10 Terrifying Motel Horror Stories

[Music] I never thought much about motels they were just a necessity places to sleep during long road trips not destinations in themselves but after that night I can't look at one without feeling a chill run down my spine this happened in the fall of 2019 and I swear every word I'm about to tell you is true I was driving cross country from Chicago to Los Angeles Hoping to make the trip in 4 days the first two days were uneventful filled with nothing but long stretches of Highway cheap gas station food and podcasts to keep me

company but on the third night somewhere in the middle of Arizona I found myself too tired to go any further I hadn't planned my stops I was just driving until I felt like I couldn't anymore that's how I ended up up at this little outof theeway Motel called Sunset Oasis I pulled off the Interstate and after a few miles of empty road I spotted the motel's neon sign flickering in the distance it was old the kind of place that probably hadn't been renovated since the 70s but I was exhausted and it looked like the only

option for Miles the parking lot was mostly empty save for a couple of Dusty pickups and a lone motorcycle the air was warm and dry the desert night alive with the sound of Cicas I grabbed my bag locked the car and walked into the dimly lit Lobby the fluorescent light flickered overhead as I approached the front desk an old woman sat behind the counter her wrinkled hands resting on the desk as if they were too heavy to lift she looked up at me with pale watery eyes that seemed to take a moment to focus need

a room she asked her voice grally yeah just for the night I replied trying to muster a friendly smile she Pushed an old-fashioned registration book toward me and handed me a pen sign in cash only she added nodding toward a handwritten sign taped to the counter I didn't think much of it old places like this often operated on cash to avoid card fees or taxes I handed over the money and she gave me a key attached to a heavy brass fob with the number 23 engraved on it rooms at the end of the hall she

said her eyes never leaving mine last one on the left something About her gaze made me uneasy but I Shrugged it off as fatigue I thanked her and walked down the long dimly lit hallway the carpet was threadbear and the air smelled faintly of milde do and something else I couldn't quite Place something metallic room 23 was indeed at the very end of the hall I unlocked the door pushed it open and stepped inside the room was just as old and run down as the rest of the motel faded floral wallpaper A stained carpet and

a bed with a worn lumpy mattress but it was clean enough and I was too tired to care I dropped my bag on the bed took a quick shower and collapsed onto the mattress fully dressed I must have fallen asleep almost immediately because the next thing I remember is waking up to the sound of scratching at first I thought it was just the wind or maybe the branches of a nearby tree scraping against the window but then I remembered That the room faced a Barren stretch of desert there were no trees just sand and rocks

the scratching was coming from inside the room I sat up my heart pounding and looked around in the darkness the sound was faint but persistent like nails against wood it was coming from the far corner of the room near the closet I tried to tell myself it was just a mouse or maybe some other small animal but something about the rhythm of It was deliber it I fumbled for my phone turning on the flashlight and shown it toward the closet the scratching stopped immediately I held my breath listening for any other sounds but all I

could hear was the blood pounding in my ears after a few moments I convinced myself it was nothing and tried to go back to sleep but as soon as I turned off the light the scratching started again louder this time more frantic it was Like something or someone was trying desperately to get out I jumped out of bed my adrenaline spiking and yanked open the closet door expecting to find well I don't know what I was expecting but the closet was empty just an old dusty coat hanger swaying slightly as if it had been Disturbed

I stood there for a moment trying to rash aliz what had just happened maybe I was just exhausted maybe I was hearing things I decided to Leave the closet door open just in case and climbed back into bed the scratching didn't come back instead the room was filled with an eerie silence so heavy it was almost oppressive I closed my eyes but every time I drifted off I felt like I was being watched the feeling was so strong that I kept turning on my phone's flashlight scanning the room but there was nothing there I must

have dozed off eventually Because I was jolted awake by the sound of someone Whispering my name it was soft almost a hiss but it was clear as day John my blood ran cold I shot up grabbing my phone and turning on the flashlight shining it all around the room the whispering stopped but I could still feel that heavy oppressive presence I wanted to leave I wanted to grab my stuff jump in my car and drive until the Sun came up but something held me there like an invisible force pressing down on my chest I was

paralyzed with fear and then the bathroom light turned on by itself the door creaked open and for a split second I saw saw a shadow a tall gauntt figure standing in the doorway its eyes glowing faintly in the darkness I blinked and it was gone I didn't wait to see if it would come back I grabbed my bag threw the door open and sprinted Down the hallway the old woman was gone and the lobby was dark but I didn't stop I jumped into my car and sped out of the parking lot not even caring about

the direction I drove for hours until I found a well-lit truck stop surrounded by other Travelers only then did I feel safe enough to stop I tried to convince myself that it was just my imagination that I was over tired and hallucinating but deep down I knew that wasn't true a Few days later curiosity got the better of me I Googled the motel trying to find any information about it and what I found still haunts me to this day Sunset Oasis had been closed for years it burned down in 2015 after a guest reportedly went

insane setting the building on fire while it was still occupied there were multiple fatalities including the owner a woman in her 70s who was found at the front desk charred Beyond recognition they said she used to live there managing the motel on her own but there were rumors dark ones that she had been involved in strange rituals that guests would often go missing or be found dead under mysterious circumstances the most chilling detail room 23 was said to be where she conducted her rituals I can't explain what happened that night I don't know if what

