1 a wired hotel

It was our one-year anniversary, and to celebrate, my boyfriend David and I decided to take a train to the neighboring province for a trip. Since I enjoy lively outings, I invited a couple of friends to join us, making it two men and two women traveling together. 

As soon as we had checked into the hotel, we received a mysterious text message.

[After 9 PM, please refrain from walking in the hallways.]

[Do not open your door in the middle of the night.]

[Sleep only in your assigned room.]

[Please keep noise levels down.]

[Do not accept food from the staff; there is no room service at night.]

[The staff wears black uniforms only; do not engage with anyone wearing white clothing.]

[If you happen to respond to someone in white clothing, please dial 01 to reach the lobby manager.]

[Daytime is considered safe.]

[You can only check out after three days; early checkouts are not the responsibility of the hotel.]

[Do not venture to the fourth floor.]

[Do not venture to the fourth floor.]

[Do not venture to the fourth floor.]

David and I were still in the process of packing our belongings inside the room when we suddenly heard Vivian's voice echoing from a distance:

"Unbelievable! Who sent this?"

Despite the thick carpet muffling most of her footsteps, we could still sense the urgency in her tone:

"Did you all receive this?"

Simultaneously, we unlocked our smartphones, only to discover a series of rule notifications nestled in our text messages.

I cast a quick glance at David, and his expression did little to reassure me. It was no surprise,  He was the type who couldn't even bear to watch horror movies, so facing these messages was bound to instill fear in him.

"What a dreadful place! I refuse to stay here!"

David promptly went to the bedside and dialed the front desk. It didn't take long before a staff member, dressed in an all-black uniform, arrived.

[The hotel staff members exclusively wore black uniforms.]

I let out a relieved sigh, feeling a mixture of irritation and amusement. This level of paranoia seemed entirely unnecessary.

Vivian headed over to the window to get some fresh air, while David, with an assertive tone, insisted on checking out. The woman across from us simply smiled and didn't respond.

"Hello, sir. You can only leave the hotel after three days."

I was about to protest when Vivian's piercing scream echoed through the room:

"Snakes! Snakes!"

I rushed over to take a look, and the scene before me was nearly enough to make me regurgitate last night's dinner.

In the open space in front of the hotel, thousands of snakes had congregated, intertwining and hissing with dark red eyes.

I could almost sense that I might be swallowed by them at any moment.

That rule suddenly came to my mind.

[Checking out was permitted only after three days, early checkouts were not the responsibility of the hotel.]

The room fell so silent that one could hear a pin drop.

Seeing that none of us uttered a word, the staff member departed.

David and I have room 504, while Vivian and Leon are right across the hall in 506.

Unfortunately, due to our current circumstances, we're unable to leave the hotel.

To ensure our safety, we've made a pact to exchange messages every half-hour.

After seeing them off, David and I settled onto the bed, staring at our empty suitcase, utterly perplexed.

I had invested a significant amount of time in research and preparation for this trip. Little did I anticipate being trapped here for three days.

Our suitcase now sits barren, devoid of any sustenance. The sole way to satisfy our hunger is to make our way downstairs to the restaurant, conveniently located on the third floor. All that remains is to navigate the elevator successfully.

The four of us walked together to the elevator. Just before stepping inside, we hastily revisited the rules and then pressed the button for the third floor.

Ding

As the elevator alert sounded, the white lights flickered, and a striking red "4" materialized above the elevator door, casting an eerie ambiance. 

The door inched open, revealing a man donned in a white uniform, pushing a food cart. The elevator's confines forced us to separate into pairs.

"Care for a beverage?" the man inquired, leaning toward Vivian with eyes wide open.

Vivian instinctively covered her mouth, her eyes brimming with panic and fear.

Those few seconds felt agonizingly protracted.

"Ding…"

With the elevator doors swinging open, the once eerie ambiance was instantly replaced by a lively chatter that filled the air. The man in the white uniform offered a smile, gracefully retreated, and began pushing his food cart to the side.

Vivian collapsed onto the floor, her body drained of strength by the shock. Leon and I had to support her, each of us on one side, guiding her forward.