The monster in me

May 2024

Six young people were walking along the ocean shore, circling the forest and the hill on which the abandoned hotel stood. Still, none of them could remember how they had ended up on this island, what had happened during the party?

The longer they stayed there, the more and more they had the impression that this place was scary, disturbing, blood-curdling. It seemed as if it was hiding some dark secret, and they were to be victims who would experience it firsthand in the near future...

The strange sounds coming from the forest made these rich, brave people, who were normally not afraid of anything, feel shivers at that moment.

Mason, walking in front, accompanied by his brother, looked towards the hill from which he had recently escaped, to see that he was not alone here. Betty, walking behind them, rubbed her arms with her hands, feeling the cold. Wearing a sleeveless blouse and a skirt, she was afraid she would freeze to death in this place.

Finally came the other three. Jennifer held on to Jake's hand, as if she believed that his presence would protect her from all danger. Will, walking next to her, was looking out into the ocean, still unable to understand how they had gotten here.

- What if we ended up in another dimension? - His question made the others stop and look at him with curiosity in their eyes. - You know... I've read a lot about this before, I was interested in it. Maybe we got to a point where we went to another dimension? Something like the Bermuda Triangle? Perhaps we got high, went on a ship and died? We ended up here?

- It's more likely that we're still high and having the same hallucinations, - Mason replied, rolling his eyes. - If you're a fanatic of such stories, it's better to keep it to yourself. The adventures you described on the student gossip site ruined many a person's life - he added sarcastically, especially blaming him for the entry that quickly ruined his brother's life. From a nice guy, he became a scapegoat. The brunette did everything to get him out of it, to help him regain his good name. After all, they came from such a family that dirt about them could be their end.

Mason still couldn't forgive all three of them for that — people who used their friend for better coverage.

He looked at Noah, who gave him a sad smile. Apparently, the affair still hurt him, although he didn't say it out loud. Mason forgave his friends, but his brother still held a grudge against them and wasn't as close to them as he had been before.

- How many times do I have to repeat that I had nothing to do with it? Noah has always been like a brother to me, we've known each other since we were kids, so I would never do that to him - stated Jake, gently pushing Jennifer away from him. - I would never stab him in the back. I tried to straighten things out too, Will and I wrote an article that explained the situation. It was that little scumbag who used what she found out - added the boy, looking at the girl next to him with anger in his eyes. - She wrote that article.

The blond boy closed his eyes, looking even more depressed.

- But someone told her to do it, in revenge - said Noah, turning around and looking over his shoulder at Betty, who was following him.

The redhead swallowed harder, realizing that now she was the target.

- I've had my heart broken many times... I used it to get revenge.

- You're just as much of a bitch as Jennifer. You're perfect friends - stated Mason, piercing the redhead with his gaze. - You loved him so much all this time, but it was easy for you to hurt him. Effortless.

Betty lowered her gaze, at that moment not resembling the girl she was at all.

- If I could turn back time, I would think twice before deciding to make that mistake.

- Come on. It's over. Remember, you started this affair. Don't accuse others when you have a lot on your conscience - declared Noah, looking at his brother with a hurt look. This made the brunette immediately close his mouth.

It's true, he started it, and he had a grudge against others. He was no different from them. Just like them, he was a monster.

Looking towards the ocean, Will at one point noticed the silhouette of a man. It seemed to him that someone was lying on the edge of the water.

- Hey! Someone's there! - he shouted, pointing his finger in that direction. The whole group ran after him, noticing that this person was Nancy — their friend. She was also at the party Mason had organized.

The petite blonde girl was lying unconscious in the sand. Noah crouched down next to her, touching her icy face. She was breathing, but she was freezing.

Betty looked at her with wide eyes, her hand over her mouth. The girls had been best friends for years, but ever since they had their first fight over a man, their relationship had been frosty.

They couldn't make up. There was no love lost between them, it was the same as before.

Mason helped his brother revive the girl. When she didn't react, he took her in his arms.

- We have to warm her up. Whether you like it or not, we have to go to the hotel. This is our only solution currently - he stated, looking at the faces of his friends.

Each of them fixed their gaze on the hill on which the building was located. Concern appeared in their eyes.

They had no choice. They had to go there.

***

Will helped Mason and, halfway up the hill, he took Nancy in his arms. They walked ahead, looking around. The dense forest made them feel scared. It seemed to them that someone was lurking among the trees, intending to attack them.

