AN: This is surprisingly old-there is 1950 film based on it, and an even older one (1938!) that's a bit less-known. I first read it in one of the Scary Stories books, but it turned up on Snopes at some point and then I googled it proper. This has really been an informative collection for me-absolutely fascinating.

It's also a classic mind-screw-the sort of thing Dr. Crane would find most amusing.

It's so rare that they just waltz up to my door…god, I love tourists.

McStaken-If I can find him. I'm a little more interested in that girl and her truck-driving friend at the moment.

Forbidden Moons-One murder at a time!

Rosa Sharp and her mother, Marie, step off the train and look at Gotham City. It's…less exciting…than she thought it would be, based on Mama's stories. She was expecting something more glamorous-run down a bit, yes, but in that Hollywood way. What it actually is is rotting-it smells, there's a pair of prostitutes literally twenty feet away, and there's a splash of blood on the bricks by her feet.

Mama's rose-colored glasses must be firmly in place, to want to come back here.

She keeps her mouth shut, though, instead plastering a smile on her face.

"Is it like you remembered?"

"Mm." Mama sways and clutches at her arm. "Mostly."

"Are you still dizzy?"

"Mm-hm. Don't worry. I'm fine. Come on, there used to be a little house that took guests, let's see if it's still there."

Can't they stay in a hotel?

She still says nothing, instead gathering up their suitcases and hailing a cab.

This supposed house is in what Rose thinks is the bad part of town. There's homeless people everywhere and she's not sure if that guy is passed out or dead, but either way there's a needle in his arm.

There's no sign, no 'vacancy', no nothing. If it's not outright empty, no way is it a guest house anymore.

"Mama, I don't-"

But she's already knocking on the door, her boney knuckles making a sharp rap-rap! on the peeling wood.

"Mama-!"

The door opens, first just a crack, then further open.

"May I help you?"

"Do you still take guests?"

Oh, Mama. Never did beat around the bush…

The man at the door-oh, my, look at that-blinks a few times before straightening up.

"Yes, we do. How many?"

"Myself and my daughter, we don't mind sharing a room if you're full-"

"Not at all." he says smoothly. "The rooms are small; you'd be too cramped. Come in, come in."

She doesn't want to come in. But then again, this is a vacation, it's not so wrong to hook up with one of the locals…

She gives him a smile that's just a tad too friendly and hopes he's not the oblivious type.

They step into a hallway and the door shuts behind them, bathing it in shadow.

"Forgive the lack of lights, this house is very old." he says. "The upstairs rooms have been fitted with modern lighting, however."

"Have you owned it long? You look so young…"

"My grandfather was the original owner." They come to a desk with a notebook on it. "Your names, please?"

"Marie Sharp. This is my daughter, Rosa."

"This your first time in Gotham?"

"I lived here as a girl."

"Never really leaves you, does it?" He sets his pen aside and closes his book. "Kitty! We have guests!"

"What?"

"I know, it's a surprise!" He gives them a wide smile. "We don't get too many people these days."

"Such a shame. I remember this place always being so busy."

"Well, people have gotten more paranoid about staying in 'off-brand' places…ah. Kitty, these are our guests, Marie and Rosa Sharp."

"Pleasure. Jonathan, that bloody pipe's at it again, would you take a look at it?"

"Sure."

She leans up, kisses his cheek-damn, there goes that nice daydream-and beckons them to follow.

"Right upstairs, ladies. Mind the third step up, we've fixed it about half a dozen times and it still tries to kill us."

Great.

Their rooms are on the second floor, at least, and they're not bad once the drapes are opened. Granted, the view is less than stellar-abandoned factory by the river, neat-but the beds are soft and the lights work.

"Thanks."

"Sure. Ask if you need anything, it's no trouble at all."

She leaves and Rosa drops her suitcase on the bed before going to help Mama settle in.

Mama still isn't looking right. She's been a little off since last night, and Rosa was initially sure it was jet lag, but now…

It probably is just jet lag, and after a nap she'll feel better.

Mama must agree, because Rosa's barely poked her head in when she flaps a thin hand.

"I'm going to lie down now." she says. "You should, too. We'll go out to dinner in a little bit."

They don't go to dinner, because they both sleep until it's too late to care. Rosa nibbles on a granola bar at three in the morning and wonders if Mama wants one, if she's feeling better.

She goes into the room. It's dark and at first she wonders if she should just go back to bed, but then she hears a groan and that does it.

"Mama?" She feels for the light switch and finally finds it. "Mama, are you okay?"

Mama doesn't answer and Rosa rushes to the bed. She shakes her mother a bit and, when she doesn't wake up, she backtracks to get her phone.

She's halfway there when she stumbles into the man.

"Miss Sharp? Is something wrong?"

"M-my mother, I need an ambulance-"

"Kitty's a nurse." he says. "Ambulances in Gotham are ridiculously overpriced, let her take a look?"

"It's nothing personal, but-"

"What's going on?"

"Mrs. Sharp has been taken ill. Miss Sharp would like to call an ambulance."

"Let me see."

"I'd rather you didn't-"

"There's been a bug going 'round, looks worse than it is. Two minutes." Before she can protest, she's been pushed by and they're leaning over her mother. "Okay…Jonathan, would you fetch me the thermometer please?"

