In the dark, bare concrete room huge bloodshot eyes leered out at her. Bright red lips manically grinned. Tufts of dishevelled green and purple hair sprouted from the white scalp. A venomous sharp red nose pushed and prodded her.
‘Come on down to the County Hotel. So much to see and do,’ said the clown, laughing deliriously.
The figure morphed into a serpent. The red nose became a forked tongue. She could feel it probing her face. The hissing grew louder and louder. She strained her muscles, desperate to break free but she was bound to the concrete slab.
‘Come on down to the County Hotel. So much to see and do,’ the snake smiled malevolently.
Something brushed against her exposed legs and crawled up her body. A rat. It’s clawing nails jagged into her skin as it moved over her naked chest and neck. A sharp, stabbing pain as the rat bit and chewed her lip.
‘Come on down to the County Hotel. So much to see and do,’ screeched the rat.
Sam jerked awake. The same nightmare again. The same one for the last week.
Why had she agreed to let David organise the entire holiday this year?
Written as part of Sunday Photo Fiction. Write a story of around 200 words based on the photo prompt given (above). For more details visit HERE.
To read more stories based on this week’s prompt, visit HERE.
Great story and with everything the character fears as well. Mind you, with the way this hotel turned out ( https://iainkellywriting.wordpress.com/2016/10/02/glasgow/ ) then I’m not surprised she had nightmares
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Thanks, I’m glad I never had the joy of staying at the County Hotel, it really doesn’t look very appealing!
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LOL, I think that the rat in particular would be a little disruptive 😛
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Thanks, it would ruin your relaxing holiday!
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Even less so now 🙂
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Punchy, brilliant as always Iain. just catching up here. I know you have other posts and I certainly intend getting to them
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No problem Shehanne, thanks for reading 🙂
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Now, that’s a proper nightmare! Brilliantly done.
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Thanks Angie 🙂
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Vivid nightmare! Brrrr!
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Thanks Emmy 🙂
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Terrifying with a sublime punch line!
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Thanks 🙂
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Hotels bring out the creepiness of all of us. This place looks especially grim. Nicely done.
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It looks awful doesn’t it, hard to imagine anyone booking up to stay there.
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I’m cancelling my booking! Deliciously creepy.
Click to visit Keith’s Ramblings!
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Thanks Keith
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Great writing, but surely stretching credulity a bit?
A woman letting a mere man arrange a holiday?
C’mon!
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It certainly wouldn’t happen in my household, and I’m quite happy to keep it that way!
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Colorful and for want of a better word, punchy. Great story
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Thanks Graham
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A real nightmare, almost like a fevered one too which is even worse!
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Thanks for reading and commenting.
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“Welcome to the Hotel California.” First thought that popped into my head.
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Yikes. The stuff of nightmares. It’s time to trade David in. Well done!
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Maybe when they get there it won’t be so bad 🙂
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Great story. What a horrible dream. I hope things go well on holiday or maybe she should just run.
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I’m sure it won’t be as bad as her dream…
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That’s a nightmare for real. Well written.
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Thanks Neel
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Wow, scary one Ian. Not only the clown or the serpent but that evil little rat chewing on her lip. I wouldn’ t be falling asleep so easily if I had those kind of dreams. Creative and terrifying. I think that’s a definite sign, the husband should not be organizing the holidays alone! I’d start trying to get him interested in other things pretty fast with those dreams. Distraction of some kind should work!
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It’s a sign she doesn’t trust him, but I have faith that he will get it right and they’ll have a great holiday after all! Thanks Mandi 🙂
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I hope so. That’s one frightening dream!
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Wow, that sounded like a dream about one of those creepy houses in an amusement park only worse. That’s the last time she better let David arrange things. It sounds like she has a fear of clowns. Good twist at the end, Iain. 😀 — Suzanne
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Thanks Suzanne – I used my fears to make up the dream – snakes definitely, clowns a little bit, and I’m okay with rats so long as they aren’t on me!!
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that was skin crawling – especially when the rat spoke – her David must be really bad at organising holidays! Like the detailed description!
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Thanks,I’m hoping it’s just in her mind and David isn’t that bad really!
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Quite an awful nightmare and to have it repeatedly – shudder…
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😉
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Haha! Brilliant! Very vivid description of the nightmares. I hope she does get some peace of mind on the actual holiday. 🙂
Aditi
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Thanks Aditi, I hope it won’t be as bad as she thinks! 🙂
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