#HauntedHotel Entry Two - The Freakish Roadside Hotel

What have your friends talked you into doing this time?

I think it's funny how teenagers and early adults crave autonomy from parental control. We want to think of our own accord and exercise unrivaled independence. We need that! Or at least we think we do.

I was never really one to travel by road at nights. All my road trips, right from when I was a suckling child and even up to the terminal points of my college days were planned by my parents and were of course done during the day.

This time had to be different! Afterall it was my NYSC posting. The Federal Government had finally seen me as a man and I therefore had to act like one. I had called Stan and Ade the previous night. We three were all posted to the same state for service. I was pleased with that because they knew how to 'chill' and they, being rebellious too had refused their parents 'old people advice' to leave Lagos early enough in order to arrive Benin City, Edo State at good time.

I woke early enough on he day of my trip. At 6:00am to be precise. I had packed my things, eaten, carried out all necessary hygiene processes and now I was good to go. Surprised?

I wasn't as audacious as they were to their parents. I couldn't blatantly refuse my parents instructions while standing before them. So in order to not seem like a 'baby' to my friends, I would agree with my parents but when I leave I'd go and do whatever I and my friends thought was more 'fun'.

This time was going to be one of those times.

My parents didn't think it strange that I had refused them dropping me off at the bus park. Maybe they felt; "Oh, he now wants to take up some level of responsibility. Impressive!".

I left home at 8:45. I took a cab. I'm sure you know the cab wasn't headed straight for the bus park right?

At 10:00am I was at Stan's house. We played video games while waiting for Ade to come join us there.

Stan's parents gave him a lot of space. He was an obstinate child and all effort to change him had failed. Stan threw frenzied tantrums whenever his parents tried to caution him so now they had decided to let him be. They prayed for him and that was all they could really do because he was a spoilt child and now he was no more a 'child'. He was now taller than them, with a well-built body and humongous biceps.

Ade came in at 11:20am. Finally! Let our 'bigger boy' definition of a road trip begin.

I had heard that a typical road trip from Lagos to Benin City had a duration of about 5 hours. Ade who had claimed to be a travel expert contradicted that by telling me it would take just 2 hours and 30 minutes if we followed a 'good driver'.

It was now 1:00pm and for a supposed 2 hour 30 minutes journey, there was still enough time to spare. Off to the Ikeja bar!

Stan had imposed his strange ideology that embarking on a road trip would be more fun and enjoyable if we were intoxicated. So now we were gobbling huge bottles of beer. I was not a good drinker so I was still struggling with my first bottle as they emptied out their third.

"Suya! Suya!! Get us some Suya somebody! And three plates of goat pepper soup!", Ade shrieked. In a matter of minutes, our simple drink out had become an expensive festival.

Both Ade and Stan were from rich homes, Stan's dad was a retired General Manager at NNPC and Ade's dad was an ex-Commissioner for works. Despite the fact that their parents were now retired, money always had a way of lingering around them. This fact made me comfortable even as I saw them splurge thousands of Naira on what was supposed to be a simple drink out to get us a tad intoxicated.

It was now 3:33pm. About 30,000 naira had been spent, we three were both at the zenith of inebriation and were full to our hearts content. We got into Stan's drivers vehicle and were now headed to a bus park to begin our journey. Stan and Ade had been so drunk they were oblivious of the fact that their wallets were stolen back at the bar while we were indulging our little charade. Who could blame the thieves? Seeing as they spent at the bar, even I was tempted to steal their wallets.

We got to the bus park, Stan's driver handed the cashier at the booking area the wad of cash Stan's dad had given him to book us seats on the bus. He then helped us to the bus because we were too tipsy to walk on our own. I could see the look on his face. He was disgusted at how we had behaved.

In a few minutes, the engine to the bus began revving and at 4:00pm we were on our merry way to the great city, Benin City. At least we hoped. My parents called to check up on me. I struggled with my intoxication to mutter words of assurance that I was now in Benin and headed towards the camp. They were pleased.

The road to Benin City was strange to me. This was my first time and I was not in the best condition to observe the important landmarks as we breezed down the highway. Stan and Ade had no interest in observing anything and were already fast asleep as the aftermath of our intoxication kicked in. Hangovers.

To my horror, Ade had misinformed me, it was now 7:00pm, 3 hours from when we began our journey and according to the driver, we hadn't still gotten to 'Ore'.

Ore was a town just about an hour and a half from Benin City. Bus drivers going from Lagos to Benin normally stopped there to eat and let the weary road passengers stretch their legs and grab a bite or two. The townspeople were familiar with the process and hence establishing restaurants, canteens and eateries formed one of the major businesses carried out there.

I turned to Ade and Stan in exasperation, but the two knuckle-heads were still fast asleep. My head had now begun to ache terribly. I pressed my palms on it and prayed for God's help.