I saw was real or some kind of Residual energy from the fire but one thing is for certain I will never stay in a roadside Motel again and if you ever find yourself driving through the Arizona desert do yourself a favor keep going no matter how tired you are because some places are not just abandoned they are forsaken trapped in a cycle of death and darkness and if you're unlucky enough to stop you might never leave [Music] I'm not one to believe in ghosts or haunted places I've always been a skeptic brushing off tales of

the supernatural as nonsense but what happened to me last year changed everything I thought I knew about the world I was on a solo road trip driving from Denver to Santa Monica along the famous Route 66 it was something I'd always wanted to do a classic American road trip just me and the open road but if I'd known what Was waiting for me that night I would have turned back and never looked back it was late October and the days were getting shorter I'd been on the road for hours the last rays of the sun

dipping below the Horizon the radio was losing signal fading in and out leaving me alone with the hum of my car's engine and the long empty stretch of highway I was somewhere in the middle of New Mexico miles from the nearest town when I realized realized I needed to find a Place to sleep I'd been driving since Dawn and was starting to feel the exhaustion creep in I was getting ready to pull over and sleep in my car when I saw it a flickering neon sign up ahead Route 66 Motel it read in bright red

letters it was old the kind of place that looked like it had seen better days but the idea of a real bed and a hot shower was too tempting to pass up I turned into the gravel driveway and parked in front of the main office the Place was eerily quiet there were only two other cars in the lot both old and covered in a layer of dust I walked up to the office the gravel crunching under my boots and pushed open the door the lobby was dimly lit with peeling wallpaper and a musty smell that

made me wrinkle my nose an old clock on the wall ticked loudly the sound echoing in the empty room behind the counter was a middle-aged man with a scruffy beard and Tired eyes he looked like he hadn't slept in days evening he said barely looking up from a faded newspaper hi I need a room for the night I replied trying to sound cheerful despite the unsettling Vibe of the place he glanced at me his eyes flicking to the clock on the wall cash only he muttered pushing a key across the counter room seven down the

hall I paid him not wanting to argue and took the Key the brass fob was cold in my hand the number seven engraved in wornout letters I thanked him and turned to leave but something about the way he was staring at me made me pause his eyes were dark almost Hollow like he was warning me about something but he didn't say a word just watched as I walked out into the night the hallway to my room was long and narrow with faded carpet that muffled my footsteps the only sound was the buzzing of a single

fluorescent Light that flickered overhead I found room seven at the end of the hall and unlocked the door stepping into a small cramped space that smelled faintly of mold and cigarette smoke the room was as run down as the rest of the motel there was a single bed with a lumpy mattress a tiny TV mounted on the wall and a rickety Chair by the window I tossed my bag on the bed and checked the bathroom it was surprisingly clean if Not a bit outdated I decided to take a quick shower hoping it would wash away

the unease that had settled in my chest the water was lukewarm but it felt good to rinse off the grime of the day as I stepped out of out of the shower I heard it a faint rhythmic tapping coming from somewhere outside my room I froze listening but the sound stopped as abruptly as it had started I shook my head convincing myself it was just the pipes or the wind I dried off changed Into a pair of old sweatpants and a T-shirt and collapsed onto the bed too tired to care about the strange noises I

must have fallen asleep quickly because the next thing I knew I was jolted awake by a loud thud I sat up my heart racing and listened the room was Pitch Black the only light coming from the red glow of the alarm clock on the nightstand it was just past 2: a.m. the thud came again this time closer like something heavy had been dropped just Outside my door probably just another guest I told myself but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong I got up walked to the door and pressed my ear against it

for a moment there was nothing but silence and then I heard it a soft wet dragging sound like something being pulled along the carpet my blood ran cold every instinct told me not to open that door but my curiosity got the better of me I unlocked the door and Opened it a crack peering into the dimly lit hallway it was empty but the dragging sound was still there echoing from somewhere down the corridor I stepped out of my room the cold floor sending a shiver up my spine and walked toward the sound the hallway seemed

to stretch on forever the Shadows dancing in the flickering light the noise grew louder more distinct a wet scraping sound that sent a chill through through my Bones and then I saw it a figure was crawling on the floor its limbs Twisted at unnatural angles dragging itself toward me its skin was gray and modled patches of it hanging off like it had been burned the smell hit me before I could even process what I was seeing a rancid decaying stench that made my stomach turn I stumbled back my heart pounding in my throat and slammed

the door shut I locked it Bolting the chain and pressed my back against it trying to catch my breath my mind was racing trying to rationalize what I had just seen but there was no explanation I grabbed my phone to call for help but there was no signal then the banging started something was pounding on my door hard enough to Rattle the frame I could hear that same wet dragging sound on the other side along with a low guttural growl that Sent chills down my spine I backed away my eyes darting around the room for

anything I could use as a weapon there was nothing I turned toward the window desperate for an escape but it was painted shut the pounding grew more intense the door starting to crack under the force I was trapped my mind mind was racing Panic clawing at my throat and then as suddenly as it had started the banging stopped the silence was Deafening I stood there Frozen afraid to move or even breathe minutes felt like hours I don't know how long I stood there staring at the door waiting for it to burst open but it never

did slowly I inched forward listening for any signs of movement I pressed my ear to the door again nothing just silence I gathered what little courage I had left unlocked the door and opened it Just enough to peek out the hallway was empty there were no signs of anyone or anything the only evidence that something had been there were the deep scratches on the outside of my door like someone had tried to claw their way in I didn't wait to find out what had happened I grabbed my bag sprinted down the hallway and burst into

the lobby the man at the front desk was gone replaced by a young woman who looked up startled as I ran in I need to check out I gasped Throwing the key on the counter she gave me a confused look sir there's no record of you checking in she she said her voice laced with concern I didn't argue I didn't care I just needed to get out of there I jumped in my car the engine roaring to life and drove away as fast as I could not stopping until I reached the next town later I

tried to look up the motel but it was like it didn't exist no reviews no listing nothing it was as if the Place had vanished from existence to this day I can't explain what happened that night I've tried to convince myself it was just a nightmare a trick of my exhausted mind but every time I close my eyes I can still see that figure crawling toward me here that sickening wet dragging sound if you ever find yourself driving along Route 66 be careful where you stop some places are forgotten for a reason and some doors

are better left on [Music] opened I've never been one to believe in the Paranormal ghosts demons haunted places they all seemed like figments of an overactive imagination but what happened to me in the summer of 2018 has shaken me to my core if you're ever on the outskirts of West Texas take my advice drive straight through Don't Stop Don't Look Back because some places are not on any map for a reason I was heading to San Diego From Dallas it was supposed to be a long but straightforward trip and i' timed it so I could

