Something Or Someone

The dinner went silent after the disturbing discovery. Most of the guests were now nervously glancing at each other, avoiding eye contact. The air in the restaurant felt thick, suffocating us with each passing second.

Alvi (to himself): This is insane. How could something like this happen? A human thumb in our food? What kind of place is this?

But Uncle seemed oddly calm now, almost too calm. He sat back in his chair, his hands folded in his lap, his face unreadable.

Alvi: Uncle, are you alright?

Mr. Novel: (nodding slowly) Yes, Alvi, I'm fine. Just… a little shaken up.

Alvi: Are you sure? You're acting strange.

Mr. Novel: It's nothing. I just think we should leave this matter alone. There's no use in stirring things up further.

I wanted to argue, to demand answers, but something about his tone made me hesitate. It was as though something inside him had changed like he wasn't quite himself anymore.

Then, a loud crash echoed from somewhere deep inside the hotel. It sounded like glass shattering. I looked around, and the other guests were frozen in fear, their eyes wide with panic.

Alvi: What was that?

The manager hurried into the room, his face pale and tense.

Manager: Please, everyone, stay calm. There's nothing to worry about. It was just an accident.

But his words did little to reassure anyone. The tension was too thick, the fear too real.

Alvi: (whispering) Uncle, something's wrong. I don't think this is just an accident.

Mr. Novel: (shaking his head) Don't overthink it, Alvi. We're just tired. It's been a long day.

Alvi: (muttering to himself) Maybe, but I don't feel right about this place.

I glanced around, searching for any signs of something—anything—unusual, but everything seemed normal, almost too normal. It was as if the hotel had somehow masked its sinister nature too perfectly.

(After completing dinner, Alvi and Mr. Novel went to their respective rooms.)

Alvi: I'm not feeling well.

What is happening here? Everything feels so strange. I can't even inform anyone.

No, relax. I should talk to Mr. Novel about this. He needs to answer some questions about the incident at dinner.

(Alvi knocks on Mr. Novel's door.)

Alvi: Uncle, it's me, Alvi. Please open the door. I need to talk to you.

Uncle, uncle, uncle...

What happened to him? He's not replying.

I think he's not in his room.

(Suddenly, Alvi notices that the door isn't locked and is half-open. He enters.)

Alvi: What is this? Something feels wrong. I should check on him.

Uncle, where are you?

Sorry for entering like this, but I had no other choice. The door was open.

He's not here. But where is he? I should check the bathroom and the balcony.

Uncle, are you in the bathroom? No, he's not here either.

Alright, maybe he's on the balcony.

Uncle, you...

He's not here either.

I think he's not in this room at all.

Wait... wow, what a beautiful mirror!

(Alvi sees something in the mirror and gets shocked.)

Alvi: No, I can't believe my eyes. What is this?

(Alvi is terrified and runs out of the room. He locks himself in his room.)

Alvi: Is this happening, or am I dreaming?

Wait... I hear something.

Where is it coming from?

Oh, the windows aren't properly closed.

I should close them. It's raining outside.

(As Alvi closes the last window, he notices something strange outside. He sees some people in the tea garden.)

Alvi: Where are they going at this time? Especially in this kind of weather. What are they doing?

I think I recognize them. They look familiar.

Ugh, I can't even see their faces.

(Suddenly, he sees one of them clearly.)

Alvi: Isn't he a hotel staff member? Yes, I've seen him many times with the hotel manager.

That means he's not the only hotel staff member outside.

I'm not sure, but it's possible he's not alone. There could be other staff members with him.

Wait, I think I see someone else leaving the hotel.

Who is he?

And he's not alone. There are two people with one umbrella.

I can't see their faces clearly because of the darkness.

Thunderlight is my only hope. That's my chance to see them.

Please, thunder, show some mercy. Help me out with a little light.

(Finally, Alvi sees them because of the thunderlight.)

Alvi: Yes, I knew it. I knew it!

He's not the only staff member leaving the hotel right now. One of the two is none other than the hotel manager.

But the other one... It's that unknown man—the one who warned us during dinner.

Why is he with them?

He looked so normal. We thought he was mad or crazy about something.

The hotel staff said he was mentally unstable.

They said he wasn't related to this hotel, so they kicked him out.

But now I see a completely different side of that incident.

What is going on here? Someone, please tell me.

I still don't know if these are only hotel staff members, or if some guests are also going with them.

So many questions are running through my mind.

Why are they together? Where are they going?

Am I alone in this spooky hotel?

Where is Mr. Novel?