Each of them was getting paranoid, but that was because they were on an abandoned island, not remembering how they got there, and what was worse, that there was no way to escape from there.

Jake, who was walking at the very end, swallowed hard when something moved between the bushes. He was sure it was birds, but when he noticed glowing red eyes between the trees, his heart stopped. He looked in that direction with terrified eyes, unable to move.

Furthermore, he was paralyzed from head to toe when he realized that it was not an animal, but something entirely different, something that at that moment addressed him directly:

- You are not without blame, Jake. You are also a monster who contributed to the tragedy...

The boy fell to the ground, pale as a corpse, looking in that direction. Only then did his friends, who were walking in front, notice that something was happening to the boy.

- Is everything okay? - Jennifer ran up to him, crouching down next to him. She looked at his face with concern in her eyes, as he did not take his eyes off something that only he could see. - Jake?

- Don't you see those red eyes? Don't you hear him whispering? - he asked her.

The brunette was shocked when she heard those words. A shiver of fear ran through her body.

- What are you talking about? There's nothing there, no one's whispering, Jake.

He moved his frightened gaze to her. Tears were visible in his eyes.

- What's wrong with him? - Will asked. - He's probably having hallucinations from the drugs. He's definitely not recovered. He's panicking too much.

- Can you stand up? - Jennifer grabbed his hand. - I'll help you.

Holding the boy by the arm, she led him up the hill, glancing at his pale face with a worried look occasionally.

- That thing said that I'm not blameless, that I caused this tragedy - he told her at one point.

- Will's right. We still have the drugs in our bodies, and we're lost and scared. You're talking guilt, that's why you're seeing something you're creating in your head. Calm down, Jake. I'm here for you - she replied, stroking the skin of his arm with her hand. - Don't let panic take over your body.

However, the boy still believed that what he saw was real.

When they stopped in front of the abandoned, dilapidated hotel, everyone, except Mason, wondered if they really wanted to go in there. The building looked like something straight out of a horror movie about ghosts. It scared them.

- It's possible that the door will slam shut, or you'll see a figure, but like Will said, the drugs are still in your system, so the images I saw are definitely not real - Mason stated. - We'll worry if we don't stop hallucinating by tomorrow.

- You mean it's scary there? - Betty's face paled. - Man, I hate horror movies about ghosts.

- I hated the series "Lost", and now I'm like one of those heroes - he replied, forcing a smile.

Bouncing the still unconscious Nancy in his arms, Will followed Mason inside. The others followed them, only Betty stayed outside and, despite being cold, she insisted that she would not cross the threshold of this terrible building.

- A psychopathic killer might be worse than ghosts! - Mason shouted from inside, believing that this way he would call his friend to him.

And he succeeded, because the redhead looked around and, noticing the dense forest, sent shivers through her body.

- Screw it. I can live with ghosts, but I can't live with a psychopath.

Screeching like a child, she ran through the entrance and joined her friends, terrified by the interior of this place. Everything was old-fashioned, covered in cobwebs — in a word — disturbing.

Mason led them to the open room in which he had woken up. He still couldn't understand how he had he found it there while the rest of them were on the beach.

Will he be the first victim of someone's prank?

He shook out the sheets, causing everyone to choke on the dust.

- Brother, seriously - Noah said, coughing. - At least open the window.

Will laid Nancy on the bed while Mason tried to air out the room, but all he managed to do was rip the old doorknob off the window.

- Oops - he said, grinning widely. - I've been to the gym too much.

- What do you think is the reason the hotel is abandoned on this island? There must have been a luxury resort here at one point. - said Jake, looking around the interior, decorated in the eighties.

Mason and Noah wrapped Nancy in blankets that didn't smell good from age, but at that moment no one cared about the smell, only about keeping her warm.

- There must be a story behind this bankruptcy. Probably no one has been interested in buying this island and renovating the hotel so far. Too expensive, only Mason's father could afford it - said Will, as if out of jealousy.

- My father doesn't mess around with running hotels. He'd rather give it to Noah's mother as a gift - he replied.

- That's true - confirmed the blond boy.

Betty, who was standing at the entrance to the room, rubbed her arms, still looking terrified. She looked around the interior, and at one point her attention was caught by a giant spider that was sitting in the corner.

The sight of it made her feel sick.

- I don't know what's worst about this place - she declared.

A door slammed somewhere at the end of the corridor, and a terrifying scream escaped her lips. She looked at her friends with wide eyes, searching for help.

Was there actually someone else with them?