We finally passed Ore but now the bus had begun developing some faults. It was overheating. It was now 8:30pm, I was far from home, I was on the highway, the vehicle I was in was developing faults, the people I left with were tipsy and oblivious of everything. I became very scared. I started shivering and wishing I had left as early as my parents had told me.

At 9:23pm the bus managed to crawl into a town close to Benin City, Okada. The driver obviously knew nothing about assuaging an overheating engine. He stopped the bus and begged everyone to get their things out in fear that the vehicle may go up in flames. The driver tried calling the bus transport head office for help but What was worse was that there was no network reception in that area. The driver then encouraged all the passengers to get lodged for the night and meet back there by morning, he was going to go into town and send word for a rescue vehicle to be sent. He encouraged us to keep the receipts of whatever hotel we lodged as he assured us the company was going to refund us everything.

Was this a movie? Was I dreaming? Am I about to be stranded in this place?

My head was hot, I was perplexed, I slapped Ade and Stan to reality.

"Wake up! See what you've caused! Get your things! We have to move! I don't know where we are!"

We three struggled with our things while looking for a nearby hotel. Our heads were pounding.

I think this is where things got very ridiculous and absurd. We got to the first hotel. It was beautifully designed. It's rooms were ensuite, well equipped and fully air conditioned. Or at least that was what the brochure told us. The service was applaudable and the guests showed gravitas.

It was to cost 9,000 Naira per night. Stan and Ade, 'the rich kids' reached for their wallets. I think we all know how that went.

In a few minutes we were escorted out of the premises by security. Why? Stan and Ade had begun screaming when they didn't see their wallets. Stan threw his regular tantrums, when the receptionist tried to calm him, he threatened her with his pocket knife. Well he was still a bit drunk, who could blame him?

I didn't have that much money on me. I had spent part of the 13,000 Naira I left home with on the cab I initially took from home, a girl I took a liking to back at the Ikeja bar and at Ore when I bought food and a new face cap. I now felt stupid. I had just 2,500 Naira remaining. All the banks were closed, ATM's were not common in this town.

We struggled once again with our belongings. It was now 11:06pm.

There it stood along the road to the right. A hotel. Or was it? It was smaller than a regular hotel but the sign 'Runtown Hotel' stood bold on its walls. The walls had a dull color, the roof was thatched. Believe me, I was surprised too. As usual, Ade told me it was a new design. There were no cars around it. It didn't have a parking lot, just a small pathway leading to the door. There was no security detail at the gate, no one except some old man walked around its premises. I had a bad feeling about this but I wasn't going to let midnight meet us out here. Stan, for the first time said nothing. He was just as scared as I was. I figured maybe it was just dawning on him that without his wallet and family's protection, he was just barely more than a peasant. Ade tried to be the man amongst us and beckoned us to move quickly to at least ask the price and decide if we were going to stay there for the night. Stan shivered as he walked, then held my left hand. It was awkward, but then he was my friend so I figured I'd just let him if that helped him be braver.

We walked into the reception. No one was there. We were now horrified. The only television there was switched on but showing static, drinks were poured into a cup on a nearby table but no one was there to drink. Stan squeezed on my arm in fear.

"Anyone home??", Ade shouted.

We heard doors close with a thud from a distance, we then heard several footsteps run about but we still didn't see anyone. After a while we heard the voice of a young girl: "Coming!"

The old man we had seen walking about the premises from a distance emerged. Could he have been the one with the young girl's voice? I was petrified. He walked slowly to the counter, then looked to only Stan and smiled. Stan became white in fear. Ade walked closer to him, I and Stan walked farther. Ade asked how much it would cost to spend the night. You wouldn't believe what the old man said.

He said; "100,000 Naira, but because of that boy, I'd give you a room for 500 Naira".

He then pointed to Stan. It was almost as if he could smell fear and enjoyed preying on the ones that were most fearful. Stan farted loudly and continuously in fear. He had now even let fear make him lose control of his bowels. I was now both scared and amused. Stan, the friend that always told me to be tough was really just a baby. Ade agreed for the ridiculously absurd price, then walked away from the man without turning his back to the man.

The man smiled again at Stan and then tossed him the key to the room. Room 101C. We heard the once open outside gates swing close, we turned in terror to see who had closed it. There was a black figure, like a man. We turned back to the old man and he was gone.

We ran quickly to the room we were given. We figured that if we could survive the night here, we'd be home free by morning.

The room had just one window and it was weirdly positioned close to the ceiling. We couldn't even reach it. There was one wardrobe, one light bulb, one electric fan and seven beds. There was a door to a dilapidated toilet and bathroom. Water was flowing from the bathroom taps in droplets. The night was going to be long.

It was now 1:00am. The light in the room went out. We all squeezed into one bed out of fear, but we could visibly see that the remaining six beds were occupied by black figures snoring sonorously. With all the things we had experienced that day, we couldn't scream again. I passed out on Ade, Stan passed out on me. Ade struggled to shut his eyes. We had hoped to never experience a night such as this, but who knows? It may just be the first of many similar nights.