"I just loved that movie." The four girls linked arms as they skipped along the sidewalk. It was nearing midnight and all of them were still giddy and jumpy from the latest slasher film they had just viewed. "It was easily the creepiest thing I've ever seen." The tallest of the four was obviously the leader and took control of the group. "Let's go to the Pit and see if there's anyone else around." It was formed as a question but none of the other girls would have ever dreamed of disagreeing.
"I think we should cut through Parker's field." The youngest, but the most fearless, of the four suggested. They all agreed and crossed the street to the deserted field. A wide field, with parts of an old dilapidated hotel still gracing one corner, it was still owned by some eccentric millionaire who refused to sell the field commercially and let the land be developed into something more economically fitting. Instead it ran the length of the entire main street and was an eyesore to everyone in the community. The girls slipped through one of the many holes in the chain-link fence and started across the field toward the Pit, which was on the next street over, a hangout for the local teenage kids. As they neared the old abandoned building the youngest girl, the one who had suggested the shortcut came up with another brilliant idea. "Let's go in to the old Parker Hotel." The other three girls glanced nervously at each other. Neither one of them felt quite that brave so soon after watching the movie they had just seen. Up until now the other two hadn't said much choosing to follow along.
"I don't know Maggie. That's probably not such a hot idea. I mean who knows what kind of creepy bugs might be in that old place." Casey was a chicken but didn't want to admit it so she copped to the old girl technique. Complain about the bugs.
"Let's do it!" Lila thought this was a fabulous idea and knew that if she said they should do it then they would. As the unofficial leader of their group she was unofficially in charge and they mostly did what she wanted.
"Aw crap." Max muttered to herself. So far she had stayed out of the conversation but she couldn't very well back out now, she would be forever labeled the 'wimp' and probably even ostracized from their little group. High school girls could be so cruel. Resigned to the fact that they would have to spend at least an hour traipsing through that creepy hotel she trudged after the other three, all the while hoping they would change their minds.
"Ew, gross." I think I just saw a spider the size of my fist. Casey huddled closer to the other three girls, she would be damned if she was going to get separated from them.
"Shh, can you hear that?" Maggie cocked her head to the side and tried to concentrate. "There it is again." She glanced at Lila who strained to pick out the faint noise.
"It's coming from down here."
"Wait!" Max brought the other girls to a halt. "Do you really think we should go down there?" She peered down the narrow hallway. Identical doors lined the hallway which was still decorated with a Berber carpet and cream and roses wallpaper. The decor had long since faded but was still somewhat reminiscent of it's glamorous past. With a withering look at Max, Lila started toward the sound. Silently, the four girls crept down the hallway and paused outside of room 315. The door was slightly ajar so all Lila had to do was give it a gentle push. Four pairs of eyes peeped around the door frame into the old hotel room and four horrified girls started to scream. In the center of the old room was a queen sized bed and upon that bed there was a man, a very dead man, who appeared to have some type of sword sticking out of his chest and who also happened to wear the dress of a Navy Marine. On the floor next to the bed a cell phone vibrated against the worn carpet, neither one of the girls noticed as they ran away from the gruesome sight.