WEBVTT 1 00:00:03.439 --> 00:00:06.160 Thank you for arriving this fast, I said, struggling to 2 00:00:06.160 --> 00:00:08.359 bring the strap of my purse into the back seat 3 00:00:08.400 --> 00:00:12.919 of the car. The driver murmured something sorry, I said, 4 00:00:13.119 --> 00:00:15.400 still adjusting shut the door. 5 00:00:15.679 --> 00:00:18.920 The man boomed. I pulled the strap completely into the car. 6 00:00:19.039 --> 00:00:22.760 Finally the door actually shut. I tried wiping down the 7 00:00:22.760 --> 00:00:25.600 seat with what remained dry from my jeans. The man 8 00:00:25.640 --> 00:00:28.120 didn't seem to notice that part. I could see his 9 00:00:28.160 --> 00:00:28.719 eyes through the. 10 00:00:28.719 --> 00:00:30.039 Rear view mirror looking at me. 11 00:00:30.839 --> 00:00:32.880 I had, after all, got in the back seat of 12 00:00:32.920 --> 00:00:35.640 the car wet. Why did they even make these things 13 00:00:35.640 --> 00:00:38.119 at a leather any more? The ride was going to 14 00:00:38.159 --> 00:00:40.679 be cold, and from what I remembered, was going to 15 00:00:40.679 --> 00:00:44.880 be a long one. This weather, right, I said, trying 16 00:00:44.880 --> 00:00:47.960 to tone things down a bit. He ignored me, or 17 00:00:48.000 --> 00:00:50.399 it probably couldn't hear me from the rain drumming on 18 00:00:50.439 --> 00:00:53.359 the roof of the old black Camry. I looked down 19 00:00:53.359 --> 00:00:55.399 at the back of the seat, and then down at 20 00:00:55.439 --> 00:00:58.079 the window. A sudden urge to step out into the 21 00:00:58.119 --> 00:01:01.799 rain again came over me. The locks clicked shut, and 22 00:01:01.840 --> 00:01:03.439 I looked at the driver, and then he looked at 23 00:01:03.479 --> 00:01:06.760 the mirror that looked at me. He said, something, but 24 00:01:06.799 --> 00:01:11.079 I didn't hear him. I nodded, and he nodded. He 25 00:01:11.120 --> 00:01:16.040 looked away, and I looked toward the window again. What 26 00:01:16.120 --> 00:01:18.120 was supposed to be a simple ride is about to 27 00:01:18.159 --> 00:01:21.079 turn into the most haunting experience for one of them, 28 00:01:21.359 --> 00:01:24.480 as a drive into a dark and rainy night begins. 29 00:01:25.120 --> 00:01:28.560 Just be ready for when it happens to you. My 30 00:01:28.680 --> 00:01:38.480 name is Edwin, and he a scary story. The rain 31 00:01:38.640 --> 00:01:41.120 was crying its way down the glass and disappearing into 32 00:01:41.159 --> 00:01:44.359 the wind behind us. The window wouldn't close all the way, 33 00:01:44.439 --> 00:01:46.640 so some of it was seeping into the car, but 34 00:01:46.719 --> 00:01:49.879 I wouldn't worry about it anymore. The blurry lights had 35 00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:52.480 long disappeared in the distance, and now was going to 36 00:01:52.519 --> 00:01:55.560 be a stretch of nothing but trees around us until 37 00:01:55.560 --> 00:01:58.640 we pulled up to my home, or what remained of it. 38 00:01:58.640 --> 00:01:59.400 It was just a house. 39 00:01:59.439 --> 00:02:02.920 Now home. I pulled out my phone to take the time. 40 00:02:03.719 --> 00:02:07.239 I still had about forty minutes to make it. That 41 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:09.400 was glad that the whole small talk part was thrown 42 00:02:09.400 --> 00:02:11.680 out the window from the start. I looked at the 43 00:02:11.719 --> 00:02:15.280 back of the driver's head, bald. He was with huge 44 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:17.960 scars by his ears, but perhaps what remained of a 45 00:02:17.960 --> 00:02:21.400 tattoo that had faded a long time ago. His hand 46 00:02:21.479 --> 00:02:24.479 was held tightly in a fist, and it made me 47 00:02:24.479 --> 00:02:29.159 feel uncomfortable, bankry. There was lots of stuff I grew 48 00:02:29.240 --> 00:02:32.639 up around, and fists were not uncommon around where I lived. 49 00:02:33.759 --> 00:02:37.319 There were the tools of husbands and bullies, tools you 50 00:02:37.360 --> 00:02:40.639 get to use until you get something better, something sharper. 