I’m a NIGHT CLERK at the Stanley Hotel Colorado...There are STRANGE RULES to follow!

they say every job has its rules don't be late smile at the customers keep your uniform clean simple stuff right but what if the rules weren't just guidelines what if they were a matter of life and death when I saw the ad for a night clerk at the Stanley Hotel in estess Park Colorado I thought I hit the jackpot it was perfect for someone like me no references no connections and nowhere else to go the pay wasn't bad either and let's be honest who wouldn't want to work at one of the most haunted hotels in America it sounded like a tourist gimmick but I was desperate enough to bite the job interview was short Too Short really the manager barely glanced at my application you'll be fine he said handing me a set of keys and a musty old bellhops cap just follow the rules that should have been my first red flag but I needed this job I needed to stop drifting and start over somewhere so I didn't ask questions not when the cap smelled faintly of mildew not when I noticed faded writing on the inside lining and certainly not when the manager muttered you'll get used to the voices I thought thought he was joking he wasn't the Stanley Hotel loomed against the night sky its Windows glowing dimly like the eyes of a Restless ghost as I stepped through the Grand double doors for my first shift the air seemed to hum with a low inexplicable tension the lobby was pristine too pristine like it had been frozen in time since the early 1900s faded portraits of long forgotten faces lined the walls their expressions too lifelike for Comfort I approached the front desk my new workstation the Bell Hop's cap dangled from my hand its faint mildew smell sticking to my nose a vintage rotary phone sat on the counter next to a leatherbound guest Ledger I flipped through the pages absent-mindedly noting the scrolled names and dates some entries went back decades strangely the newer names seemed almost blurry as if the ink refused to dry properly as I tried to shake off the unease creeping up my spine I decided to put the cap on why not get into character right the second I did a faint chill ran down my scalp like a whisper of cold fingers I adjusted it quickly chalking it up to nerves then I noticed the writing faint almost invisible under the dim light the inside of the Caps lining bore scribbled words I squinted holding it closer to the desk lamp they weren't just words they were rules rule one answer every call on the lobby phone but never ask who is speaking rule two if you hear Footsteps in the hallway stay behind the desk until they stop rule three never ring the lobby Bell after midnight rule four if a guest checks in with no luggage offer them Room 217 without hesitation rule five do not under any circumstances put the cap down anywhere but the front desk a wave of unease washed over me as I reread the list the rules weren't just strange they were insane who wrote These why were they here my stomach churned with the kind of dread you can't explain only feel as if on Q the rotary phone rang I froze the sharp mechanical Trill echoed through the empty Lobby loud enough to make me Flinch my hand hovered over the receiver remember the rule answer every call slowly I picked it up front desk I said my voice cracking slightly a faint static buzzed on the other end followed by a raspy whisper welcome Sarah don't forget get the rules the line went dead I slammed the receiver down my chest heaving my heart thundered in my ears as I scanned the lobby half expecting to see someone lurking behind the pillars nothing just the Eerie Stillness of the empty Hotel I glanced at the cap now sitting innocently on the desk its rules etched like a Sinister contract part of me wanted to bolt to quit before I even started but something about this place had its hooks in me already curiosity fear I wasn't sure all I knew was that it was going to be a long night the first hour of my shift passed uneventfully though the oppressive Silence of the Stanley Hotel gnawed at my nerves every Creek of the wooden floor every faint groan of the building settling made me jump the cap sat where I'd left it it's rules burning in the back of my mind I was rearranging the lobby brochures when I heard it a slow deliberate set of footsteps coming from the hallway leading to the guest rooms the sound was unmistakable leather shoes tapping rhythmically against the hardwood floor my stomach clenched I froze mid Motion My Breath caught in my throat the rules if you hear Footsteps in the hallway stay behind the desk until they stop I craned my neck trying to peer into the dimly lit Corridor but the Shadows seemed to stretch endlessly swallowing any sign of movement the footsteps grew louder closer as though the Unseen visitor was headed straight for the lobby the sound echoed unnaturally bouncing off the walls in a way that made the space feel much smaller my instincts screamed at me to call out who's there but I bit my tongue the rules were clear stay behind the desk don't engage the steps slowed as they neared the edge of the lobby their Rhythm unnervingly precise I gripped the edge of the counter my Knuckles turning white my gaze darted to the cap as if it might offer some kind of protection the air felt thick suffocating and the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end and then the footsteps stopped my heart pounded in the deafening silence the shadows in the hallway seemed darker now as if they had deepened with malice I strained my ears waiting for something anything but the silence persisted no footsteps no voices no indication of who or what had been there minutes passed like hours slowly I exhaled forcing myself to relax it must must have been a guest I reasoned or maybe my imagination playing tricks on me but deep down I didn't believe that the unnatural weight in the air the oppressive atmosphere it was as if the hotel itself was watching waiting I turned back to the brochures pretending to distract myself when the rotary phone rang again the shrill sound nearly made me jump out of my skin my hand trembled as I reached for the receiver the memory of the last call freshened my mind front desk I whispered my voice barely audible the same static greeted me followed by a low chuckle it was faint like it was coming from a great distance but unmistakable a voice raspy and broken whispered you're doing well Sarah but the night is just beginning the line went dead I set the phone down with shaking hands my pulse racing my eyes flicked back to the cap the rules carved inside its lining this was no prank no misunderstanding the rules were real and whatever was in this hotel wasn't human I glanced at the hallway again half expecting to see a figure standing there but it remained empty for now the clock's hands dragged toward midnight each tick reverberating like a warning Bell I was still rattled from the phone call and the footsteps but I tried to convince myself that I could handle this I needed the money it was just a job I repeated over and over just a job and then I made my mistake one of the rules on the cap had seemed oddly specific check the dining room clock at 11:45 p. m. and ensure it reads the correct time if it doesn't adjust it immediately I'd laughed at it earlier thinking it was some old Quirk of the hotel's Superstition but in the chaos of the footsteps and the phone calls I'd completely forgotten at exactly 11:47 p.