Oh, I forgot about something.

When I went to check on Mr. Novel earlier, I saw something... or someone... in the mirror. It looked like Mr. Novel.

Alvi stood frozen by the window, his mind racing with unanswered questions. The storm raged outside, thunder rumbling like a warning from the heavens. His hands trembled slightly as he closed the window, sealing himself off from the unsettling sight below.

Alvi: (whispering) Why are they out there? What's going on in this hotel?

His eyes darted back to the mirror where he had seen the shocking reflection. It felt like his heart had skipped a beat. He tried to convince himself it was just a trick of the light, a figment of his imagination, but the image in the mirror was too vivid. Mr. Novel—or at least someone who looked exactly like him—stared back at him with an expression so cold it sent a chill down his spine.

Alvi: (thinking) This can't be real. But why did it feel so real?

He shook his head, trying to push the thought out of his mind. There was no time for confusion. He needed answers.

Alvi: (muttering to himself) No, I can't ignore this. I need to find out what's going on.

But then, the sound of something—someone—moving outside his door snapped him back to the present. He wasn't alone.

Alvi: (whispering) Who's there?

He moved toward the door cautiously, his heart thudding in his chest. He was desperate to find Mr. Novel, to ask him what had happened, to get some explanation for everything that had been happening since dinner. But what if Mr. Novel was the one hiding something? What if he knew more than he was letting on?

As he opened the door slowly, every creak of the hinges felt like a warning. The hallway outside was silent, but there was a palpable sense of something lurking in the shadows.

Alvi: (calling softly) Uncle, are you there?

No answer.

He stepped into the hallway, the soft echo of his footsteps ringing in the silence. Every part of the hotel felt wrong. The air was thick with tension, and the eerie quiet made every sound seem amplified, like the walls themselves were listening.

Alvi: (thinking) This is insane. I have to find out what's going on.

He headed toward the staircase, hoping someone could give him answers. He knew he couldn't trust the staff entirely—not after everything he had seen. But who else was left?

As Alvi descended the stairs, the atmosphere grew even heavier. He reached the lobby, where the dim lights flickered occasionally, as if the hotel itself was alive, pulsing with something dark and unknown. The receptionist was nowhere to be seen, and the lobby was deserted.

But then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw something move.

He turned quickly, his heart racing. But it was just a shadow—the reflection of someone moving in one of the large mirrors in the lobby.

Alvi: (under his breath) What is happening here?

He stepped closer to the mirror, his gaze flickering between his reflection and the figure that had passed. The figure… It was him, or someone who looked like him, standing behind him, grinning widely in the glass.

Alvi: (stumbling back) No! No, no, no!

He spun around, but there was no one there. The lobby was empty again, as it had been just moments before.

Alvi: (shaking his head) I'm losing my mind.

His thoughts were a jumble of confusion and fear. Was he seeing things? Was he hallucinating? Or was this hotel truly hiding something so dark, so terrifying, that it had driven everyone else insane?

Suddenly, the door to the kitchen opened with a loud creak. Alvi froze, his body tensing. Could it be the staff? The manager? Was someone waiting for him?

He approached the door cautiously and peered inside. The kitchen was dark, the lights dimmed, but he could make out the figure of a person moving around inside.

Alvi: (calling softly) Hello? Is anyone in there?

There was no answer.

Alvi pushed the door open and stepped inside. The kitchen was cold, and the smell of old food lingered in the air. He walked slowly through the space, his eyes scanning every corner. But it was then that he noticed it—sitting on the countertop, as if it had been left in a hurry, was the same silver ring Mr. Novel had been wearing earlier.

Alvi's breath caught in his throat.

Alvi: (whispering to himself) How is this here?

Before he could think about it further, the sound of footsteps behind him made him spin around. His heart leaped into his throat as he saw a figure standing in the doorway.

Alvi: (gasping) Who's there?

The figure stepped into the light, revealing a man dressed in the same uniform as the hotel staff. But this wasn't the manager. It wasn't any of the usual staff members. This was someone else—someone unfamiliar, someone with a strange aura.

Unknown Man: (with a cold smile) Looking for answers, are we?

Alvi's mind raced as the man's words echoed in the silence of the room.

Alvi: (stammering) What do you want? What is happening here?

The man's smile widened, and his eyes glinted with something dark.

Unknown Man: (softly) You'll find out soon enough. But you should leave now. You won't like what you uncover.

Alvi stood rooted to the spot, fear gripping his chest. What did he mean? What was he talking about? And where was Mr. Novel?