51 00:02:41.719 --> 00:02:43.639 You learned to find the fists, and it's like this. 52 00:02:44.280 --> 00:02:47.319 The eyes give it away first. You know when someone's 53 00:02:47.319 --> 00:02:49.479 about to do something. You have a look down at 54 00:02:49.479 --> 00:02:54.039 the fists and be ready for it. Either you run 55 00:02:54.719 --> 00:02:57.800 or you get punched. If you fight, or you get 56 00:02:57.800 --> 00:03:01.639 punched too. Plus, the girls from my town were evil, 57 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:04.719 some of them quite literally. But you learn to use 58 00:03:04.759 --> 00:03:10.520 evil as a tool eventually, or you die their choice. 59 00:03:10.639 --> 00:03:12.759 I looked at the driver, and again he looked at 60 00:03:12.759 --> 00:03:15.240 the mirror that looked at me. I looked down at 61 00:03:15.240 --> 00:03:17.520 his fist and then at the area where the handbrake 62 00:03:17.719 --> 00:03:21.319 was an automatic transmission. He was never going to open 63 00:03:21.400 --> 00:03:24.360 up that fist, and I couldn't tell from his eyes 64 00:03:24.479 --> 00:03:27.280 just yet, but something about his posture told me that 65 00:03:27.319 --> 00:03:30.840 he was planning something. I should have been scared here 66 00:03:31.120 --> 00:03:33.520 at his sudden anger with the door at the scar 67 00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:37.280 on his head by his ear. But it wasn't not 68 00:03:37.400 --> 00:03:41.360 after everything that happened these past couple of days, there 69 00:03:41.400 --> 00:03:43.439 was nothing to look at out the window but my 70 00:03:43.479 --> 00:03:46.159 own thoughts as I played back the mental track about 71 00:03:46.159 --> 00:03:48.759 what got me to the city. The phone call I 72 00:03:48.759 --> 00:03:51.159 got at the motel where I stayed for those two nights. 73 00:03:52.000 --> 00:03:54.400 The call had come from Mike, a guy had met 74 00:03:54.639 --> 00:03:56.319 one of the meets for this group. I was a 75 00:03:56.319 --> 00:04:01.159 part of PI, he said. Paulina was, but he could 76 00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:04.360 never say it. I was able to make it out. 77 00:04:04.479 --> 00:04:06.599 Let's just start over. I don't think this is for us, 78 00:04:06.759 --> 00:04:10.599 he said, the strange seriousness in his voice. He used 79 00:04:10.639 --> 00:04:12.639 to be so gentle and dark. 80 00:04:14.120 --> 00:04:15.240 It was true. 81 00:04:15.479 --> 00:04:17.800 Mike hadn't been to our meets in a while. He 82 00:04:17.839 --> 00:04:19.560 had gotten into a fight with one of the leaders 83 00:04:19.560 --> 00:04:21.399 of the group over a thing that he forced us 84 00:04:21.439 --> 00:04:24.199 to do, a part of a grand ritual. 85 00:04:24.480 --> 00:04:25.040 He called it. 86 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:28.360 Not everyone agreed with it, but we all did it, 87 00:04:28.639 --> 00:04:33.360 even Mike. Something changed in him after that night. Everyone 88 00:04:33.360 --> 00:04:36.439 could tell, and yet everyone knew that he was planning 89 00:04:36.439 --> 00:04:40.160 on leaving. Nobody liked it, not even me, because once 90 00:04:40.199 --> 00:04:42.800 they left with what they know, they can bring us 91 00:04:42.839 --> 00:04:47.040 all down. But Mike hadn't been heard of in a while. 92 00:04:47.959 --> 00:04:50.160 He had left the state, and who knows how he 93 00:04:50.199 --> 00:04:52.720 got the number of where I was staying. Plus we 94 00:04:52.759 --> 00:04:55.759 all knew about what happened with Erica and Manny. Their 95 00:04:55.839 --> 00:04:58.240 dried up hands were still hanging on a wire by 96 00:04:58.240 --> 00:05:02.519 the back entrance of the house, a stern reminder of consequences. 97 00:05:03.279 --> 00:05:06.759 Many tried to leave first, and Erica helped him, and 98 00:05:06.800 --> 00:05:08.079 then both. 99 00:05:07.839 --> 00:05:10.439 Got the shovels. 100 00:05:10.920 --> 00:05:13.279 I know now of just how bad it was, and 101 00:05:13.360 --> 00:05:15.439 I can blame it on how naive I used to be, 102 00:05:16.079 --> 00:05:19.000 or how dumb whatever, but none of that matters. 