Chapter 1: Introduction
The resort was one of those places that looked way too nice to be real—like, the kind of place you’d see in a travel brochure with some rich couple laughing on the beach, holding a cocktail with a tiny umbrella in it. The kind of place that made you feel like you were breaking the law just by breathing the air. The pool glowed an unnatural shade of blue under the moonlight, and the palm trees swayed lazily like they were too cool to care about anything. The whole scene was so perfect it almost made me want to puke.
Almost.
I leaned against the railing of the balcony outside my room, the warm night air sticking to my skin. The resort was quiet—too quiet.
It was the kind of quiet that made you feel like you were the only person awake in the whole world. But I knew that wasn't true. Somewhere out there, my friends were snoring like a pack of wild hogs, and Mr. Thompson was probably up, marking papers or something. The thought of him made me grin. He was the kind of teacher who always looked like he was about two seconds away from a nervous breakdown. But hey, at least he was consistent.
I pushed off from the railing and started to pace, my bare feet sinking into the plush carpet of the balcony. I was supposed to be in bed, dreaming about whatever it is college kids dream about. But I couldn't sleep.
Not with the night calling to me like this. The resort was a playground, and I was the only kid awake. I could hear the distant hum of music, the laughter of some late-night revelers down by the beach. It was like a siren's call, pulling me away from the safety of my room.
I glanced back at my bed, the sheets already rumpled from my restless tossing and turning. I could still hear the snores of my roommate, Raj, sawing logs like a pro. I smiled, shaking my head. Some people could sleep through anything. But not me. Not tonight.
I made my decision. I was going to explore.
Just a little. Just enough to see what the resort had to offer after dark.
The balcony door was unlocked. A habit, I supposed, of the college staff—trusting that students would behave. But I’d never been one for rules. Not really. And tonight, the rules felt like a distant memory, something my parents would scold me about over dinner if I got caught. But I wasn’t getting caught.
I slipped inside, the door clicking shut behind me. The room was dark, the only light coming from the faint glow of the hallway outside. I could hear the distant murmur of voices, the occasional clink of glasses, the occasional door slamming shut.
The resort was alive, but it was a different kind of alive than during the day. It was like a secret life, one that only came out after the sun went down.
I slipped out of my room, my heart pounding in my chest like a drum. I was being ridiculous, I knew. It was just a resort. But there was something about the dark, the quiet, the secrecy of it all that made me feel like I was doing something forbidden. Something exciting.
I made my way down the hallway, my footsteps silent on the thick carpet. I passed by room after room, each one dark and quiet.
I could hear the soft snores of my fellow students, the occasional rustle of sheets as someone turned over in their sleep. I felt a pang of guilt, knowing that I should be doing the same. But the night was calling to me, and I couldn't resist its siren song.
I reached the end of the hallway and turned the corner, my heart still pounding in my chest. I could see the stairwell up ahead, the door slightly ajar, letting in a sliver of moonlight. I hesitated for a moment, listening for any signs of life. Nothing. Just the distant hum of the night.
I slipped into the stairwell, the door creaking softly behind me.
The air was cooler here, thick with the scent of damp wood and something faintly metallic—like the edge of the resort’s hidden soul. The stairs spiraled downward, each step worn smooth by years of feet, mine the only ones now. I paused at the first landing, listening.
Just the distant thump of bass from the beach bar, the occasional giggle of a student who’d somehow slipped past Mr. Thompson’s watchful eye. I exhaled, letting the tension ease just a little. This was stupid. I was being stupid. But I couldn’t stop myself.
The stairs twisted down, the walls closing in around me.
I could feel the weight of the resort pressing in, like the building itself was breathing, slow and heavy. The air smelled of salt and something else—something warm and musky, like the scent of skin after a shower, like the promise of something more than just a night out. I swallowed hard, my pulse quickening.
I reached the bottom of the stairs and stepped into a dimly lit hallway. The walls were lined with doors, each one slightly ajar, revealing glimpses of darkness beyond. I paused, my fingers brushing the cool metal of a fire alarm pull. It was a reflex, something I’d done a hundred times before, but tonight, it felt like a test. A dare.
That's what this was. A dare to myself, to see how far I could push the boundaries, to see how close I could get to the edge without falling off. I took a deep breath, the air cool and damp in my lungs, and I stepped forward.
The first door led to a storage room, filled with the kind of stuff you'd expect to find in a place like this—extra towels, cleaning supplies, a stack of inflatable pool toys that looked like they'd seen better days. I moved on, my curiosity piqued.
The next door was heavier, the handle stiff in my hand. It creaked open, revealing a dark room filled with the hum of machinery.
I stepped inside, my eyes adjusting to the dim light. It was some kind of maintenance room, filled with the kind of stuff that kept the resort running—pipes, wires, a massive boiler that rumbled like a sleeping giant. I could feel the heat radiating off it, the air thick with the scent of oil and metal.
I was about to turn back when I heard it—a soft, rhythmic thump that seemed to pulse through the very walls. I paused, listening. It was like a heartbeat, steady and sure, coming from deeper within the room. I followed the sound, my footsteps echoing on the concrete floor.
The thump led me to a narrow door, tucked away in the corner.
It was different from the others, older, the wood worn smooth by time and touch. I reached out, my fingers brushing against the cool metal of the handle. It was loose, the screws rusted with age. I gave it a gentle tug, and the door creaked open, revealing a set of narrow stairs leading down into darkness.
I hesitated, my heart pounding in my chest. This was different. This was more than just a dare. This was the kind of place where people got lost, where they disappeared without a trace. But the thump was still there, steady and insistent, pulling me forward.
I took a deep breath and stepped inside, the door creaking shut behind me.
And I was out of the main building into the resort part of the property where mr thompson and all the girls had their rooms . The stairs were narrow, the walls slick with moisture, and the air thick with the scent of damp earth and something older—something that smelled like secrets. The thumping grew louder, more insistent, like a heartbeat beneath the earth itself.
I descended slowly, each step groaning under my weight. The air grew warmer, the scent of salt and something else—something faintly sweet, like the first hint of rain on hot pavement. I paused at the bottom of the stairs, my hand resting on the cool metal railing. The door at the bottom was slightly ajar, a sliver of light spilling out into the darkness.
I pushed it open, and the world shifted.
I was no longer in the cool, dark stairwell. I was in a room, a large, open space filled with the soft glow of lanterns and the hum of voices. The thumping sound was louder here, a steady beat that seemed to pulse through the very air. I stepped inside, my eyes widening as I took in the scene before me.
The room was filled with people—students, mostly, but also a few adults I recognized from the resort staff. They were dancing, their bodies moving in time with the music, the lanterns casting long, flickering shadows on the walls.