drive mostly during the day but a last minute work project kept me in Dallas longer than expected and by the time I hit the road the sun was already setting I had no intention of driving through the night but I figured I'd go as far as I could before fatigue forced me to stop the stretch of I 10 through Texas is vast and empty after hours of driving under a moonless sky I Realized how isolated I truly was my gas gauge was hovering just above empty and my GPS had lost its signal miles back I

was in the middle of nowhere my only companions the headlights cutting through the darkness and the occasional howl of wind against my car I was starting to panic wondering if I'd end up stranded on the side of the road when I spotted it a weathered sign illuminated by a single dim bulb rest easy in one mile Ahead it was like a Beacon of Hope I didn't care how rundown it looked all I needed was a place to sleep and hopefully a gas station nearby the road to the motel was barely more than a dirt track

winding through the desert brush my car bounced over the uneven terrain until I finally saw it the rest easy in the building was a single story structure shaped like a horseshoe with rooms lining the outer edge around a cracked parking lot most Of the lights were out but a single neon sign above the office flickered erratically I parked near the office my tires crunching on gravel and walked up to the door the air was thick with the smell of dust and something else something acrid that made my nose burn I pushed open the door a

small bell jingling weakly and stepped into the lobby the room was dimly lit with faded wallpaper peeling off the walls behind the counter sat an older Man his hair white and wild as if he'd just woken up from a long nap his eyes were unsettlingly bright almost too wide for his gaunt face need a room he asked his voice grally yeah just for the night I replied trying to ignore the strange Vibe of the place he nodded slowly reaching under the counter and pulling out a key attached to a wooden fob with the number 12

painted on it cash only he added not looking up from whatever he was Writing I handed over the cash and without another word he slid the key across the counter room 12 down to the right he said finally meeting my gaze with a look that sent a shiver down my spine there was something off about him something that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up but I was too tired to care I grabbed my bag and headed out into the night the wind had picked up whipping sand across the parking lot

as I walked I couldn't shake The feeling that I was being watched though when I turned around the only eyes on me were those of the night dark and infinite room 12 was at the far end of the motel away from the few lights that still worked I fumbled with the key finally getting the door open and stepped inside the room was functional I guess you could call it a bed with a faded bedspread A small TV mounted on the wall and a nightstand with a Dusty lamp the air was stale like the place hadn't

been aired out in years I threw my bag on the bed and went to the bathroom the faucet sputtered Brown water before it ran clear but I was too exhausted to care after splashing some water on my face I decided to check my phone still no signal frustrated I threw it back in my bag and turned on the TV hoping for some background noise to drown out the Eerie Silence the channels were mostly static but I managed to find one playing an old black and white movie I left it on for the company and lay

down hoping to drift off quickly but sleep didn't come easily there was something wrong the room felt colder than it should have been and I kept getting this unsettling sensation like I wasn't alone I pulled the thin blanket up to my chin trying to shake off the paranoia but then I heard it a faint Rhythmic tapping it was so soft at first that I thought I was imagining it but it grew louder more insistent I sat up straining to hear where it was coming from it sounded like it was coming from the walls I got

up pressing my ear Against The Faded wallpaper the tapping continued slow and steady like someone was knocking from the other side a chill ran down my spine I backed away from the wall telling myself it was probably just the building settling or Maybe old pipes but then I heard something that made my blood turn to ice a whisper it was faint barely audible but I could make out the words help me please let me out I stumbled back my heart racing the voice was desperate pleading as if someone was trapped I ran to the door

ready to get out of that room but it wouldn't budge the lock was stuck the knob wouldn't turn I pulled and yanked But it was like the door was sealed shut Panic set in I started banging on the door shouting for help but the sound seemed to be swallowed by the thick oppressive Darkness the tapping grew louder more frantic and The Whispers turned into cries I turned around my back to the door and that's when I saw it the bathroom door was slowly swinging open though I knew I'd closed it the light inside flickered and

for a split second I saw a figure standing in the Doorway it was a woman her face Twisted in Terror her mouth open in a Silent Scream her eyes were Hollow empty sockets that seemed to bore into my soul I must have blacked out because the next thing I remember I was lying on the floor the room was quiet the air thick with that acrid smell again I scrambled to my feet my head spinning and tried the door one more time it opened effortlessly swinging out into the cool night air I ran I didn't stop

until I Was in my car my hands shaking as I fumbled to start the engine I sped out of that parking lot like a bat out of hell not daring to look back I drove for miles before I finally stopped at a gas station I stumbled inside my clothes drenched in sweat and tried to explain what had happened the clerk gave me a strange look when I mentioned the rest easy in are you sure that's what it was called he asked his brow furrowed there's no motel by that name Around here hasn't been for years

I insisted that I'd stayed there but he just shook his head Place burned down back in the 9s some kind of accident they said but rumors were that people used to go missing there no one's been out there since I left the gas station in a days my mind racing in I tried to find the motel again but it was like it had vanished the dirt road I'd taken was gone the sign no longer visible from the highway it was as if The place had never existed I've tried to forget about that night but I

can't I still hear that Whisper In My Dreams those desperate cries for help I don't know what I experienced whether it was a ghost or something worse but I've never driven that stretch of I 10 again and if you ever find yourself on that Lonely Road through West Texas remember this some places are lost for a reason and sometimes when you find them They don't let you [Music] go I never thought I'd be one of those people with a story to tell the kind that makes your skin crawl and keeps you awake at night but

after what happened to Me 2 years ago I can't help but share it as a warning to anyone who finds themselves lost on back roads late at night if you ever come across a place called The Pinewood Motel keep driving no matter how tired you are no matter How empty your gas tank just keep driving I was moving from Seattle to Austin for a new job and I decided to take the scenic route I thought it would be nice to see some of the country before settling into my new life I'd planned everything out mapping

the perfect stops along the way but as with all plans things started to go wrong almost immediately it was the third day of my trip I had taken a detour through rural Oklahoma hoping to shave a few hours off my drive time my GPS insisted there was a shortcut a small Highway that would get me back to the main interstate but somewhere along the way I missed a turn before I knew it I was on a narrow winding road with no street lights just dense forest pressing in on either side the sun had set hours