103 00:05:19.040 --> 00:05:19.240 Now. 104 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:23.759 I had chances to leave. Everyone did, and we didn't. 105 00:05:24.800 --> 00:05:26.800 I tried, though, I mean I ended up in a 106 00:05:26.800 --> 00:05:29.720 motel in a dark alley. For goodness sake, I walked 107 00:05:29.759 --> 00:05:31.920 halfway there before I was picked up and asked to 108 00:05:31.959 --> 00:05:35.680 be dropped off anywhere in the city. I had no address, 109 00:05:36.040 --> 00:05:38.439 only a plan to leave later that week and get 110 00:05:38.480 --> 00:05:41.759 across the state. Maybe you find a church and confess 111 00:05:41.800 --> 00:05:44.079 everything we had done. If I managed to stay alive. 112 00:05:45.800 --> 00:05:48.079 But now I had until midnight to make it back 113 00:05:48.120 --> 00:05:50.879 before I would have to dig my own grave. My 114 00:05:51.000 --> 00:05:53.639 hand was to become another dangling reminder of what happens 115 00:05:53.639 --> 00:05:56.839 when you try to leave. The night Backers. It's the 116 00:05:56.920 --> 00:05:58.800 name of a group, and I took it. 117 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:00.199 I was gonna go back. 118 00:06:01.040 --> 00:06:03.680 There was more to do, people that still needed to pay, 119 00:06:04.639 --> 00:06:06.360 so they sends a driver for me. 120 00:06:06.720 --> 00:06:07.439 Within minute. 121 00:06:09.240 --> 00:06:11.399 Mike told me that they aren't as large as they seem. 122 00:06:11.839 --> 00:06:13.480 They only stay around the town and a couple of 123 00:06:13.560 --> 00:06:16.879 neighboring ones. They don't go out and find you anywhere 124 00:06:16.920 --> 00:06:19.920 in the world like they say that they do. There 125 00:06:19.920 --> 00:06:22.040 are ways to leave and stop dealing with all the 126 00:06:22.079 --> 00:06:25.879 things they make us go through, but at the time, 127 00:06:26.759 --> 00:06:30.439 it's not to be weird or anything here. Revenge was 128 00:06:30.480 --> 00:06:36.279 pretty sweet. It still is because imagine this being able 129 00:06:36.319 --> 00:06:38.439 to watch as a person who made you eat their 130 00:06:38.519 --> 00:06:42.279 leftovers and took your birthday money get struck by a car. 131 00:06:43.000 --> 00:06:43.920 Sweet, isn't it? 132 00:06:45.120 --> 00:06:47.560 What if I told you that you made it happen, 133 00:06:48.920 --> 00:06:50.920 or that the person who spit on you while you 134 00:06:50.920 --> 00:06:53.639 were tying your shoe, the same loser who stole your 135 00:06:53.680 --> 00:06:58.240 dad's lawnmower, was found dead in a ditch, stuck in 136 00:06:58.319 --> 00:07:01.759 the mud for two days, found but did not survive 137 00:07:01.839 --> 00:07:04.160 the thirst. It was baked in the sun, along with 138 00:07:04.160 --> 00:07:05.879 a mother that surrounded him. 139 00:07:06.439 --> 00:07:10.600 Petty right, a little bit but fair, who's to say. 140 00:07:12.839 --> 00:07:17.279 But here's the thing that balance comes from somewhere. Favors 141 00:07:17.319 --> 00:07:20.920 aren't free. It's how I lost my family. At least, 142 00:07:21.160 --> 00:07:23.439 it's what I believe in, what I was told over 143 00:07:23.480 --> 00:07:26.720 and over. And that's why you can't leave. You See, 144 00:07:27.199 --> 00:07:31.519 there's always something to balance out, like a never ending 145 00:07:31.600 --> 00:07:36.160 game of seesaw, where things aren't ever perfectly aligned anymore. 146 00:07:36.959 --> 00:07:40.279 But you're always fighting rights to fix wrongs, and someone 147 00:07:40.480 --> 00:07:44.480 always gets in the way to pay. You always take 148 00:07:44.519 --> 00:07:47.319 away from someone, and it always seems to be you 149 00:07:47.959 --> 00:07:53.000 that makes the payment. But evil doesn't even begin. 