It has been a few weeks since my last update, but last night I managed to go back to that place in my dreams. Dragged perhaps, to a new corner of my unconscious that has remained forgotten, and rightfully so.
Last time I talked about the day my family and I arrived at that place, and I´ll admit that the following days I still used the elevator, confident as I was that If I ever stopped at that unholy floor again at least I knew that I could rely on the elevator to get me out once more. Also, admittedly, I was equally afraid of taking the stairs knowing inevitably I would have to walk past that floor. Would that place even have a door? It wouldn't be me who found out.
I remember little of what we did on our holiday outside the hotel. Maybe if I could recall some of it, I might be able to locate where this was, but the memories are all together flimsy. I do remember my younger sister was still a playful child, full of energy; perhaps I could ask her later on if she remembers too, but I am afraid of what she’ll say.
This time my parents had gone ahead to the hotel's restaurant for breakfast, and I got up to meet with them after my sister was done with the bathroom. We got in the elevator headed to the lobby, but as the elevator descended we had a sudden stop at the 5th floor. Uneasy yet, as the 2nd floor was still below us, I inadvertently let my sister walk ahead onto the floor, mistakenly believing we had arrived.
Beyond the doors was an empty room, with damped carpet and a torn yellow wallpaper leading to a corridor decorated in the same fashion. The walls and floor of this place were different from ours, still oddly fitting with the hotel’s feel and felt all too familiar for a place we hadn't been to before.
Her energetic steps had taken her too far, too fast; before I knew it I had to step out of the elevator to hold on to her hand. As soon as she realized her mistake, the doors closed behind us.
The elevator door had no number above nor buttons by its side. The place was silent aside from the soft buzzing of the lights above us. “Look, what's that there?” my sister pointed out a button set by the end of the hallway. I hadn't seen them before.
I urged her to wait where we stood as I approached said buttons, but the steps on the moist carpet gave her away. The corridor led to other rooms on the side, and if the word “decorated” could describe the lack of furniture and weared yellow walls, then yes, I could say they all seemed to be decorated the same way, but I didn't bother to notice too much. By the time I was halfway down the hall it was clear to me what those buttons were: they were the elevator's. Then a sudden realization came to mind; whoever designed this floor wanted us to stray as far as possible from the elevator. Just as the thought crossed my mind I hesitated. “Elevator is here,” said my sister. It arrived at our backs without a sound. Its quietness soon was overtaken by loud wet stomping ahead of us.
I picked my sister up and sprinted back the way we came, back to safety. I didn't dare to look back since whatever was making the stomping sound seemed to be catching up to us. The doors closed as soon as we passed through them, leaving my sister and me alone again.
While I carried her she was facing behind me, so by now I was expecting her to be panicking, or maybe even crying from the sights of whatever was hunting us, but she was surprisingly calm.
The elevator moved normally towards the lobby once again. This is when I acknowledged that the floor we had been in is one displayed on the monitors.The doors opened to the lobby letting my sister out in an almost stoic manner. I stood still in shock as I saw my sister on screen still wandering on the 5th floor.
Even years later, I find myself thinking, is the person that has lived with my family ever since really my sister? Or is it my own mind that has been contaminated with unreliable memories? Neither is what I would want to believe.
Returning to such a place has made my night restless, but I'll admit that my curiosity has awakened, eagerly expecting another night of dread. Hoping for it to reveal a truth that will let me rest once more.
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