ago and the only light came from my headlights cutting through the darkness I was alone in the car fighting Off a creeping sense of dread that I couldn't quite explain I checked my phone but there was no signal the gas gauge was nearing empty and panic was starting to set in then I saw it like a mirage in the distance a neon sign flickering between the trees Pinewood Motel the letters buzzed erratically casting a sickly Green Glow over the building it was a long low structure with a row of rooms facing a cracked Parking lot

a single light bulb above the door to The Office cast a weak circle of light I pulled in my tires crunching over loose gravel and turned off the engine the silence was deafening after hours of driving I took a deep breath trying to calm the nervous flutter in my stomach and walked up to the office the door creaked loudly as I pushed it open the lobby was small and cramped with wood panel walls that red of cigarette smoke a faded motheaten Deer head with was mounted above the counter its glassy eyes seeming to follow me

as I approached behind the counter was a woman probably in her 50s with heavy makeup and a stiff beehive haird that looked like it hadn't changed since the 1960s evening she drawled her voice thick with a Southern accent need a room yes just for one night I replied trying to sound more confident than I felt she didn't say anything else just handed me A key with a plastic fob that read room four I noticed the other keys hanging on the wall all but one missing which struck me as odd given the motel's empty parking lot

is there a gas station nearby I asked hoping to fill up before setting out in the morning her smile was thin almost forced not for Miles hun but don't worry you'll be safe here for the night there was something in her tone that sent a chill down my spine but I was too tired to question it I took the Key muttered a quick thank you and headed back outside the air was cold and damp the kind of chill that seeps into your bones the room was just a few doors down I unlocked it pushed the

door open and stepped into a blast of stale musty air the room was dark except for a small lamp on the nightstand casting a weak yellow glow the bed was covered in a threadbear floral bedspread and the carpet was stained with what looked like cigarette Burns I tried to shrug off the Unease gnawing at my insides it was just one night I told myself I'd leave first thing in the morning I locked the door behind me slid the bolt into place and pulled the curtains shut after a quick shower in a bathroom that looked like

it hadn't been cleaned in decades I crawled into bed the mattress was lumpy Springs poking into my back but I was too exhausted to care I turned off the lamp plunging the room into darkness it wasn't long before I heard it the Unmistakable sound of someone walking outside my room the footsteps were slow shuffling almost hesitant I held my breath listening as they passed by my my door I waited for them to fade but instead they stopped directly outside my heart was pounding so loudly I was sure whoever was out there could hear it I

lay there Frozen as a shadow fell across the thin strip of light under the door then a gentle rattle as The door knob turned slowly back and forth the bolt held but the knob kept twisting as if whoever was on the other side was testing it trying to see if they could force their way in I didn't move I didn't breathe I just stared at the door praying it would hold finally after what felt like an eternity the rattling stopped I heard a faint sigh like a breath of disappointment and then the footsteps shuffled away

I stayed awake for hours Listening to every creature and groan of the old building but I didn't hear anything else eventually exhaustion took over and I must have drifted off because the next thing I knew it was morning I woke to the sound of birds chirping outside the sunlight streaming through the Gap in the curtains for a moment I convinced myself it had all been a dream but when I went to the bathroom I noticed something that made my blood run cold There were muddy Footprints large and heavy tracking from the door to the side

of my bed and back again I packed up my things in a hurry not even bothering to shower I just needed to get out of there as I locked up the room I glanced down the row of rooms and noticed something that hadn't registered the night before every door had a do not disturb sign hanging on the handle even though the parking lot lot had been empty I ran back to the office but the woman was Gone the place was deserted the front door locked the keys still hanging on their hooks behind the counter my

car was the only one in the lot I jumped in started the engine and sped out of there my heart racing as I drove I glanced back in my rearview mirror half expecting to see someone or something following me but there was nothing just the empty Highway stretching out behind me it wasn't until I reached a small town an hour later that I stopped to Fill up on gas and grab a coffee I asked the clerk about the Pinewood Motel hoping for some kind of explanation but he just gave me a puzzled look there's no

motel around here by that name he said hasn't been one for years not since the fire what fire I asked my throat Dr dry old Motel burned down back in the80s tragic story really they say the owner locked the doors with guests still inside no one made it out I felt the blood drain from my face I thanked the Clerk and stumbled back to my car my hands shaking I drove straight through to Austin not stopping for anything and tried to put the whole experience behind me but I can't forget it sometimes times late at

night I still hear those shuffling footsteps outside my bedroom door and I wonder if whatever I encountered that night is still out there waiting for the next lost traveler to stumble across its path so if you're ever driving through rural Oklahoma and You find yourself lost no matter how tired you are no matter how desperate you feel keep driving because some roads lead to places that should have stayed buried places where the dead don't [Music] rest I've always been a rational person I'm the kind of guy who needs proof hard evidence before I believe in

anything especially the supernatural but what happened to Me 2 years ago during a cross-country road Trip changed everything I thought I knew I've kept this story to myself for for a long time but maybe sharing it will help me make sense of it if you ever find yourself in the middle of Nebraska be careful where you stop for the night in the summer of 2022 I was driving from Chicago to Denver it was a business trip and I was in no hurry I thought I'd take my time enjoy the open road and see a bit

of the Midwest that I usually flew over I Planned to make the drive in 2 days with an overnight stop somewhere in the middle the first day was uneventful I drove for hours through corn fields and endless stretches of highway under a blue sky I had podcasts queued up snacks in the passenger seat and a sense of freedom I hadn't felt in years but as the sun started to set I realized I hadn't planned where I was going to stop I was somewhere near the Nebraska Kansas border And the only thing around me was flat

land stretching to the Horizon my gas tank was getting low and my eyes were getting heavy I needed to find a place to rest for the night that's when I saw it a small green road sign that read Willow Creek motel 2 m ahead I figured it was better than sleeping in my car so I took the exit the road was narrow and grally leading me away from the highway way and into what felt like the middle of nowhere After a few minutes I saw the motel in the distance it was a squat single story