150 00:07:52.879 --> 00:07:54.040 To describe what this is. 151 00:07:55.160 --> 00:07:57.600 Too many nights I spent trying to decide on that 152 00:07:57.680 --> 00:08:01.240 first ritual, and when I finally did it, I could 153 00:08:01.240 --> 00:08:04.120 ever remember it. I knew the kid from a couple 154 00:08:04.120 --> 00:08:06.920 of babies sitting gigs too, and once I knew where 155 00:08:06.920 --> 00:08:11.600 he slept, I went back and grabbed him. I even 156 00:08:11.639 --> 00:08:14.480 went to his funeral. That's when they found where I 157 00:08:14.480 --> 00:08:17.800 had left him. It's easy when you don't remember what 158 00:08:17.879 --> 00:08:20.759 you did. As far as I know, I didn't do it. 159 00:08:21.399 --> 00:08:24.920 Whatever took over did it. It remembers it for me, 160 00:08:25.199 --> 00:08:29.120 and I just carry on doing these little tasks. So 161 00:08:29.279 --> 00:08:34.840 was I ready to leave, No, Mike, not yet. I 162 00:08:34.879 --> 00:08:38.200 looked at the time again. We were never gonna make it. 163 00:08:38.720 --> 00:08:40.720 Even if the driver sped through the rest of the 164 00:08:40.799 --> 00:08:42.960 road in the woods, it would. 165 00:08:42.720 --> 00:08:43.240 Be too late. 166 00:08:45.080 --> 00:08:48.000 Then I saw his fists shaking as he looked at 167 00:08:48.000 --> 00:08:51.480 the mirror that looked at me. I could do nothing. 168 00:08:52.720 --> 00:08:55.320 I told him to hurry, and even I was surprised 169 00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:58.480 at how stern my voice came out. He stepped on 170 00:08:58.519 --> 00:09:00.759 the gas and I felt my body he leaned back 171 00:09:00.799 --> 00:09:03.240 on the seat. It was like that for a few 172 00:09:03.279 --> 00:09:07.600 minutes before I knew it. There were only two minutes left. 173 00:09:09.080 --> 00:09:10.759 So I looked at him, and he looked at the 174 00:09:10.799 --> 00:09:14.360 mirror that looked at me. His whole body was trembling, 175 00:09:15.639 --> 00:09:18.639 and he pulled over and quickly he reached for his door. 176 00:09:20.039 --> 00:09:23.759 Shut the door. I yelled, it was my turn to boom. 177 00:09:23.799 --> 00:09:27.240 Now He ran out, nearly tripping on the edge of 178 00:09:27.279 --> 00:09:28.559 the asphalt by the trees. 179 00:09:29.279 --> 00:09:30.799 Was he thinking of leaving me there? 180 00:09:31.440 --> 00:09:33.840 My door was unlocked when he stepped out, and I 181 00:09:33.879 --> 00:09:36.679 pushed it open. I ran after him, but I couldn't 182 00:09:36.720 --> 00:09:40.440 get close. I saw his eyes, the fear I loved 183 00:09:40.480 --> 00:09:45.399 and missed so much, with that fist. My mind couldn't 184 00:09:45.440 --> 00:09:49.320 take it. I saw the small beads now dangling from 185 00:09:49.320 --> 00:09:52.399 the side of his hand, and I only imagined what 186 00:09:52.559 --> 00:09:56.159 was inside. I looked at the darkness, and it called 187 00:09:56.159 --> 00:10:01.480 to me. I followed as fast as I could. I 188 00:10:01.519 --> 00:10:03.919 don't remember much as to how I got back that night, 189 00:10:04.919 --> 00:10:08.120 or of what happened to the taxi driver, but it 190 00:10:08.159 --> 00:10:12.519 made it back in time. I'm still in the same 191 00:10:12.559 --> 00:10:16.879 old town, away from the same old people, and yes, 192 00:10:17.080 --> 00:10:20.519 I think of those that I've harmed often. I think 193 00:10:20.519 --> 00:10:32.720 of those that I've scared to death sometimes, though only sometimes. 194 00:10:35.840 --> 00:10:39.200 The TV was loud, blaring to an unknown static channel. 195 00:10:39.240 --> 00:10:42.360 As I realized where I was, the bleak decorations of 196 00:10:42.360 --> 00:10:44.799 the hotel room being lit up with that blue light 197 00:10:44.840 --> 00:10:47.559 from the screen, and I was able to make out 198 00:10:47.559 --> 00:10:50.480 the shapes around the bed, silhouettes that jumped with a 199 00:10:50.559 --> 00:10:55.080 light around the room, everything and sink. My wife started 200 00:10:55.080 --> 00:10:57.879 tapping around the bed, searching for the remote control, a 201 00:10:58.000 --> 00:11:01.159 thing we never used while on vacation, until I leaned 202 00:11:01.200 --> 00:11:03.919 over and hoarsely said, but I would turn it off. 203 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:07.080 My wife rolled away from me as I stepped toward 204 00:11:07.080 --> 00:11:10.320 the front of the room. But then I saw it, 205 00:11:11.559 --> 00:11:14.799 A strange face appearing on the screen, distant and cold 206 