m. the dining room door creaked open it wasn't a subtle Creek it was deliberate and Loud the sound cutting through the quiet Lobby like a scream I froze in place my heart hammering against my ribs I hadn't touched the dining room clock the realization hit me like ice water I'd broken the rule slowly I turned my head toward the dining room the double doors were a jar their brass handles gleaming faintly in the low light from my position behind the desk I could only see a sliver of the room Beyond but it was enough to see the dark shapes moving inside at first I thought they were Shadows cast by the chandelier but then I saw them shift they weren't still they red as if whatever was inside the room was alive the darkness seemed to pool thick and Inky spilling outward toward the doors a sound came next a low guttural moan like the air being squeezed out of a throat it grew louder layering itself with other sounds scraping dragging and the faint wet slap of something heavy against the floor my body screamed at me to run but my legs refused to move I reached for the cap gripping it like a lifeline and whispered the rules to myself Like a Prayer check the clock check the clock the dining room clock had been in there all along but now it was too late the Shadows poured into the lobby like an unseen tide stretching toward me the air turned frigid each breath hanging visibly in front of me and then I saw them figures emerging from the dark not people not entirely their bodies were warped their faces indistinct like smudged charcoal drawings but their eyes deep Hollows glowing faintly were locked onto me one of them stepped forward dragging its leg in a grotesque lurching motion its mouth opened a ragged gash spilling a low distorted voice why didn't you fix the time my knees buckled and I dropped to the floor clutching the cap like it could save me I tried to scream but the sound caught in my throat the figure reached for me its hand skeletal and trembling the smell of Decay filling the air but just as its fingers brushed my shoulder the clock in the lobby struck midnight the bell's chime echoed like a gunshot and the figures froze slowly the Shadows retreated melting back into the dining room the doors slammed shut with a deafening crash and the hotel fell silent again I sat on the floor trembling and gasping for air unable to comprehend what had just happened the rules weren't suggestions they were survival and I just barely made it I couldn't bring myself to move from the floor for several minutes after the Shadows receded my breaths were shallow and my fingers achd from gripping the cap so tightly the hotel had returned to its unnatural Stillness but I knew now that the quiet wasn't peace it was a pause like the Eerie Calm before another storm the cap lay in my lap its brim bent from my grip I stared at it my earlier Amusement about the rules completely gone this was no ordinary relic of the the hotel's history this thing this object was connected to everything wrong with the place and I had to know how summoning what little courage I had I stood on shaky legs and grabbed the old log book from behind the counter I figured if there were any clues about the cap they might be hidden in the hotel's records the log book was Heavy its leather cover cracked with age as I flipped through its yellow Pages the musty scent of old paper filled my nostrils the entries were mundane at first guest check-ins staff notes about maintenance issues complaints about room service but as I turned the pages I noticed a shift in tone the handwriting grew hurried the notes more fragmented and then I found a page that stopped me cold March 5th 1952 Bel HP missing last scene delivering bags to room 203 guests reported hearing screams but nothing was found the police searched the premises no body my fingers trembled as I traced the ink with my eyes the cap it had belonged to a bell hop I flipped the page March 9th 1952 cap found in the dining room staff say it wasn't there before rules carved in inside rules carved inside the discovery mirrored my own and it chilled me to the Bone but the next line was worse March 15th 1952 voices reported in the lobby Bell Hop's name whispered one staff member quit two others missing I slammed the book shut unable to read further the cap wasn't just a piece of History it was an anchor tying the bellhop fate to this place my mind raced as the implications sank in if the cap had rules and I'd been chosen to follow them did that mean I was next the dining room doors creaked behind me and I jumped heart pounding slowly I turned half expecting the Shadows to come spilling out again but the doors remained closed the only sound was the faint ticking of the clock I needed more answers the log book had provided some context but it was fragmented incomplete I needed someone who had been here longer someone who knew more about the cap and the bell hop that's when I remembered Frank Frank was the hotel's handyman an older man who lived in a small trailer on the property he'd been here for decades practically part of the furniture if anyone knew what was going on it was him clutching the cap I made my way out of the lobby and into the cold night air the gravel crunched beneath my feet as I approached Frank's trailer its single light glowing faintly in the darkness I knocked on the door each wrap echoing in the Stillness the door opened a crack and Frank peered out his eyes narrowing when he saw me what the hell are you doing out