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The original was posted on /r/nosleep by /u/CreepyStoriesJR on 2024-11-23 18:02:51+00:00.

I’ve been working the night shift at this run-down motel for a few months now. It’s the kind of place you’d expect to see on some ghost-hunting TV show, with its dimly lit corridors, outdated decor, and eerily quiet atmosphere. I never thought I’d end up here, but after my last job fell through, I was desperate. The motel sits just outside of a small, nearly forgotten town, nestled far enough from civilization that cell reception is barely a thing. And as if to add to the ominous vibe, tonight I’d be the only staff member on duty.

It was a typical shift, starting at 10 PM. The manager told me earlier that day to expect a large group check-in around 10:30 PM. A bit unusual, considering we almost never have full bookings. The motel is small and usually quiet, its rooms accessible only from the inside hallway. There are no outdoor entrances like the ones you see in cheap roadside motels. So, when I learned that an entire group had booked every single room, it felt strange.

I tried to shrug it off and focus on my usual tasks, straightening up the front desk, ensuring the register was in order, and preparing the keycards. But an unsettling feeling crept into my gut. Something about tonight felt… off.

By 10:30 PM, I was on edge, waiting for the group to show up. I kept looking toward the entrance, expecting to see a crowd, but only one man walked in. He approached the front desk slowly, his steps almost silent against the old, faded carpet.

The man looked odd. He wore an outdated suit, and his face was partially hidden by a wide-brimmed hat. His eyes, though barely visible in the dim light, seemed to hold an unsettling gleam. He walked up to the counter and set a bundle of cash on the desk.

“I’m here for the check-in,” he said, his voice smooth but lacking warmth.

“Right,” I replied, eyeing the stack of cash. “You’re with the group, correct?” I glanced around, hoping to see others entering behind him. But the entrance remained empty.

“They’ll arrive later,” he answered, his lips curling into a grin. “No need to worry. I’ll handle everything.”

Normally, we require IDs for all guests checking in, but paying upfront with cash? We usually turn a blind eye, especially when business is this slow.

“Okay, I’ll get you checked in. Here’s the key to room 105.” I pushed the keycard toward him, still feeling uneasy. “So, when are the others arriving?”

“They’ll come in due time,” he replied, turning to leave. “Oh, one more thing.” He stopped mid-stride, glancing back at me, his grin widening. “I’ll need to give you some… instructions. I’ll be back in ten minutes.”

Before I could say anything, he disappeared down the hallway. I watched him go, his figure vanishing into the shadows cast by the dim hallway lights. An eerie silence filled the lobby.

Ten minutes passed, and then fifteen. I glanced at the clock on the wall, its ticking suddenly louder than usual. An eerie silence filled the lobby, broken only by the occasional creak of the old building settling around me.

That’s when I heard it, the faint sound of children giggling. My head snapped up, my eyes darting toward the entrance. I stood up from my chair, straining to see through the glass doors, but the dim light from the parking lot revealed nothing. I felt a prickle of fear rise on my skin. Maybe some of the guests had brought kids with them? I told myself, trying to rationalize it, but I knew something was off.

Suddenly, the man appeared in front of the desk, almost out of thin air. I jumped, my heart slamming against my ribs. “Did I scare you?” he asked, a smirk curling at the edges of his lips. His eyes gleamed under the shadow of his hat.

I forced a laugh. “No, not really,” I lied, trying to play it cool.

He leaned forward, his gaze piercing through the dim light of the reception area. “Listen closely,” he began, his voice low and deliberate. “This group I’m with… they’re a bit different. There are certain… rules you need to follow for the rest of the night.”

With that, he pulled out a folded piece of paper and handed it to me. “Read it,” he said, his grin widening as he watched me take the paper. The look on his face sent a chill crawling down my spine.

“Okay,” I replied hesitantly, holding the paper between my fingers.

“Pay attention,” he added before turning and walking away, his head still turned towards me until he vanished into the hallway. I stared after him, my mouth dry, feeling like I’d just been dropped into some kind of twisted game.

Shaking off the feeling, I set the paper down on the counter and added it to a pile of other documents, thank you notes, customer requests, things I usually ignored until the end of my shift. I had other work to do, like finalizing the check-in, so I turned my attention back to my paperwork, hoping to lose myself in the monotony.