00:11:14.840 --> 00:11:17.080 among the bits of black and white that were moving 207 00:11:17.120 --> 00:11:21.240 around like a million ants. But the face, that of 208 00:11:21.279 --> 00:11:26.480 a man, started getting closer. Its white smile came flashing 209 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:33.399 across the screen, and then Hello, it said. My wife 210 00:11:33.480 --> 00:11:35.759 rolled on the bed and quickly sat up. 211 00:11:37.320 --> 00:11:37.799 What is that? 212 00:11:38.200 --> 00:11:43.600 My wife whispered, Hello it said, slower this time, and 213 00:11:43.639 --> 00:11:45.440 I could swear that it looked in the direction of 214 00:11:45.480 --> 00:11:47.120 my wife. 215 00:11:47.480 --> 00:11:48.480 I remember thinking it. 216 00:11:48.480 --> 00:11:51.519 Was weird at first, and probably chuckled at the thought 217 00:11:51.720 --> 00:11:54.120 that it was some prank on us. Maybe it was 218 00:11:54.360 --> 00:11:57.919 I don't know, nervousness. My wife didn't find it funny. 219 00:11:58.840 --> 00:12:00.879 I could tell by her white and the way she 220 00:12:00.960 --> 00:12:03.320 was curling up with a bench sheet against the back. 221 00:12:03.120 --> 00:12:04.480 Of the bed. 222 00:12:05.799 --> 00:12:11.559 Hello, it said, again, angrier, and then something replaced the screen. 223 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:15.000 Of people in the rooms, some of them still sleeping, 224 00:12:15.279 --> 00:12:17.440 and others approaching the screen as if trying to turn 225 00:12:17.440 --> 00:12:21.240 it off. Others were screaming, and I could hear voices 226 00:12:21.279 --> 00:12:23.679 next door, people that were going through the same thing. 227 00:12:25.039 --> 00:12:27.120 I couldn't find the switch to turn off the television, 228 00:12:27.240 --> 00:12:29.679 so I looked around for the cable, but it was 229 00:12:29.759 --> 00:12:31.919 hidden behind the board that held it up on the wall. 230 00:12:33.720 --> 00:12:36.360 The volume got louder, and my wife was up and 231 00:12:36.440 --> 00:12:40.960 looking around for her sandals. I checked the time two 232 00:12:41.000 --> 00:12:44.399 fifty six in the morning. There was a commotion outside. 233 00:12:44.799 --> 00:12:47.440 I could see silhouettes moving through the people on the door. 234 00:12:49.000 --> 00:12:51.200 It clicked on the light. Sandra was on her way 235 00:12:51.240 --> 00:12:54.399 to me already and reaching for it, tightening the nightrobe 236 00:12:54.399 --> 00:12:59.120 around her waist. Outside was much worse than I expected. 237 00:12:59.320 --> 00:13:01.360 The whole floor seemed to be out of the rooms. 238 00:13:01.720 --> 00:13:05.000 Children were screaming, confused. Parents were on their phones looking 239 00:13:05.000 --> 00:13:08.039 around to get signal. People were running around the halls 240 00:13:08.080 --> 00:13:12.639 and toward one particular staircase. My wife and I looked 241 00:13:12.639 --> 00:13:14.600 at each other as the other television seemed to be 242 00:13:14.639 --> 00:13:19.120 blaring the same sounds, the echoes of the helloes coming 243 00:13:19.159 --> 00:13:22.000 from all around us. As we lined up for the staircase, 244 00:13:22.879 --> 00:13:25.519 people were shoving each other in a panic, unaware of 245 00:13:25.559 --> 00:13:28.840 what was going on. I don't know how I was 246 00:13:28.840 --> 00:13:31.000 able to stay calm. Maybe it was from trying to 247 00:13:31.039 --> 00:13:35.080 reason everything out. I watched as an elevator opened up 248 00:13:35.080 --> 00:13:38.480 and everyone shoved themselves inside, yelling and shouting onto the 249 00:13:38.480 --> 00:13:42.480 doors closed. We were on the fourteenth floor, and even 250 00:13:42.519 --> 00:13:45.120 though it would be a long way down, I dragged 251 00:13:45.120 --> 00:13:47.159 my wife to the other staircase at the end of 252 00:13:47.159 --> 00:13:52.399 the building. There was no alarm, no smoke, nothing but 253 00:13:52.480 --> 00:13:54.720 the panic of people trying to get away from whatever 254 00:13:54.879 --> 00:13:58.799 was replaying on these screens, huge faces of the man 255 00:13:59.000 --> 00:14:01.720 with