here he asked his voice Gruff I held up the cap I need to know about this I said my voice barely above a whisper I think I think it's trying to kill me Frank's face paled and for a moment I thought he might slam the door in my face instead he opened it wider and gestured for me to come in you'd better sit down he muttered this ain't a story for standing Frank's trailer smelled of old old wood and engine oil an odd Comfort amidst the growing dread clawing at my chest the walls were lined with tools spare parts and faded photographs of what looked like a younger Frank standing by rusted cars but there was no comfort in Frank's expression as he sat across from me at the small table his eyes flicked nervously to the cap in my hands and he scratched his graying beard like he was stalling you should shouldn't have brought that thing here he muttered his voice barely audible should have left it where you found it I didn't have a choice I replied my fingers tightening around the brim it it gave me rules and I Frank raised a hand to stop me I know all about the rules I froze you do he nodded slowly leaning back in his creaky chair the cap it belonged to Thomas bellhop back in the ' 50s good kid always smiling always doing right by the guests but this place his voice trailed off and his gaze seemed to drift to some Far Away memory this place eats good men alive what happened to him Frank let out a long shaky breath Thomas was just doing his job same as anyone else one night he got called up to room 203 guest complained about the heater or something he went up and never came back I leaned forward what do you mean did someone hurt him was he murdered Frank shook his head no one knows for sure when the other staff went to look for him the room was empty No guest no bags no sign anyone had been there at all just his cap sitting on the bed my grip on the cap tightened as Frank continued that's when the rules showed up first staff thought it was some kind of prank you know how kids are but then people started hearing things voices Whispers staff quit left and right but the ones who stayed he paused swallowing hard they disappeared just like Thomas a lump formed in my throat but why why would anyone stay Frank's eyes met mine and the sorrow in them was like a punch to the gut because the cap chooses someone once it's chosen you're tied to this place the rules aren't there to keep you safe they're there to keep the hotel safe from whatever's inside room 203 I recoiled room 203 what's in there he shook his head head no one knows no one who's ever gone in has come out a heavy silence fell between us broken only by The Faint hum of the heater my heart raced as the weight of Frank's words settled over me the cap the rules the Shadows they weren't just some Twisted prank or overactive imagination they were real and they were dangerous I glanced down at the cap in my lap The Faded fabric suddenly feeling heavier Frank what do I do how do I stop this Frank hesitated his hands gripping the edge of the table you follow the rules that's the only way to stay alive but even then he trailed off his eyes darkening this place doesn't let go easy the wind howled outside rattling the trailer's thin walls I felt a shiver run down my spine as Frank leaned closer his voice dropping to a whisper don't break the rules Sarah and whatever you do stay out of room 203 the wind howled through the empty corridors of the Stanley Hotel pressing against the windows with a force that made the old frames Creek the place felt alive breathing in syn with the storm I stood at the front desk the cap lying ominously on the counter before me the rules etched into to the fabric of my memory echoed in my mind as I stared at the faintly glowing numbers of the KY Rak behind me room 203 it wasn't lit up like the others in fact the space where its key should have hung seemed darker than the rest almost swallowing the light my pulse quickened as I averted my gaze trying to focus on the mundane tasks I'd invented to keep my mind occupied the desk lamp flicked flickered casting strange Shadows that danced on the walls like silent Spectators the radio crackled to life behind me I froze I hadn't touched the radio since I started the job it was an old boxy thing with knobs that looked like they hadn't been turned in decades the static that poured out of it wasn't the random noise I expected it was rhythmic almost like breathing the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end bellhop a distorted voice hissed through the static I spun around my eyes locked on the radio who's there my voice was barely above a whisper shaking with a mix of fear and disbelief the static surged and settled again bellhop room 203 now my stomach turned to ice I shook my head stepping away from the radio no no I'm not doing that I'm following the rules the voice laughed a sound that sent a shiver through every nerve in my body rules they don't matter you're already chosen the cap slid off the counter I yelped my back slamming into the wall as I stared at it on the floor I hadn't touched it hadn't even been near it yet there it was lying face up like an invitation my chest heaved as I forced myself to move my Trembling Hands reaching down to pick it up the moment my fingers touched the fabric I heard it footsteps they were soft deliberate coming from the hallway just beyond the lobby I froze the cap clenched in my hands as the steps grew louder closer my eyes darted to the clock on the wall 2:03 a. m.