Sophie Bennett had one simple plan.

Get a job.

Pay her rent.

Stay out of trouble.

Unfortunately, trouble had already booked a room.

Room 309.

Sophie stood behind the reception desk of the old Ravenswood Hotel, staring at the guest register.

“Mr. Daniel Black.”

She frowned.

The name was written in fresh black ink.

Room 309.

She looked toward the elevator.

The problem was that Room 309 had been locked for twenty years.

According to the hotel manager, nobody was allowed inside.

According to the hotel guests, nobody wanted to go inside.

And according to Sophie…

“Why am I working here?”

A voice answered from behind her.

“Because you needed money.”

Sophie jumped.

A young man leaned against the wall.

He had messy brown hair, a crooked smile, and a name badge that said:

Ethan — Night Manager

Sophie glared at him.

“Don’t sneak up on people.”

“I walked normally.”

“You appeared like a ghost.”

Ethan smiled.

“Funny you should mention ghosts.”

Sophie pointed at him.

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what?”

“Tell me this hotel is haunted.”

He became silent.

Sophie sighed.

“It is haunted, isn’t it?”

“Technically…”

“Technically?”

“There are ghosts.”

She stared at him.

“How many?”

Ethan thought for a moment.

“Depends.”

“Depends on what?”

“How many are awake.”

Sophie closed the guest register.

“I’m going home.”

Ethan grabbed the book.

“You can’t.”

“Why?”

“Because you already checked in.”

“I work here!”

“Exactly.”

Before Sophie could respond, the elevator bell rang.

Ding.

Both looked toward it.

The elevator doors opened.

Nobody was inside.

The lights flickered.

Then the elevator slowly moved upward.

Sophie watched the numbers.

1… 2… 3.

It stopped at the third floor.

The doors opened.

A man’s voice came through the hotel intercom.

“Good evening, Sophie.”

She froze.

Ethan looked at her.

“Did you hear that?”

“Yes.”

The intercom crackled.

“Welcome back.”

Sophie frowned.

“Back?”

The voice laughed.

Then the intercom went silent.

Sophie looked at Ethan.

“What was that?”

He didn’t answer.

“Ethan.”

“Yes?”

“Who was that?”

“I don’t know.”

“You definitely know.”

“I really don’t.”

Sophie crossed her arms.

“You’re a terrible liar.”

Ethan smiled.

“And you’re very observant.”

A loud crash came from upstairs.

Sophie jumped.

“What was that?”

“Probably nothing.”

Another crash.

Then a scream.

Ethan grabbed a flashlight.

“Stay here.”

Sophie followed him.

“No.”

“Sophie.”

“I’m not staying alone at a haunted reception desk.”

“Fair point.”

They entered the elevator.

The doors closed.

The elevator began moving upward.

Sophie looked at Ethan.

“Which floor?”

“Three.”

“Room 309?”

He hesitated.

“Yes.”

The elevator stopped.

The doors opened.

The third-floor hallway was dark.

Only one light was working.

At the end of the hallway stood a woman.

She wore a red dress.

Her long hair covered her face.

Sophie whispered,

“Ethan…”

“I see her.”

The woman slowly raised her head.

Her face was pale.

Her eyes were closed.

She smiled.

Then she pointed toward Room 309.

The door opened.

Sophie grabbed Ethan’s arm.

“Don’t go in.”

The woman disappeared.

Ethan stared at the empty hallway.

“She’s gone.”

Sophie looked at the open door.

“I think we should leave.”

Suddenly, something inside Room 309 whispered:

“Sophie…”

Her blood went cold.

“It knows my name.”

Ethan looked at her.

“Stay behind me.”

They entered.

The room was completely empty.

No furniture.

No bed.

No curtains.

Only an old mirror stood against the wall.

Sophie walked toward it.

Ethan stopped her.

“Don’t.”

“Why?”

“Because that’s the haunted mirror.”

Sophie looked at him.

“Of course it is.”

The mirror suddenly fogged.

Words appeared on the glass.

HE LIED TO YOU.

Sophie stepped backward.

“Who?”

Another sentence appeared.

ETHAN KNOWS WHY YOU ARE HERE.

She turned toward Ethan.

He looked shocked.

“Ethan?”

“I can explain.”

She stared at him.

“That sentence never means anything good.”

He sighed.

“I knew your name before you applied for this job.”

“How?”

“Because your grandmother worked here.”

Sophie froze.

“My grandmother?”

“Twenty years ago.”

“What happened?”

Ethan looked at the mirror.

“She disappeared.”

Sophie felt a chill.

“Nobody told me that.”

“Because the hotel was shut down after she disappeared.”

“Then why did it reopen?”

Ethan didn’t answer.

The mirror changed again.

A photograph appeared beneath the words.

Sophie recognized the woman immediately.

Her grandmother.

Standing beside a young man.

Sophie looked at Ethan.

“Who is that?”

His face became pale.

“My father.”

She stared at him.

“Your father knew my grandmother?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Before Ethan could answer, the bedroom door slammed shut.

The lights went out.

A woman’s voice whispered from behind them.

“Because they were in love.”

Sophie stopped breathing.

Ethan looked toward the darkness.

“No.”

The voice laughed.

“And someone killed them both.”

A cold hand touched Sophie’s shoulder.

She screamed.

Ethan grabbed her hand.

“Run!”

They rushed toward the door.

It opened by itself.

They ran into the hallway.

Behind them, Room 309 slammed shut.

Sophie leaned against the wall, breathing heavily.

Ethan was still holding her hand.

Neither noticed.

Finally, Sophie looked down.

Their fingers were intertwined.

She pulled her hand away.

“Sorry.”

Ethan smiled.

“You’re shaking.”

“So are you.”

“I know.”

For a moment, they stared at each other.

Then the elevator bell rang.

Ding.

The doors opened.

Inside was an old suitcase.

Sophie walked closer.

There was a name written on it.

MARGARET BENNETT.

Her grandmother.

Sophie looked at Ethan.

“This isn’t a ghost story.”

He nodded.

“No.”

She looked at the suitcase.

“It’s a murder mystery.”

The elevator lights flickered.

And from inside the suitcase came three quiet knocks.

Knock.

Knock.

Knock.

Sophie stared.

“Ethan…”

“Yes?”

“Something is inside.”

The suitcase moved.

And then a woman’s voice whispered from inside:

“Sophie… don’t trust him.”

Sophie slowly turned toward Ethan.

For the first time that night, he wasn’t smiling.

Because he knew exactly whose voice it was.

And she had been dead for twenty years.

To be continued…