his face up again to TV. As we passed 256 00:14:01.720 --> 00:14:03.879 by the wide open rooms toward the end of the hall, 257 00:14:05.399 --> 00:14:09.480 the staircase was quiet, with few footsteps going downstairs. Two 258 00:14:09.559 --> 00:14:13.279 or three floors below us. Guests were whispering to each 259 00:14:13.320 --> 00:14:16.960 other in confusion, But as we passed down the floors, 260 00:14:17.759 --> 00:14:19.879 we'd had to see other people running and shouting in 261 00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:23.120 a panic. Grown men were wiping tears from their eyes 262 00:14:23.159 --> 00:14:24.720 as they ran in the opposite direction. 263 00:14:26.159 --> 00:14:27.200 It took us a while as. 264 00:14:27.159 --> 00:14:29.080 We worked our way down the stairs, and with every 265 00:14:29.120 --> 00:14:31.080 floor that we passed, we saw the doors of the 266 00:14:31.159 --> 00:14:32.240 rooms were wide open. 267 00:14:33.840 --> 00:14:34.639 What is going on? 268 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:37.159 My wife yelled and try to keep her calm as 269 00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:39.480 they reassured her that we were almost at the base floor. 270 00:14:39.720 --> 00:14:43.120 To just keep going and that we would find answers. 271 00:14:43.919 --> 00:14:48.000 The echoes of those televisions were everywhere, loud and getting louder. 272 00:14:49.639 --> 00:14:51.720 We finally got to the floor what the reception was 273 00:14:52.039 --> 00:14:54.840 and rushed out. Two other families were crowding up the 274 00:14:54.879 --> 00:14:58.399 desk while everyone else panicked in the lobby. I thought 275 00:14:58.440 --> 00:15:01.399 about us simply going outside, catching the eyes of a 276 00:15:01.440 --> 00:15:05.399 calm security guard standing by the door. His demeanor was 277 00:15:05.440 --> 00:15:08.399 nothing I wanted to see at that moment. He simply 278 00:15:08.440 --> 00:15:13.159 smiled and looked away. Once again, that is not a problem, 279 00:15:13.200 --> 00:15:15.720 I heard the receptionist say, with a white smile. We 280 00:15:15.759 --> 00:15:19.600 will have that looked at immediately. She then handed them 281 00:15:19.639 --> 00:15:22.200 vouchers for something and then looked at the next person 282 00:15:22.200 --> 00:15:25.759 in line. I cut in and shouted, what is going on? 283 00:15:26.200 --> 00:15:28.039 There was no reason to be calm in such a moment. 284 00:15:28.320 --> 00:15:32.720 Everyone was scared out of their wits. Sir, she said firmly, 285 00:15:33.320 --> 00:15:36.600 I will help you right after them. I looked at 286 00:15:36.639 --> 00:15:39.960 my wife and she was shocked at the manor professional. Yes, 287 00:15:40.480 --> 00:15:43.679 but at that moment it was the same thing. The 288 00:15:43.720 --> 00:15:46.679 family was complaining about the man on the television that 289 00:15:46.720 --> 00:15:51.279 they couldn't turn it off. Same script by the receptionist, apologizing, 290 00:15:51.480 --> 00:15:54.480 radioing the maintenance person to have that looked at immediately, 291 00:15:55.080 --> 00:15:59.639 and then offering vouchers. Confused, the family just stepped away. 292 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:04.519 The receptionist looked at me and smiled. The television turned 293 00:16:04.559 --> 00:16:06.799 on by itself, and we saw something very disturbing. 294 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:07.440 I started. 295 00:16:08.399 --> 00:16:10.799 She looked at me intently, as if she hadn't just 296 00:16:10.879 --> 00:16:13.919 heard the same story two times before, right in front 297 00:16:13.919 --> 00:16:18.039 of me, and waited for me to finish. That is 298 00:16:18.080 --> 00:16:19.879 not a problem, sir, I am setting some one to 299 00:16:19.919 --> 00:16:22.399 look at that right away. What is your room number, 300 00:16:23.240 --> 00:16:27.360 Room fourteen zero seven, I replied, nearly whispering, realizing that 301 00:16:27.519 --> 00:16:31.559 none of this made sense. What if it was a 302 00:16:31.639 --> 00:16:36.279 dream or a strange practical joke. She looked at me, 303 00:16:36.960 --> 00:16:40.120 smiled again, and offered two vouchers for breakfast and some 304 00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:43.519 other things that I didn't pay attention to, Holding them 305 00:16:43.559 --> 00:16:46.360 tightly in my hand, I stepped back, my wife looking 306 00:16:46.399 --> 00:16:49.879 around confused as well. There was no one around us 307 00:16:49.879 --> 00:16:54.200 any more. We looked at the receptionist and she looked 308 00:16:54.240 --> 00:16:57.080 back at us, pointing us in the direction of the elevator. 