Minutes passed, and the eerie silence returned. Then, I heard it: the sound of footsteps coming from the hallway. I sighed, knowing the strange man was the only guest at the moment. Great, I thought, not looking forward to any more interactions. The footsteps grew louder, coming closer, but then… they stopped, abruptly, just at the edge of my line of sight.

I waited, expecting the man to appear around the corner, but nothing happened. Seconds ticked by in eerie stillness. The hair on the back of my neck stood up, and a wave of anxiety washed over me.

Maybe I was just being paranoid. I needed to make sure everything was okay. Slowly, I stepped away from the reception desk and crept toward the hallway. I held my breath and peered around, half-expecting to see the man standing there.

But there was nothing. An empty hallway greeted me, silent and dimly lit. I felt a knot of unease tighten in my stomach. I had definitely heard footsteps. Shaking my head, I turned back toward the reception, telling myself I was just imagining things.

But as I walked back, my eyes fell on the desk, and my heart skipped a beat. The piece of paper the man had given me was now lying face-up on top of the stack. I froze, staring at it. I knew I had placed it beneath a pile of other papers, yet here it was, almost as if it wanted me to see it.

Taking a deep breath, I approached the desk. My hand trembled as I picked up the paper. Maybe it was time to read whatever was on it.

I unfolded the paper with shaky hands. I swallowed hard and started to read the neatly typed list.

GUEST’S RULES FOR THE NIGHT

RULE 1:

If you see any of us standing in the hallway at night, do not acknowledge us. We are there for a reason, and it has nothing to do with you.

RULE 2:

If you encounter a crying child in the lobby or hallway, do not approach. Simply turn around and hum softly to yourself until you are out of sight.

My eyes widened as I remembered the faint giggling I’d heard earlier. I glanced nervously toward the lobby, half-expecting to see a child standing there, but it was empty. My grip on the paper tightened as I continued reading.

RULE 3:

If you hear multiple voices coming from a single guest room, do not be alarmed. Speak only when the voice you recognize asks you a direct question.

RULE 4:

Do not leave the front desk between 1:30 AM and 2:00 AM, even if you hear screams for help, or for any other reason!

I felt a cold sweat break out across my forehead. I checked the clock, it was just past midnight.

I paused, looking over the remaining rules on the paper. There were more, but I couldn’t bring myself to continue. This whole situation was spiraling into madness, and I wanted no part of it. I set the paper aside, shaking my head. No way was I going to deal with whatever sick game this was. I just needed to get through the night.

I leaned back in my chair, trying to calm down. I closed my eyes, taking a few slow, deep breaths. It was almost midnight. The “group” that the man mentioned still hadn’t arrived. Maybe he was just pulling some kind of bizarre prank on me. I didn’t know, and I didn’t care. I just had to get through the night.

As the minutes ticked by, the lobby grew eerily quiet. The silence pressed in on me, heavy and thick. I was staring at the clock when the sound of footsteps filled the hallway again. Slow, deliberate steps, growing louder and louder, until they stopped at the edge of my vision.

“Oh no… not again,” I muttered under my breath. My heart pounded, and a cold chill ran down my spine. I braced myself, waiting for what would happen next.

From the hallway emerged a tall, thin man. His face was obscured, partially covered by a cloth or mask of some sort. His limbs were unnaturally elongated, his movements jerky. I froze, my mind racing in that moment.

The tall figure approached me with slow, deliberate steps, his head tilting slightly as if observing me. I felt every muscle in my body tense up. “Can I help you?” I stammered, trying to keep my voice steady.

He didn’t respond. He just stared at me, his presence oppressive, as if he were sucking the air out of the room. A faint buzzing noise began to fill the air, emanating from the man. It grew louder, worming its way into my ears, vibrating through my skull.

I glanced down at the desk in an attempt to break eye contact, and there it was, the list of rules. My eyes darted across the page until I found what I was looking for:

RULE 5:

If a guest stares at you for more than 5 seconds, close your eyes and count to five. When you open them, they should be gone.

The buzzing intensified, growing almost…

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