"I really don't think-"

"Quiet."

Maybe it's stress, or tiredness, or that human reaction of 'somebody knows what they're doing, do what they say', but she silences. On the bed, Mama is still and quiet and nonresponsive and Rosa is starting to panic.

Jonathan has just returned with a thermometer when Mama makes a low noise and whispers, "Headache…"

Relief hits Rosa like a tidal wave, followed by guilt for being such a dumbass.

"She has a migraine." she says. "I guess I missed the early signs, but she's always been prone."

"Good thing you didn't call the ambulance, then." Kitty says lightly. "Out, out, let the poor dear get some sleep."

They leave and Rosa goes to get dressed.

"Where's a Sprouts?"

"Across town, why?"

"Sometimes lavender helps, but I don't have any and she forgot to pack hers-she said so on the train."

"The maintenance man will drive you." Kitty says brusquely. "You look like a tourist, you'll get mugged five minutes out the door."

"I couldn't-"

"We insist. Don't we?"

"We do." Jonathan gives her a small smile. "It's fine. Mister Jones!"

A hulking brute of a man appears from the shadows. Rosa does not want him to drive her anywhere.

"This lady needs to go to Sprouts. You will take her there, is that clear?" Kitty leans over to Rosa and whispers, "My cousin. He's none too bright, but wouldn't hurt a fly."

Huh. Yeah. Sure.

"Really, I can get a cab-"

"A sick mother is no trivial matter." Jonathan says shortly. "We insist. Be safe."

And before she can protest, they're in the car and the front door is shut.

It seems to Rosa that they take forever. They hit all the red lights and she's willing to swear that they pass the same homeless guy at least twice, but finally-finally!-they reach the Sprouts.

She makes him wait in the car, gets a small bottle of lavender oil, and returns in under five minutes. The drive back takes just as long as the drive there, and by the time they reach the little house, she's about to bludgeon him over the fucking head and take the wheel herself.

He takes forever getting his keys out and opening the door, and even though she knows nothing's really wrong, she takes the stairs two at a time to Mama's room-

-where's Mama.

"Mama?"

The room looks untouched-no sign of her mother at all. Did she get the wrong room?

No, there's her room, just across the hall.

"Mama?"

"Ah, Miss Sharp. You were gone a while. Find what you needed?"

"Where's my mother?"

Confusion crosses Jonathan's face.

"Your mother?"

"Yes, my mother. Where is she?"

"Presumably at home in bed, unless it's daytime where she lives."

"She was here, where is she?" Who is this nut, anyway? "Where is she!"

"Miss Sharp, I'm going to have to ask you to calm down."

"Where is my mother!" She steps forward, intending to shake him until he drops this horrid joke. "She was here and now she's not and this isn't funny!"

"All right, Miss Sharp." he says, his voice horribly calm, "If you'd like to search the rooms to satisfy yourself, you may."

"I will. Move."

She shoves his skinny ass aside and proceeds to tear the floor apart. Where is she, where is she…?

"Mama!"

She'll call the police, she decides, that's what she'll do, and they'll produce her mother because that's how these things work-

"…lock her up, she's delusional, could be dangerous-"

What?

She creeps to the door and pokes her head out. They're in the hall, huddled together and speaking in hushed voices. She can barely see them in the light spilling from the room she's in, and they look like living shadows.

"You're sure?"

"She's convinced she checked in with her mother."

"I did!" she screams, flinging the door open the rest of the way. "You did something with her! I know you did!"

"See, Kitty?" Jonathan makes a helpless gesture. "She's not well."

"She really isn't."

"I'm perfectly fine-fuck you. Fuck you both, I'm calling the cops."

With more speed than she would have thought was possible, they rush her, shoving her into the little room.

"Sit down, Miss Sharp. Clear your head."

"What the fuck is your problem-"

But they've already backed out of the room, and a second later she hears the door lock from the outside.

"Rosa…Rosa."

Rosa blinks. She passed out not long after being locked in…locked in!

"Rosa."

"Mama?" She tries to turn her head, but she's not there yet. "Mama, I was worried…"

"Rosa." Mama sounds…off. "Rosa."

"I'm here, Mama."

"Shame, really." She screams and jumps up. Mama is sitting next to her. They are sitting on the bed. "Such a nasty reaction. It was almost like a chemical lobotomy, after the screams were over."

She turns then, turns and really looks at Mama. She's rocking a little, hands clasped in her lap. There's a clean, white bandage wrapped around her head, covering her eyes. Rosa blinks a few times and oh lord that's blood there-

"What did you do to her!"

"She did that. Clawed them right out of her little grey skull." The man cocks his head to the side. "I wonder if you'll have a similar reaction…like mother, like daughter and all that."

"Stay away from us." She feels for something, anything to use as a weapon. "Stay away!"

They smile at that, horrid little smiles with too much cruelty to be comforting.

"As you wish." Jonathan says. He picks up a brown thing and pulls it over his head and Kitty tugs a gas mask over his face.

"What are you-"

He throws his arm towards her and a puff of smoke flies from his sleeve. It's bitter and she coughs, knowing instinctively that she shouldn't breathe it in.

Knowing is not the same as doing and when she finally catches her breath, the room is on fire.

THE END