building with a neon sign that flickered sporadically the parking lot was empty except for a single rusted truck its Windows covered in dust I pulled in turned off my engine and got out of the car the air was thick and humid filled with the chirping of crickets and the rustling of leaves the place looked old like it hadn't been updated since the 70s the paint was Peeling and the windows were dark but I was too tired to care I walked into the tiny office where the walls were lined with faded floral wallpaper the Bell above

the door jingled as I stepped inside and a man appeared from a back room he was tall and thin with a gaunt face and deep set eyes that seemed to follow my every move move his skin was sow like he hadn't seen the sun in years looking for a room he asked his voice flat and Monotone yeah just for the night I replied trying to sound casual he gave me a long hard look before sliding a Dusty Ledger book across the counter sign here he said handing me a pen the pages of the book were

yellowed and brittle filled with names written in a shaky script as I signed my name I noticed the last entry was from nearly 10 years ago that can't be right I thought but I pushed the unease aside the man handed me a key attached to a Large plastic fob with the number seven on it rooms around the side he said pointing with a bony finger checkouts at 11 I thanked him took the and hurried out of the office eager to get some rest the room was at the far end of the building away from the

few flickering lights in the parking lot I opened the door and stepped inside the musty smell hitting me like a wave the room was small and outdated with wood paneled walls and a bed covered in a Faded quilt There Was An Old Tube TV on a dresser and a single lamp that gave off a weak yellow glow I was too tired to care about the condition of the room I dropped my bag on the floor kicked off my shoes and fell onto the bed it creaked under my weight and I could feel the Springs digging

into my back I turned off the lamp plunged the room into darkness and closed my eyes hoping to get a few hours of sleep that's when the noises started At first it was just a faint tapping sound like someone someone was gently knocking on the walls I tried to ignore it telling myself it was probably just the old building settling or a tree branch hitting the side of the motel but then it grew louder more insistent like someone was pacing back and forth right outside my door I sat up my heart pounding I listened intently

but the only sound was the hum of the old air conditioner I told myself I was just Being paranoid that I was was over tired from the long drive I lay back down and tried to get comfortable but the noises didn't stop a few minutes later I heard what sounded like Whispering faint and unintelligible it was coming from the other side of the wall the one that should have been the outside of the building I sat up again straining to hear The Whispers grew louder almost frantic like a dozen voices speaking over each other I

couldn't make out what They were saying but I knew it wasn't good I grabbed my phone hoping to use it as a flashlight but there was no signal not even a single bar I was completely cut off I got up and went to the window pulling back the curtain just enough to peek outside the parking lot was empty and the neon sign was flickering weakly but as I was about to let go of the curtain I saw something move in the corner of my eye a figure just standing there in the Darkness beyond the reach

of the neon light I couldn't see any details just the silhouette of a person they were facing my room standing perfectly still my heart was in my throat I let the curtain fall back into place and backed away from the window The Whispers had stopped but the air felt thick with tension like something was waiting for me to make a move I hurried to the door intent on leaving but when I turned the knob it wouldn't Budge it was like someone had locked me in from the outside Panic set in I was trapped I started

banging on the door shouting for help but the only answer was silence the lights in the room flickered and for a split second I thought I saw Shadows moving along the walls twisting and writhing like they were alive then just as suddenly as it started everything went quiet the door unlocked with a loud click and I threw it open Ready to run but when I stepped outside the night was silent the figure was gone the office was dark and my car was the only one in the parking lot I didn't even bother going back for

my things I ran to my car started the engine and sped out of there gravel flying I drove for miles until I found a gas station the clerk looked at me like I was crazy when I asked about the Willow Creek motel there's no motel by that name around here he said hasn't been for a Long time I insisted that I had stayed there just a few hours ago but he shook his head Place burned down over 30 years ago they say it was full of guests when it happened nobody made it out I left

the gas station in a days my mind racing I never found any trace of that Motel not on maps not online it was as if it had never existed I made it to Denver but I haven't taken a road trip since sometimes late at night I think I hear those Whispers faint and Far Away Calling me back and I wonder if one day I'll wake up to find myself back in that room room with those Shadows waiting to swallow me whole so if you ever see a flickering neon sign for a place called The Willow

Creek motel just keep driving some places are lost for a reason and some doors should never be [Music] opened I never believed in ghosts demons or any of that paranormal stuff I'm a Practical person grounded in reality but all that changed one stormy night in the fall of 2019 it was the night I stayed at the Redwood Inn a rundown Motel off Route 56 in the middle of nowhere New Mexico I wasn't looking for anything more than a place to crash but I found something that still haunts me to this day it all started when

I was driving from Los Angeles to Dallas for a family emergency my mom had called earlier that day Telling me that my dad had suffered a stroke he was stable but she didn't know how long he had so I threw some clothes in a bag jumped in my car and hit the road I was determined to make the drive in one go but after about 12 hours behind the wheel fatigue was catching up with me it was around midnight and the rain was coming down hard reducing visibility to nearly zero I decided it was time

to find a place to stay I hadn't seen any signs of civilization For miles when I finally spotted a flickering sign ahead Redwood in vacancy the neon letters were missing several bulbs and the light It cast was more ominous than welcoming but I was too exhausted to care the building looked like it had been abandoned decades ago paint peeled off the walls and the windows were so grimy they were almost opaque there were only three other cars in the parking lot all of them old and Covered in Rust I pulled into a spot right in

front of the main office and killed the engine as I stepped out of my car the cold wind cut through me like a knife and I pulled my jacket tighter around me I sprinted across the puddle fill lot and pushed open the office door the smell hit me first a musty mix of mildew and stale cigarettes a single dim bulb flickered above casting Long Shadows over the worn out Furniture behind the counter sat an old man who looked like he hadn't moved in years he had a hollow sunken face with deep set eyes that seemed

too large for his skull need a room he rasped barely looking up from an ancient yellowed magazine yeah just for the night I replied my voice sounding strange in the oppressive silence he grunted and pushed a form toward me along with a pen that looked like it had seen better days the register book in front of him was Ancient with Pages curling at the edges I noticed the last entry was dated almost a year ago that seemed odd but I chocked it up to the motel being in the middle of nowhere room 12 he said

sliding a tarnished brass key across the counter it's around back don't mind the power flickering Storm's been messing with the lines I nodded thanked him and headed back out into the storm the rain had picked up turning the dirt parking lot Into a muddy swamp the cold was biting and all I could think about was getting into a warm bed I drove around to the back of the motel where the rooms were lined up like tombstones in the darkness room 12 was at the very end of the row the key stuck in the lock and

