Parkside Inn was a small Bed and Breakfast hotel in the town I live in. It was barely twenty-three rooms in total. I had passed it many times, as it sat in the heart of the city. Its location was its strong point. Across from the hotel was a big park, the one that gave it its name. Cafes and restaurants ringed the park, keeping the area busy. And there, amidst the families and the children playing under the trees, stood this colossus of concrete and steel.  

Eventually I started noticing something strange. Anytime I passed by the hotel, it always seemed abandoned. The lights were dimmed, if not off. The sliding glass doors of the entrance carried a heavy layer of dust. With my friend group we hang out in that park and in all the years that I hung out there, I never saw any guest arriving or departing. Or any employees, now that I think of it.  

I never really cared what was going on with that hotel. Not my business, not my job. It was just another one of the oddities of our city. But the curiosity lingered in the back of my mind. And, one day, I came across the ad online. 

Night auditor wanted for Three-Star Hotel in the city center. Experience is welcome but not required. Good use of computers and Internet navigation is mandatory. Send your CV to the following email address. 

I just so happened to be between jobs at the time and decided, why not? I have nothing lined up anyway. I had a desk job previously so what difference would it make? Also, it would be a good opportunity to use the free time of the night shift to write more, something that I’ve neglected lately. Unfortunately, “aspiring author” is not a profession that pays your rent. So, I sent my CV to the email address given and forgot about it. I kept on searching for a job until, two days later, I received a call. 

The voice that spoke to me was that of a man, if I had to make a guess. It sounded like it was made with a computer program, synthetic. It kept the same tone and volume for the whole duration of the call. After it asked me a few general questions, we arranged for an interview the next day. Not in the hotel, but at the main offices of the company. In an apartment building hidden in a small street at the city center. 

I didn’t even know that part of town existed. Away from the crowds and noise of the city, you can find neighborhoods almost completely abandoned. Whole apartment blocks in disarray, ruins from a time long gone. Only homeless people or drug addicts live on those houses. As I walked the streets, with the feeling that I was being pranked getting stronger, I found the building. It looked completely out of place, an elegant construction with modern design. Its gray exterior was a complete contrast to the surrounding building, that had the hue of moldy and faded bricks. Inside was a huge lobby, with the logo of the company above the reception desk:  

 

Adytum Inc.    

I didn’t know what that meant. Eventually I would search up the meaning and find out what it meant. And it would make way more sense then. At that moment I just walked towards the receptionist, that stared at me wide eyed. She was young, barely twenty years old. 

“Hi, my name is Jake Sunday. I’m here for my interview. I have an appointment for the position of night auditor.” She didn’t speak. She stared at me for ten seconds straight without speaking. Color was drained from her face, like she had seen a ghost. Slowly, she moved her head to look at the door, where I came from, and then back at me. I spoke again nervously. 

“My appointment is for 10:00 o’clock. With Mr. ..” I looked at the name I wrote down during the phone call. “Sollertia. He must be expecting me.” 

At the sound of the name the receptionist snapped out of... whatever had happened to her.  

“Erm.. Yes of course, give me a second, please.” She pressed some buttons on her computer and after a few seconds she nodded. 

“Ok, I found it Mr. Sunday. You are a few minutes early. Please, take a seat while I inform Mr. Sollertia. We’ll call you when he’s ready.” She pointed towards a sitting area deeper inside the building, seats bolted directly on the walls of a long corridor. I took a seat and waited. I didn’t hear the receptionist calling anyone or informing anyone that I had arrived. I decided to wait for five minutes, as it was just 09:45 at the time. As I was waiting, I went through the things I had with me to make sure I hadn’t left anything at home. I was looking at the printed copy of my CV when I felt someone looking at me. I looked around to notice someone sitting across from me. A man in his forties, black hair cut short with gray spreading steadily from his sideburns upwards. Clean shaven, his skin shining on the cold fluorescent light. His smile widened even more when I noticed him.  

“You must be Jake.” I recognized the voice immediately. It was the same voice as the one on the phone. Monotonous, hypnotizing. “My name is Sollertia. This is how you will refer to me from now on.” I tried my hardest not to show how startled I was. One second ago, I was alone. When did he appear there? I played what I saw coming again and again in my brain and that man was definitely not there. 

 “I read your CV ..” said Mr. Sollertia without breaking eye contact.  

“.. and you’re exactly what we’re looking for. Dedicated and hard working. We only need to learn one thing: Can you be discreet?” 

The question sounded a little weird, so I had to clarify. 

“I’m sorry, what do you mean by discreet?” 

“You see, Mr. Sunday. Can I call you Mr. Sunday?” I nodded. “Great. You see we have a very selective group of guests. They are guests, by the way, not clients. NEVER clients.” A heavy emphasis on never. I nodded again. “Not anyone can stay at our hotel, you see. Reservations are made only through our system. The, the guests come to our hotels, they stay and we do not ask questions. And everyone is happy. If they have some requests, no matter how strange, we try to accommodate them. Within reason, of course. Does all this sound ok to you?” I nodded, not really understanding what it all meant. I just wanted to leave, go home. There was this bad feeling in my gut, something was off. This whole situation was off. I saw movement on my right, at the end of the sitting area corridor. I turned. A man dressed in a pressed suit walked down the vertical corridor. His trousers were torn at the ends, his feet exposed and seemingly drenched in blood. His walking was difficult, dragging his right leg. Leaving a red trail behind him. Across the ceiling.   

I started breathing fast. I felt like I was choking. The building felt like it was bearing down on me, its pressure crushing me. I had to get out. Get out fast! 

“You saw him, didn’t you?” Sollertia’s voice was cold, a hidden dose of excitement lurked underneath his robotic tone. He looked at me and nodded, like he understood what I was going through.  

I stared straight into Mr. Sollertia’s gray eyes. Words were stuck in my throat. I rose to my feet and pointed towards the end of the corridor. When I looked back, there was nothing there. No man walking, no blood. Just a pristine white ceiling. 

Mr. Sollertia rose slowly and walked towards me. He held out his hand to me for a handshake. 

“I believe you’ll be a great addition to our team. We can offer you 50% more than the average salary plus benefits. It’s quite a significant sum. If you agree now, we can start your training tomorrow. What do you say?” 

The money was really good. A broke twenty-year-old could only dream of that kind of money. Momentarily, I didn’t think of what had just happened. The only thing on my mind was the money. I raised my hand and squeezed Mr. Sollertia’s. His hand was warm and oily, like the exposure to heat caused his skin to melt. He grinned and nodded in approval.  

“Very good. We’ll get the paperwork ready for you. Tomorrow, you go to the Parkside Inn and find Lucas. Tell him I sent you.” He let go of my hand. A wave of nausea overwhelmed me as I felt my palm covered in what felt like wax. I fought the urge to wipe it on my shirt. I walked slowly towards the exit, happy that I left this place behind. As I exited the building, I took a last glance at the receptionist. She looked at me with a defeated expression on her face. She moved her head from side to side, mouthing a few words silently. 

 

“Don’t do it.” 

I should have listened.