309 00:16:58.440 --> 00:17:01.159 We walked toward it slowly pushed a button that opened 310 00:17:01.240 --> 00:17:05.559 up the doors immediately, What is going on? I whispered 311 00:17:05.559 --> 00:17:09.160 to myself. Neither of us could offer anything here and 312 00:17:09.279 --> 00:17:13.279 simply stayed quiet. We got back up to our floor 313 00:17:13.359 --> 00:17:16.519 and everything was quiet. The maintenance man was waiting for 314 00:17:16.599 --> 00:17:19.559 us at the front of our room. We showed him inside, 315 00:17:19.839 --> 00:17:22.680 and he lifted a small compartment behind the television and 316 00:17:22.759 --> 00:17:25.640 plugging it from the wall. He was about to take 317 00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:27.200 out a tool from his belt. 318 00:17:27.319 --> 00:17:30.559 But I stopped him. Can you just leave it unplugged. 319 00:17:30.880 --> 00:17:32.759 We'll be okay with that, please. 320 00:17:33.880 --> 00:17:37.079 No problem, he said, in the same tone as a receptionist. 321 00:17:37.640 --> 00:17:38.240 He smiled. 322 00:17:39.400 --> 00:17:41.279 He stepped out of the room and shut the door. 323 00:17:43.319 --> 00:17:46.680 We stayed in complete silence for a while, not even 324 00:17:46.720 --> 00:17:51.960 sure when we fell asleep, but we did eventually. Did 325 00:17:52.079 --> 00:17:55.160 that actually happen last night? My wife said from the 326 00:17:55.200 --> 00:17:58.559 bathroom very early the next morning. She stepped toward me. 327 00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:04.160 It was strange, the man of the screen, yeah, and 328 00:18:04.359 --> 00:18:08.960 the commotion in the building. She continued. I was disturbed 329 00:18:08.960 --> 00:18:11.680 by the views of other people's rooms and panicked faces 330 00:18:11.680 --> 00:18:14.680 of everyone out in the hallways. It was as if 331 00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:17.200 reality slipped for a bit, and all I was left 332 00:18:17.240 --> 00:18:21.039 with was the margins in between spaces where our minds 333 00:18:21.079 --> 00:18:23.680 reach an edge that we should all be afraid of crossing, 334 00:18:24.480 --> 00:18:28.119 in fear we can never get it back. We got 335 00:18:28.160 --> 00:18:30.920 to the breakfast area early. We were the only ones 336 00:18:30.920 --> 00:18:33.640 there in the buffet, but it was hard to even 337 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:37.319 get something down. That nauseating feeling that something was wrong 338 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:41.160 wouldn't leave me, and I wasn't alone. My wife was 339 00:18:41.279 --> 00:18:44.640 very concerned with everything, and it was her that suggested 340 00:18:44.839 --> 00:18:47.599 that we leave early. We got the reservation for another 341 00:18:47.720 --> 00:18:51.319 night left without questioning it. We agreed to get our 342 00:18:51.319 --> 00:18:53.519 things from the room and get back to the lobby, 343 00:18:54.160 --> 00:18:57.839 and we did so very quickly. We looked at the 344 00:18:57.839 --> 00:19:01.000 television with the unplugged cable and really lived everything in 345 00:19:01.079 --> 00:19:05.000 my mind, the face of a man I've never seen before, 346 00:19:05.200 --> 00:19:10.079 greeting me with that hello and repeat. We shut the 347 00:19:10.079 --> 00:19:12.440 door after a quick look around the room, and before 348 00:19:12.480 --> 00:19:14.559 we knew it, and we were at the lobby again. 349 00:19:16.200 --> 00:19:18.440 Sandra went to sit by the couches with our things, 350 00:19:18.480 --> 00:19:20.359 while I went to cancel the remainder. 