HauntedHotel Entry 30: My Name is BIS

"This can't be happening"

The traveller sighed, forcing the vehicle to move, pressing the accelerator frantically and seeing that helped in no way succumbed to punching the wheel in frustration. He got out and stared at the steam coming out of the bonnet and cussed.

It was 10:00pm

He wondered what he was going to do, seeing that he was stranded in the middle of nowhere, and knowing how Nigerian roadsides could be in the night. He decided to walk, hoping he could find something,someone who could provide assistance to his current predicament.

It was 11:30pm

He whipped out his phone ; 2%, the "no network" sign smiling sheepishly at him, he returned it to his Jean pocket and sighed for the umpteenth time, he found it a little strange how he hadn't seen anyone since he abandoned his car, he wiped the sweat off his forehead and cussed once more. Where was he?. It seemed like this part of Lagos had never seen any form of human life. All he could see for miles was the road embraced by shrubs here and there. He decided to sit a bit by the corner of the road and hope for someone to pass by

12:50am

He was roughly jerked, he stood up immediately, he didn't realise he fell asleep

"Hello male?"

He quickly turned his head to he sound of the voice, partly out of irritation and also out of curiosity out of being called...male? What a way to start a conversation.
It was a boy. Well he looked like a boy, his features clashed so violently it was impossible to determine his age, he wore a very clean suit and looked very smart
The boy stretched his hand and said "are you okay male?"
The traveler stared at this person, still wondering why he was being referred to as that. Weird.he thought

"I'm fine, look I need assistance, I'm stranded and-" he stopped abruptly noticing the boy was just staring at him. Frequently humming and nodding his head, he even walked around him observing him like he was a golden baboon with advanced intellect

"Uh. Dude is there a problem?" The traveler asked

"My name is Bis" was the reply

"Uh...okay, well Bis, I'm assuming it's short for bisola"

"It is just Bis male"

"I have a name you know, it's -" he stopped again, the boy rose his hand to silence him "Oh it won't matter, you're lost, you can stay at this hotel nearby where I work, assuming you have the expenses"

Red flags shot up in the traveler's mind, so many things are wrong here. But he shrugged and followed him and not long after he saw the roadside hotel. It shamefully stood at a corner surrounded my high grasses, it made no sound, except for the flickering of the neon light bearing it's name :Bloom.

Better here than on the road. The traveler thought. Bis walked fast and quickly entered the door, didn't even stop to motion him in. The traveler walked in and was completely surprised to find the place empty. No one was in the reception, even his footsteps caused an echo.

"How can I help you male?"

A female voice. But still regarding him the same way, it shocked him because he didn't see when she entered, and it irritated him that he was referred to like that but he was so spent he decided to ignore and turned to face her
She was tall, thin and wore her hair down, she wasn't exactly beauty but she could pass for attractive assuming she took care of herself. She also wore a suit, he assumed it was the hotels uniform. She also watched him, observing him with such keen interest that he felt a chill in his spine

"I need a room please"

She stood up and picked a key and handed to him, still watching him, not blinking

"Thanks, what's your name again"

She smiled and said "take a left and climb the stairs, your room is the first on the right".

It was 2:30am

He finally settled down, having showered and eaten, for a run-down excuse for a hotel they had good food and extremely comfortable beds. Bis had mysteriously appeared a while back with a tray of wonderful meals and calmly watched him as he ate, he assumed he was waiting for a tip but Bis calmly smiled and declined. He tried to start a conversation but was only met with stares and meaningless replies. The only thing Bis said was to stay indoors and "don't go exploring". He laughed. The cheek of that kid.

3:00am

He opened his eyes apparently disturbed. It felt like he was being watched. The single light bulb in his room flickering shamelessly.

He stood up from his comfortable bed. Very soft, Infact a little too soft, almost squishy. A sound was constantly pounding. He could hear it all around him, in the walls on the floor, from the ceiling. Sounded like drummers steadily making one beat every second PUM PUM, PUM PUM..PUM PUM, PUM PUM. It sounded like a heartbeat. He brought his ear closer to the ground and was shocked to find that the floor had the same feel as his bed, soft , squishy and warm. Like it was alive. He decided to peal back the carpet and take a look.

Suddenly the door burst open and Bis stood there staring as usual

"Don't do that, we warned you not to explore didn't we!?" Who was we. He was done listening to this child speak as though he spoke to his younger one. And then he rushed to the edge of the room and dragged the carpet back. The building shuddered. It disapproved being stripped. The traveler on the other hand was struck with fear, his hand trembled as he gazed at skin and lots of it, streaked with veins and warm.

The hotel was alive. And from the sound of that ensured, it was hungry. Bis still stood at the door, staring blankly, his voice had a hint of resolve when he said "we warned you" and suddenly before the travelers eyes, the boy known as Bis began to shapeshift. No more like squish and change. Suddenly he was the receptionist. The long haired girl who refused to give a name. Almost on instinct hands shot out from every part of the room for the traveler. He was terrified but he was no wimp. He threw all his weight on the creature before him and ran out the door. The ground churning and melding, the house was bis and he was the meal. Hands kept reaching for him and one managed to grab his ear, in a stupendous act of pure horror it ripped off the ear and it was immediately assimilated into the house. He screamed but ran on.

Fighting off the various limbs that sought to dismember him. He ran and ran in pain. Blood blinding him, losing balance constantly before he realised something
He was being played with. He had been running for the door and should have reached it a long time ago.

"Don't you realise, it's over for you traveler"

A combination of voices emanated from the house. Bis sprouted from the ground and kept changing form, he was looking more like a pillar of rotten flesh. By now hands had submerged part of the traveler as he tried to keep moving. He screamed in pain as his arm was torn off and assimilated.and yet he kept moving to the door.

Almost there.

If he could just reach. Bis appeared in front of the door staring blankly at him as he sank deeper into the house until all that was remaining was the dead phone of the traveler.

It was 6:00am

Someone came out of bloom and adjusted his tie and dusted his blazer.

The hotel had taken on a new look, another prey gone. It belched and walked into the distance. The neon light of bloom still flickering.

• Written by Ikechi Nwaozuzu