The Hotel That Made Me Superstitious

A Short Story by BiboZ, November 2001

‘I had never been superstitious, but when I entered the lobby of that hotel, a mere glance at the register left me petrified…’

Indeed, a third person had just been crossed off the list. It was then and there that I decided to leave. I could very well be next, couldn’t I?

In the coming days, I might start throwing salt over my shoulder, buying a necklace or even a bracelet that offers the protection of one or more gods. And why not be wary of ladders, among other things, even though I know that if you deliberately walk under a ladder, the famous curse will not come true…

It all started when I arrived at this hotel. Being sociable and them being friendly, I immediately hit it off with the other residents before going to bed, tired and exhausted from my gruelling journey. Before closing my bedroom door, I noticed a black cat with glowing green eyes on the doorstep of another door. Paying little attention to it, at least at first, I almost smiled at it mockingly.

That evening, I fell into the arms of Morpheus quite quickly…

When I woke up the next day, I immediately glanced outside to get an idea of the weather forecast for the day. I didn’t have to worry: the weather was splendid!

I stepped down the stairs (but I didn’t step on anyone, I swear!) to have breakfast, when I was told that early that morning an ambulance had come to pick up one of my neighbours here at the hotel. Apparently, he had fallen down the stairs and been taken to hospital. I don’t know exactly what happened to him. Probably a few broken bones…

An accident? No doubt. What else could it have been?
Anyway, I opened the newspaper while drinking my tea and eating my toast, only to find that the world was still in a bad way and that as long as human beings are on this planet, there will be no peace. Then I got up to visit this city that I had wanted to see so much since I was a child. I was not disappointed. My day went well. Perhaps even a little too quickly. I loved what I discovered. This city was worth building!

Back in my room, my head full of memories, I sat down on my bed. I don’t really know why, but I felt good in this hotel. It wasn’t expensive and it was pleasant. As I closed my door again before going to bed, I saw the black cat that had been walking through the corridors during the evening. That’s when I started thinking about Edgar Allan Poe’s famous stories, as well as a few horror films based on these dark felines…

The next day, the same thing happened: someone else had had an accident in the hotel and their name was also crossed off.
On the third day, I had forgotten about the black cat again when I woke up, even though I had seen it for the third time the day before, under exactly the same circumstances. It was only when my eyes fell on the register that I saw a new name crossed out, a name that was not supposed to disappear for another four days, which was how long that person was staying.

Yes, I knew that a crossed-out name meant a departure and that it was just a coincidence, an early departure or something… well…

I didn’t know anymore, I was suddenly lost. It was strange: people I got along with rather well were leaving prematurely, one after the other.

Without thinking too much about it, on the third day, I decided to leave, to leave these probably cursed places.

My car was right across the street. I had parked it there. I hadn’t come with any other means of transport. I drove for miles to get back to my little home, happy nonetheless to have finally visited this city which was, at that moment, already so far away.

After putting my things down on the floor of my bedroom, I sat down in my most comfortable armchair and stayed there, lost in thought, contemplating the sky from my living room.

A few days later, I learned that there was no one left at the hotel. Everyone had disappeared… mysteriously…

No one remained there, except for the cat and… its owner, the building’s caretaker!
I was standing at my window when an onomatopoeia startled me: it was a ‘Meow!’ that I didn’t want to hear, at least not at that moment. Turning my gaze, I saw… a cat, as luck would have it!

What reassured me a little was that it was a Siamese and not a black cat. I later found out that its owner had recently passed away, so, don’t ask me why, I decided to keep it…

Was it to end this life, knowing that one cannot escape one’s destiny, nor a curse?

Probably! …

BiboZ, November 2001