I had to jiggle it a bit before the door finally creaked open the room was as depressing as I'd expected dingy wallpaper peeling at the seams a stained carpet that rre of dampness and a bed that looked like It hadn't been slept in for years I flicked the switch but the lights only flickered weekly before going out completely great I muttered fumbling for my phone to use as a flashlight the storm must have knocked the power out again I could hear the wind howling outside making the thin walls shudder I shut the door behind me

threw my bag on the bed and locked the door with both the dead bolt and the chain as I turned to unpack I caught a glimpse of Something in the mirror across the room for a split second I could have sworn I saw a shadow move behind me I spun around my heart pounding but there was nothing there just the empty dark room I shook it off as a trick of the light I was tired and my eyes were playing tricks on me I decided to take a quick shower hoping it would help me relax

the bathroom was even worse than the bedroom a cracked sink rusted fixtures and a shower curtain covered in Mold but the water was hot and that was all I cared about as I stood there letting the water run over me I heard it a faint rhythmic tapping sound coming from somewhere in the room I turned off the water and listened but the tapping stopped I wrapped a towel around myself and stepped out of the bathroom dripping wet the room was freezing and my breath came out in Misty Puffs I quickly dressed and climbed into bed

pulling the thin scratchy blanket up to my chin the Tapping started again this time it was louder like someone was knocking on the walls it came from the direction of the closet I stared at the wooden door trying to convince myself it was just the wind but then it turned into a slow deliberate scraping sound like fingernails dragging across the wood my heart was racing but I told myself I was just imagining things I was over tired and spooked by the creepy Motel But then I heard it the unmistakable sound of the closet door creaking

open I sat up in bed my eyes locked on the dark opening I couldn't see anything inside just pitch Blackness my phone was on the nightstand and I grabbed it turning on the flashlight the beam cut through the darkness revealing an empty closet with a single wooden hanger swaying gently as if someone had just brushed past it my pulse was hammering in my ears I knew I should leave get in my car and drive Away but my body wouldn't move I was frozen in place staring at that closet and then I heard it a low

whisper So Soft I almost couldn't make it out you shouldn't be here I felt a cold breath on the back of my neck and I jumped out of bed my skin crawling I swung the flashlight around but there was no one there I grabbed my bag and bolted for the door as I fumbled with the lock I heard footsteps behind me slow and Deliberate they stopped just as I yanked the door open I ran to my car not daring to look back the rain was coming down in sheets and the wind was howling like a

banshee I jumped in started the engine and floored out of the there in my rearview mirror I saw the flickering neon sign of the Redwood Inn and for a brief moment I thought I saw a figure standing in the window of room 12 watching me leave I drove for hours before I finally pulled over at a truck Stop to catch my breath I was shaking so badly I could barely hold my coffee cup I asked the cashier if he knew anything about the Redwood Inn he gave me a strange look that place it's been abandoned

for years ever since that fire in '95 they say a guest was murdered there some Drifter who just vanished one night the cops never found him but they say his Spirit never left I felt a chill run down my spine I Didn't tell him what I'd seen but I knew I hadn't imagined it I had stayed in a place that shouldn't exist a place haunted by something that wasn't ready to let go to this day I don't take the back roads and I always make sure I have a reservation at a reputable hotel but sometimes

late at night when I'm lying in bed I can still hear that whisper you shouldn't be here so if you're ever driving through New Mexico and you see a sign for the Redwood Inn keep driving Some places are best left forgotten [Music] I never used to believe in the Supernatural sure I'd heard all the Ghost Stories the urban legends passed around campfires and family gatherings but I always thought they were just that stories that was until one weekend in the fall of 2021 when I had an experience that changed my beliefs forever it's taken me

a while to even write about this but Maybe putting it into words will help me make sense of it or at least help me sleep better at night I was on my way to a friend's wedding in Savannah Georgia driving down from Virginia it was supposed to be a fun road trip a chance to clear my head after a tough year I'd lost my job due to budget cuts and my fiance had broken off our engagement just two months before I was hoping this trip would be a fresh start but instead it turned into something

I'll never Forget and not for the reasons I hoped it was late when I realized I couldn't keep driving I'd underestimated the distance and by the time I reached the border of South Carolina I was dead tired I kept seeing signs for cheap motels along the highway but most of them looked like the kind of places you'd get bed bugs just by walking through the door I kept driving telling myself I'd find something better but my my eyelids were growing heavier by the Minute that's when I saw it a neon sign that read Pinewood in

vacancy the letters flickered in and out like something from a horror movie but it looked marginally better than the last couple of places I'd passed the motel was tucked behind a row of pine trees barely visible from the main road I was desperate so I took the exit and pulled into the gravel lot the parking lot lot was nearly empty with only a few cars scattered around the place looked Like it had seen better days faded paint cracked windows and a Sign by the office door that said free cable TV as if that were a

major selling point in 2021 I almost turned around but the thought of driving any longer was unbearable the lobby was small and dimly lit with a single flickering fluorescent bulb a Bell on the counter invited guests to ring for service so I did after a few moments a middle-aged woman appeared from the back room she had an Oddly vacant look her smile stretched too wide like someone who hadn't seen another human in days need a room she asked her voice grally like she'd been smoking for decades yeah just for one night I said glancing at