351 00:19:20.000 --> 00:19:20.519 Of our stay. 352 00:19:21.759 --> 00:19:26.319 Oh, the receptionist said, with an exaggerated frown, but I understand, 353 00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:27.559 what is your room number? 354 00:19:29.200 --> 00:19:30.599 We got a full refund for the. 355 00:19:30.519 --> 00:19:32.960 Remainder of our stay and I went to the group 356 00:19:33.079 --> 00:19:37.039 by the couches. We had no other plan then, where 357 00:19:37.079 --> 00:19:39.759 else to stay or where to go with our things. 358 00:19:40.359 --> 00:19:40.920 Let's just go. 359 00:19:41.119 --> 00:19:43.880 There's a bunch of places on this block, Sandra said, concerned. 360 00:19:45.039 --> 00:19:47.440 I could tell she was even more disturbed by everything 361 00:19:47.519 --> 00:19:50.960 than I was. I walked out to the front with 362 00:19:51.039 --> 00:19:53.559 our bags. The same security guard from last night was 363 00:19:53.559 --> 00:19:57.519 holding the door open for us. What happened last night, 364 00:19:57.559 --> 00:20:02.119 I blurted out, all three of us there. Still he 365 00:20:02.160 --> 00:20:04.680 seemed confused, so I mentioned the man of the screen, 366 00:20:04.920 --> 00:20:09.000 the commotion, the panic of everyone around the hallways. The 367 00:20:09.039 --> 00:20:12.119 guard seemed more normal than the staff at the desk 368 00:20:12.240 --> 00:20:15.160 or the maintenance guy. No fake smiles and didn't speak 369 00:20:15.200 --> 00:20:16.680 all professionally or whatever. 370 00:20:17.799 --> 00:20:18.920 Man, you're giving me. 371 00:20:18.880 --> 00:20:21.759 The creeps, he said, You're not the first person to 372 00:20:21.839 --> 00:20:25.000 leave just like that. But I'll tell you this whole 373 00:20:25.000 --> 00:20:28.920 building right here, there were only two other rooms besides 374 00:20:29.000 --> 00:20:33.039 yours that were occupied. I looked at him in shock. 375 00:20:34.519 --> 00:20:37.960 He continued, I've been here all night. I know what 376 00:20:38.000 --> 00:20:43.720 I'm telling you. He let out a nervous chuckle. I 377 00:20:43.759 --> 00:20:45.839 had never been so relieved to leave a place like 378 00:20:45.839 --> 00:20:48.880 I was that day, and even now when my wife 379 00:20:48.920 --> 00:20:51.279 and I talk about it, we can't believe that it 380 00:20:51.400 --> 00:20:54.960 happened ourselves. We were able to find reviews of the 381 00:20:55.000 --> 00:20:58.319 hotel for a while, the Belkan Hotel and Spa, but 382 00:20:58.400 --> 00:21:01.839 it showed nothing strange. We checked for a couple of 383 00:21:01.839 --> 00:21:05.640 weeks up until the listing disappeared, was renamed to something else, 384 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:10.279 and now who knows what it is. To this day, 385 00:21:11.319 --> 00:21:15.960 I don't know what happened, and honestly, I still wonder 386 00:21:16.000 --> 00:21:46.880 if it happened at all. Thank you all for waiting 387 00:21:46.880 --> 00:21:48.880 for the stories to come out. I really hope you 388 00:21:48.960 --> 00:21:51.519 like these. We have lots more coming up. I promise 389 00:21:52.319 --> 00:21:54.279 a lot of these stories I make are inspired by 390 00:21:54.279 --> 00:21:56.960 things I see or hear, and this was no exception. 391 00:21:57.359 --> 00:21:59.119 I actually can fill up my notes app with a 392 00:21:59.240 --> 00:22:01.799 ton of ideas that would make a good story. And 393 00:22:01.839 --> 00:22:03.920 this time, because I was traveling to take care of 394 00:22:03.920 --> 00:22:06.920 a few things, I was staying at hotel rooms, taking. 395 00:22:06.640 --> 00:22:08.119 A lot of ubers taxis. 396 00:22:08.960 --> 00:22:11.119 I was tiring, but I was staying at a hotel 397 00:22:11.200 --> 00:22:14.000 room where I was The idea just popped up because 398 00:22:14.039 --> 00:22:16.640 I heard very early in the morning it was still 399 00:22:16.720 --> 00:22:22.960 dark out. The TV suddenly turned on coincidentally. Pretty sure 400 00:22:22.960 --> 00:22:25.160 there's a coincident, at least I want to believe that, 401 00:22:26.079 --> 00:22:29.200