The stairs looked drastically different in comparison to the rest of the building so far. I honestly didn’t notice at first, however, stepping up to the first step, when Hildr grabbed my shoulder, and gripped tightly, gently though firmly pulling me back to her side. 

I turned to her, about to ask what was up, but the question died on my lips when I saw her expression. It was hard and focused, her eyes gazing downwards towards the spiraling darkness of the industrial stairway, brow furrowed in suspicion. It caused me to look up, and it was much the same, mostly metal and gray concrete going up into an eventual darkness.

“Is this normal ghost stuff?” Hildr asked.

Which to be honest? It could have been. But it would seem kind of dangerous to place any sort of specter in the stairway so,

“I hope not.” Experimentally, I poked my staff against the step I almost walked on. “The poltergeist mentioned an inversion on the landscape. Maybe that’s what this is?”

“Yeah, maybe...” Hildr muttered, slowly moving to the downward steps. “Should we-I just saw something!”

I immediately turned, and moved to her side. “What’d it look like?”

“Like this strange empty sullen face with a creepy toothy smile.” She muttered, squinting.

Ah. Well if we heard any ethereal child whispering or sobbing, then that’d mean it was...

From above and behind us, the pained, mournful wails of a haunting child rang out into our ears, causing the tension to leave my body, as I patted Hildr’s shoulder.

“It's all good, Hildr. This is normal.”

She relaxed to my touch, frowning, and placing her fists on her hips. “Alright, so what do we do about it? Or will they let us get to the next floor?”

I drew a sigil in the air, and as it shimmered a bright teal, commanded, “Reveal yourselves.”

What seemed to be a spectral firefighter holding a charred, though peppy, child in their arms appeared before us. The sight of both made me wince, a vivid memory flashing before my eyes

Of course it was a fire.

Hildr silently reached for my hand, and I felt some strength returning. Taking in a deep breath, I looked to the two, “This seems less than safe.” I gestured to the stairway. “Someone could trip or fall! Or what if there was an emergency?”

“Usually they have people who use the stairs sign a waiver, Mr. DeWinter.” The child said, in a somewhat raspy voice. “But we don’t try and spook people in emergency situations. Not that that happens often.”

“And I am trained to assist in evacuations.” The firefighter piped up.

Hildr frowned. “You don’t...Are you dumb? I’d count some unknown force messing up your hotel as an emergency. You had to close down the hotel!”

The two looked at each other sheepishly, then back to me for some reason. “You won’t fire us, will you Mr. DeWinter?” the girl asked.

Ah beans. I keep forgetting I own stuff.

“Well no, but I may need to change some stuff....later. Right now I’m looking for Ghoultrude, do you know where she is?” I asked, hoping that their connection to the stairs would give them greater insight than the poltergeist.

“Oh well, last we saw her, she was entering Flor 17.” The firefighter told us. “I haven’t noticed her leaving, so maybe check there?”

“Forward and upward.” Hildr declared, moving ahead of me towards the door.

I moved to the stairs, but turned back to the ghosts. “You all need to chill.”

Heck yeah, bossman Isaac.