the clock on the wall wall it was past midnight she handed me an old-fashioned key with a plastic fob that read 20004 in faded gold numbers second floor end of the hall she Said her eyes never quite meeting mine checkouts at 10: a.m. sharp no exceptions I nodded paid in cash the credit card machine was conveniently out of order and took the key I should have been more cautious but I was too exhausted to think straight I trudged up the creaking stairs to the second floor the carpet worn thin and stained with God knows what

room 204 was at the very end of the hall the door looking like it hadn't been opened in years I unlocked It and pushed it open greeted by a musty smell that hit me like a brick wall the room was exactly what you'd expect from a rundown Motel a stained lumpy bed flickering overheadlight and a TV from the early 90s but I was too tired to care I threw my bag on the floor locked the door behind me and collapsed onto the bed as I lay there I heard something odd a faint rustling sound coming

from the closet in the corner of the room it was probably just my imagination the Result of being over tired but as I lay there trying to ignore it the rustling grew louder almost like someone was shuffling around inside I sat up my heart starting to pound the closet door was slightly ajar just enough to see Darkness Beyond I grabbed my phone and turned on the flashlight shining it toward the closet the beam of light revealed nothing just an empty space With a couple of wire hangers swinging gently as if someone had just brushed past

them I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding chalking it up to nerves and fatigue I closed the closet door and climbed back into bed pulling the thin blanket over me that's when I noticed the air had grown colder I could see my breath misting in the dim light even though the heater was set to full blast I tried to ignore it turning onto my Side and squeezing my eyes shut but then I heard it soft almost imperceptible like a whisper right next to my ear you shouldn't have come I bolted upright

my heart racing the room was dead silent but the cold was even more intense I could feel it creeping into my bones I grabbed my phone again the light shaking in my trembling hand and shined it around the room there was nothing There but the feeling of being w watched was overwhelming I told myself it was just my mind playing tricks on me I lay back down willing myself to sleep but the Whispers came back this time louder like a chorus of Voices All Around Me they were saying something I couldn't quite understand but it

was urgent angry I jumped up turned on the bedside lamp but it flickered and went out immediately plunging the room back Into Darkness I wasn't about to stick around to see what happened next I threw my bag over my shoulder grabbed the key and bolted for the door but as I tried to unlock it the chain latch snapped back into place with a force that nearly broke my fingers something was holding it closed refusing to let me leave Panic set in I started kicking the door shouting for help but the thick walls of the motel

swallowed My Cries the whis Whispers grew louder almost deafening Like they were inside my head I turned and for a split second I saw it something in the mirror a shadowy figure its face Twisted in an unnatural grin standing right behind me I don't know how I did it but I managed to rip the chain off the door and stumble into the hallway I didn't look back I sprinted down the stairs nearly falling in my haste and burst into to the parking lot the rain had started again coming down in icy sheets but I didn't

care I jumped Into my car started the engine and peeled out of there gravel flying behind me I drove for what felt like hours not stopping until I reached a brightly lit gas station on the outskirts of town I was shaking so badly I could barely hold my wallet to pay for a coffee the clerk must have seen the terror in my eyes because he asked if I was okay I told him where I'd come from expecting a look of confusion but instead his face went pale The Pinewood in he asked his voice Barely a

whisper that place has been closed for years they say it's haunted a bunch of murders back in the80s and a fire that killed half the guests no one goes near it now I didn't know what to say I'd stayed there seen it with my own eyes but when I went back the next day in broad daylight there was nothing but a burned out shell of a building the neon sign was gone the parking lot overgrown with weeds it was like the Place had never existed I don't know what happened that night I don't want to

know but I've learned one thing for sure some places are cursed trapped between worlds and they pull you in when you least expected if you're ever driving down Route 56 and you see a sign for the Pinewood Inn just keep driving I don't sleep much these days The Whispers come back sometimes in the dead of night reminding me of that room I'm just Hoping they don't find a way back to [Music] me I've spent years on the road business trips conf es endless drives from one end of the country to the other after a while

all the motels start to blend together stiff beds cheap coffee and that peculiar smell of bleach mixed with stale air but there's one place that stands out in my memory one night that I wish I could forget it was the night I stayed at the Ridgeway Motel a place that still haunts me whenever I think about it this happened in the summer of 2018 I was driving through rural Kentucky trying to make my way to a small town just over the Tennessee Border for a work meeting I was running behind schedule after a series of

delays and by the time I hit the outskirts of Ridgeway it was already past 11:00 p.m. the two-lane Highway was deserted flanked by thick forests on either side my eyes were getting heavy And the thought of another hour on the road was unbearable that's when I saw the sign Ridgeway Motel vacancy the neon letters flickered weakly partially obscured by overgrown trees it looked like the kind of place that time forgot but I didn't care I just needed a bed for the night I pulled off the highway and drove up a cracked weed filled driveway to

the motel the building itself was a singl story Structure shaped like an L with a about a dozen rooms lined up in a row the paint was peeling and the parking lot was littered with cigarette butts and broken glass only one other car was parked there a beat up old pickup truck that looked like it hadn't moved in years the whole place had a sense of Decay like it was slowly being reclaimed by Nature I walked up to the front office where a single light was on the door creaked as I pushed it open and

a Small bell above jingled to announce my arrival inside the room was dimly lit with wood panel walls straight out of the 1970s behind the counter was a woman who looked like she had been waiting there for decades she had long graying hair and a blank expression that barely changed when I asked for a room you sure you want to stay here she asked her voice a low grally whisper I was taken aback by the question Yeah just for the night I'm passing through I replied trying to keep my tone light she gave me a

long hard look before shrugging her bony shoulders suit yourself she handed me a key with a brass tag that read room8 I paid in cash and she handed me a receipt that looked like it had been printed years ago checkouts at 7: a.m. she said staring at me with with those Hollow eyes no later I nodded and made my way back outside the heavy door Slamming shut behind me the night air was thick with humidity and the Crickets were deafening I walked down the line of rooms each one as dark and Silent as the last

