Terror on fifteen levels

Chapter 1

Way back when I was writing Stranded I mentioned that I wanted to do a Thunderbirds horror. So at long last I have decided to write the first chapter, which I hope you enjoy.

The hotel was more rundown and dilapidated than any building that the brothers had ever seen before. Most of the windows were either cracked or missing altogether. There were dew covered cobwebs seemingly suspended in midair above the main entrance, which consisted of a pine door that was almost hanging off its hinges.

"Are you sure this is the right place?" Gordon asked, staring up in amazement at the hotel. "The area looks completely deserted."

"This is definitely it," his eldest brother replied. "I've checked the co-ordinates with John twice now."

"So, Scott, what's the plan? There's no one around here, so do we go in there or what?" Virgil gestured toward the gray stoned building.

Scott nodded, "yeah we're going in. Apparently someone in there needs rescuing and we have to find them."

Alan shivered, "this place gives me the creeps and I'm not surprised it closed down."

As they headed towards the entrance, the others couldn't help but agree.

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"Wow, look at this place!" Virgil exclaimed as they entered the hotel's large foyer.

The brothers were surprised to discover that the interior of the hotel was a lot better looking than the exterior. A golden chandelier hung suspended from the red painted ceiling, and the tiled floor looked almost as if it had been vigorously scrubbed.

In front of them a long staircase ran up to the rest of the floors and at either side were two elevators which amazingly looked as if they were still functioning.

"Well this is certainly different from what we saw on the outside," Scott commented, while gazing around the vicinity. "I guess it's true what they say: "looks can be deceiving.""

His brothers nodded In agreement. They had all expected the inside of the Tranquility Hotel to be a complete ruin, but what they were seeing now was quite unexpected, almost as if they had entered into another world- one where nothing was quite what it seemed.

"This place reminds of that horror film where that family stayed in a hotel for the winter, and the dad goes psycho." Alan had a look of concentration on his face as he tried to remember the film's title. "What was it called?"

"The Shining," Virgil supplied helpfully. "It was based on the book by Stephen King. But I don't think the same thing's going to happen here, for one thing Dad's back on the island."

"Yeah," Gordon agreed then gestured at his eldest brother. "The only Dad-like person around here is Scott, and he left his axe behind so I don't think we need to worry about becoming mince meat anytime soon."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that." Scott narrowed his eyes menacingly at his red haired brother, "you still owe me for that shirt you ruined."

Gordon was about to reply with a quick witted remark when a sudden, seemingly soulless voice, echoed throughout the foyer of the hotel.

"HEEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLP MEEEEEEEE! HEEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLP MEEEEEEEEE!" The voice sounded as if it belonged to a child. It was coming from everywhere at once.

"What the heck was that!" Virgil cried, as his brother's jumped at the unexpected voice.

"Is anyone there?" Scott called out, hoping the voice would respond.

For a few minutes all was silent then the voice started again, this time sounding more desperate. "HEEEEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLLLLP MEEEEEEEE! PLEEEEEEEAAAAAAAASE, HEEEEEELLLLLLP MEEEEEEE!" The voice belonged to a girl.

"Where are you?" Alan shouted, cupping his hands around his mouth. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

"DON'T LET THEM HURT ME, PLEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAASE!"

"It's no use" Scott decided. "We're going to have to find her ourselves."

"But how Scott?" Gordon asked. "We have no idea where she is and this place has fifteen floors."

Scott lifted his communicator to his lips. "Scott Tracy calling Thunderbird five, are you there John?"

"Right here, Scott," John answered. "What's going on?"

"John I need to locate anyone in the hotel," Scott commanded. "We keep hearing a child's voice."

"That's strange," John replied. "The person who called me was a man, but I'll see if I can pick anyone else up." He moved other to the satellite's locator program and pressed some buttons.

After a while John frowned, perplexed, and then walked back over to Thunderbird five's communications system.

"Scott, the locators aren't picking anyone up apart from you guys."

"That can't be right! Are you sure they're working?"

"Of course it's working! It picked up you guys didn't it? Whoever is calling out must be in a position where the locators can't pick the child up."

Scott shook his head. "The locators are meant to be capable of picking up a person behind solid steel. I think you should have Brain look into it while we search the place manually."

"FAB, Scott."

"Ok guys," Scott turned to his earth bound brothers. "We're going to go up to the top floor and work our way down from there."

They walked over to one of the elevators and pressed the call button. They watched the numbers above the doors decrease as the elevator traveled down to them.

It didn't take long before they were in the surprisingly roomy transportation, as it traveled upwards towards the top floor.

"What do you think is wrong the locator?" Alan asked, leaning against the mirrored elevator walls.

"It has to be broken," Scott answered. "I don't know what else it could be, and anyway it picked up us didn't it? Why wouldn't it pick up anyone else?"

"We'll just have to see" Virgil stated. He then changed the subject. "Can't this thing go any faster?"

Almost as if someone had heard him, the elevator suddenly gave a thunderous roar and rapidly increased in speed. The brothers were thrown violently against the walls like rag dolls and the lights began to flicker on and off.

"Jesus Christ!" Gordon cried out as he fell to the floor, and then into the wall. "Someone please stop this thing!"

All of a sudden the elevator came to juttering halt and the lights were distinguished, plunging them all into pitch darkness.

"Is everyone alright?" Scott asked, taking his torch and shining it around. He received a chorus of positive replies. "Ok, I'm going to see if I can get this door open." He made his way over to the elevator doors and began to pry it open.

It was hard work but at last the elevator doors were open. Scott looked out and was dismayed to see they had come to a stop just beneath the elevator's exit. He could also see the adjacent elevator just above and to the left of him.

"We're going to have to climb on top of the other elevator" he cried down, "it's closer to the exit. I'll go first and you lot follow."

Scott began to climb onto the other elevator, using the long black cables for support. Once on top he stood up and gazed around. The edge of the elevator's exit was just above him and it would be easy for them to climb out.

He was just about to call his brothers and tell them to come on up, when a dark shadow appeared above him, and Scott felt something warm and sticky drip onto his hand.

Glancing down at it, Scott's eyes widened in horror.

It was blood.

Looking up Scott made out a large figure looming above him. He squinted his eyes to try and make the shape out more. He managed it but what he saw made him fall back in horror.

The figure was a large man dressed in what looked like a chef's outfit, however it was covered in dried blood. What was even more startling was that fresh blood was running down his face and dripping towards the ground. In his hand he held a large silver carving knife.

"What the..?" Scott began, but never got a chance to finish his sentence. The bloodied chef raised the knife and then swung round, severing the cables holding Scott's elevator with one slice.

Scott let out a cry of surprise and terror as he and the elevator plummeted towards the ground below.