevator groaned, hesitating for a second while the lights flickered,
then the car began to climb. Tom smiled. Mystery solved.
They're worried about our kids getting stuck in this whole thing.
Imagine that lawsuit. Sarah laughed in agreement at the absurdity
of the realization. Yeah, mystery solved. Their suite was cavernous,
(13:28):
an enormous amount of space with panoramic views of the
surrounding hills. They unpacked and ordered room service and put
on a movie, but Sarah kept turning to look at
the breathtaking view beyond the window. She was glad they
hadn't switched to the resort. Nothing they could offer would
make up for these views. The next couple of days
passed well, with hikes on local trails and hours by
(13:49):
the pool. In the backdrop, though, was Edgar, who turned
up at all hours of the day, it seemed, glaring
at the children. He seemed intent on catching them misbehaving.
He never managed to. They watched movies together in the
evenings and ate piles of candy from the hotel gift shop.
Sarah made sure the kids weren't left unsupervised anywhere. She
(14:10):
admitted to herself that she was just a little bit
afraid of Edgar and didn't want to give him any
excuse to kick them out. Things were going great, and
she wanted to keep it that way. One morning, a
few days into the vacation, the family had just arrived
at the pool when Jeremy announced that he had forgotten
his book back in the room. Tom and Sarah were
both half covered in sunscreen and told him to wait
(14:31):
so one of them could go back inside with him.
Jeremy bounced around and moaned, it's okay, I can go.
I'll be fast. I promise, I won't even use the elevator.
I'll just go up the stairs. Come on, it's not
a big deal. I'm not a baby. Sarah looked around.
They were alone at the pool, and Edgar was nowhere
in sight. She sighed, okay, just don't go to the lobby,
(14:54):
don't use the elevator, and be quick. She handed him
a key and watched as he took off disappearing into
the bill ding. Only a few minutes had passed when
Jeremy returned with Edgar, whose glare was unrelenting. I reminded
you multiple times with the rules, but I just found
your child wandering the hotel by himself. Come on, now,
he wasn't wandering. Tom responded, he was just running up
(15:16):
to our room. He wasn't going to use the elevator.
We just forgot the book he's reading. Edgar's eyes narrowed
and his words became a hiss, each one enunciated carefully.
You have no way of knowing he wouldn't use it
since you weren't there. Sarah tried to defuse the situation
before it spiraled. I'm so very sorry, Edgar. I was
(15:39):
a mistake. I promise we won't make it again. Edgar
turned to look at her see that it doesn't. If
there's another incident, I'm afraid you'll have to leave. Safety
is one thing I cannot make exceptions on. With that,
he turned and walked into the hotel. Tom met Sarah's
gaze and rolled his eyes. That guy must be fun
at parties. The rest of the day passed as the
(16:00):
others had swimming and lounging in the sun. Early in
the afternoon, they decided it was time to head back up,
take showers, and order some lunch. They entered the old elevator,
the blood red carpet reflecting all around them. As they
rode up, slowly, passing floor after floor, Sarah heard a
sound that seemed to swell up from the elevator shaft.
(16:21):
It sounded faintly like a child crying. She squinted, trying
to listen closer. M
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