Spooky

d Dad had opened their doors and tumbled outside, Jess

nd Dad re-entered the car a few seconds later, but not after looking around. The mom

same reasons as I was?" Dad aske

n named Florence was spilling b

r, almost instinctively. "We had

s had the same dream as I did," Dad

gown?" I

g the most beautiful house dress any woman from

f in your dream too

d before that there was a m

he rest of

, "Fancy all of us hav

r written all over her face. "First our car drove into the wood

cist," Dad replied,

ed. "We have to leave

t a bad dre

n all of us having the

co-incidence.

ence, Clyde. This plac

isn't one of your Nigerian fo

e, now, please." Mom said calmly,

om and Dad rarely called each other by their real names, even in an argume

get going, we have to get home anyways." He

r?" I l

ised to scout a way out of

similarity of our dreams, it seemed

mine too."

," Mom ca

by myself anymore, still I got up and headed outside, it was bette

om called when

d towards her

eding." She said, put

on in the side mirror. "It's from t

up. Why is it sudd

a nightmare, he must have hit his head

eady. "Alright let's move already. This pla

n to hell before," Je

us out was easy as I'd kept my eyes open throughout our detour. In a few minutes

y," He said. "We can't have Mark's hea

ungry," J

o dramatic,

how I am."

xt hotel, just hold on

ate

cond hotel and a small pharmacy. The place looked a lot more welcoming than the last

." Dad cried as he pull

hen decided to just get into a room; Mom suggested the possibility of the hote

roached her desk. "Welcome to The Hank brothers' Inn a

." Mom replie

t, but is there by any chance a reptile of any sort in here?

She said with her face still in a smile, under her breath

long, we just need hot baths and food."

rs tapping furiously on the keyboard. "Your rooms are fifty-one and fifty

s exchang

!" We yelled together

t, and then turned to the rec

e and my son's unlucky numbers." Da

and then went back to tapping furiously on her keyboard. "Your

eceptionist; she smiled way too much, and yet her smiles didn't look l

ar

ast look at the woman and shuddered when she w

cking her out

o!" I ha

something in my hand. "Here's the key to you and

thing scary in here." J

on, we both burst into laughs when after she'd tr

avender painted walls and large oval

y arm. "Go get a

rst," I

me. I knew she was only scared of getting into the bathroom even though we'd been

ad." I

" She began shiftin

e my guest!" I gest

e stomping into the bathroom; I chuck

sie's offer when I'd reached the ground floor, it was like my bladder had suddenly filled itself up. My eyes darte

d I bumped into the receptionis

f**k?!"

use a restroom real quick and my sister's in ours‒" I stopped

Mark," S

ly but stopped immediat

silly." She sai

ght." I

stured to the door behind her. "It's a ladies'

id, not in the mood to

there, trust me." She

you talk

e at Wordsworth's yester

you kn

rooms fifty-one and two, that's something almost every tra

?" I furrow

spend even a minute, not to talk o

y is that?

me. No one goes there, except weary, unsuspecting travelers who have no idea w

I saw them." I argued, squirmi

people Mark."

at are you ta

Elaine who acts like a receptionist. Those guests you saw were only a trick of t

r, trying hard to beli

personnel are also an i

Why does she

hrought the slit on the door. "I have to get back to

now feeling the urge t

pent the night at Wordswor

reamwoods?

e the same bad d

man in a bloo

rrupted with her palm raised. "But there's

ha

woods have the power to influence the future of wh

" I replied,

and scribbled furiously on it before handing it over to

y written cursive. "W

ned the door, almost closing it behind her before she paused. "Oh, I'

he truth. In the end I shoved the paper in one of my pockets, even if I wouldn't need it eve

thes, I decided I'd go for a walk again after having lunch, but when I was done I was too full to even move, I doze

er and checked out without any qualms, except for how Clarissa kept staring at

ot in New Jersey

" I a

you two staring at each

what you think; besides s

I won't be surprised if you start talking abou

I muttered under my bre

d yesterday. I felt the urge to mention Clarissa and what she'd told me, but I decided against it. It would be really dumb for me to magnify a simple bad d

ore; maybe you needed just a wash." Mom remar

. "We'll be at New Jersey before night

hings coul