until I reached room eight the door was stubborn like it hadn't been opened in a long time but I eventually forced it open with a loud groan of the hinges the room inside was no better than the outside it smelled of mildew and something else something sour that I couldn't quite place the carpet was Stained the wallpaper yellowed and peeling and the bed looked like it had been slept in by a thousand weary Travelers before me but I was too tired to care I threw my bag on the sagging armchair in the corner and locked

the door behind me securing the flimsy chain as as an extra precaution I tried to turn on the overhead light but it flickered and went out immediately leaving me in near Darkness the only light came from a Small lamp on the nightstand casting a weak yellowish glow I sat on the edge of the bed trying to shake off the unease that was creeping over me there was something about the room something oppressive like the walls were closing in I decided to take a quick shower hoping it would help me relax the bathroom was just as

bad cracked tiles a rust stained sink and a shower curtain covered in dark spots that I hoped were just mildew as I stood under the Lukewarm water I heard it a faint tapping sound like someone gently knocking on the wall I turned off the shower listening intently but the sound stopped as soon as the water did I told myself it was probably just the pipes old buildings like this were notorious for strange noises I dried off quickly wrapped myself in a towel and stepped out into the bedroom the air felt colder and I could see

my breath misting in the dim Light the tapping started again this time louder coming from the far side of the room near the closet I froze the sound was too deliberate too rhythmic to be the pipes it was more like someone tapping their fingernails against wood I forced myself to move crossing the room to the closet door my hand shook as I reached for the handle and I hesitated half expecting something to LEAP out at me when I opened it but when I did it was empty just a couple of wire hangers And a layer

of dust thick enough to show no one had used it in years I let out a breath I hadn't realized I was holding feeling foolish for letting myself get spooked I climbed into bed pulling the thin blanket over me and tried to get comfortable but sleep wouldn't come the room was too quiet the silence pressing down on me then just as I was starting to drift off I heard it again tap tap tap this time it was coming from the window My heart skipped a beat and I turned to look the curtains were drawn but

I could see the silhouette of something on the other side something tall and thin standing perfectly still I didn't dare move I lay there staring at the shadow my mind racing was it just a tree a trick of the light but then the shadow moved slowly as if whatever it was was turning to face me i b bolted upright grabbing my phone and using the flashlight to shine it at the window There was nothing there I got up my hands shaking and pulled the curtains aside the window looked out over the dark parking lot where

the only movement was the swaying of the trees in the breeze I tried to laugh it off telling myself I was just tired but I couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong I was about to turn back to bed when I noticed something strange the window was locked from the inside but There were wet handprints on the Glass Long slender fingers trailing down the pane as if someone had been standing there pressing their hands against it I didn't wait to find out what it was I grabbed my bag threw on my clothes and

ran out of the room not even bothering to lock the door behind me the woman at the front desk was gone the office dark but I didn't care I jumped into my car turned the ignition and tore out of that parking lot like my life depended on it I didn't stop driving until I reached a brightly lit gas station an hour down the highway I pulled over trying to catch my breath my hands still trembling on the steering wheel I looked at my phone to check the time it was 6:58 a.m. I never went back

to collect my things I didn't care about the lost money the clothes or anything else I just wanted to forget that night to pretend it never happened but every now and then when I'm on the road I catch myself looking in The rearview mirror half expecting to see that shadow standing there watching me I've stayed in a lot of motels since then but I'll never go back to Ridgeway some places are wrong tainted by something you can't see but can feel deep in your bones and if you ever see that flickering sign on the side

of the road my advice is to keep driving there are worse things out there than sleepless [Music] Nights I've traveled across the United States more times than I can count as a sales representative the open road has always been my office with Motel serving as my home away from home I've stayed in all kinds of places the high-end chains the sketchy roadside stops and everything in between but nothing in my years of traveling prepared me for the night I spent at the Maplewood Inn this story isn't something I share often mainly because it still gives

me chills And I found that most people don't believe me anyway but I swear every word is true it was November 2017 and I was driving through rural West Virginia on my way to a business meeting in Charleston I had left Pittsburgh later than planned and by the time I crossed into West Virginia it was already past 10: p.m. the weather had taken a turn for the worse with heavy rain pounding my windshield and fog rolling in thick making visibility Nearly impossible I was tired hungry and in desperate need of a place to stay that's

when I saw the faded billboard on the side of the road Maplewood in vacancy next exit I'd driven this route before but I didn't remember ever seeing a sign for the Maplewood in it seemed old like it had been standing there for decades but the rain was getting worse and the idea of continuing on through the fog was less than appealing so I decided to take the exit The narrow Winding Road led me through dense Woods the trees looming over me like dark Sentinels after what felt like an eternity the motel came into view its

neon sign flickering weakly against the night the place looked like it had been frozen in time since the 1960s the paint was peeling and the wooden facad was weather-beaten but it looked reasonably well-kept considering its age I pulled into the gravel parking lot noticing that mine was the only car There it struck me as odd but I figured the weather was keeping other Travelers off the road the office was a small Standalone building to the right of the main Motel structure I dashed through the rain and pushed open the door setting off a small bell

above my head the inside smelled of old wood and dust and the walls were covered with faded floral wallpaper behind the counter sat a man in his 60s with thinning hair and glasses that made His eyes look unnaturally large evening he said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes looking for a room yes just for one night I replied shaking the rain from my coat he nodded and pulled out a large Dusty Ledger book we don't get many visitors this time of year he said almost as if he was trying to explain something

I didn't think much of it at the time I just wanted a hot shower and a bed he handed me a brass key attached To a heavy keychain with the number room 12 engraved on it room 12 is around the back he said checkouts at 9:00 a.m. sharp the emphasis on Sharp struck me as odd but I figured he was just a stickler for rules I paid in cash the credit card machine was out of order thanked him and headed back into the rain the main building was u-shaped with the rooms all facing a small

neglected Courtyard I found room 12 tucked away in the back corner the lights above it flickering as I approached I turned the key and pushed the door open greeted by a musty smell that reminded me of my grandmother's attic the room was surprisingly large with an old TV on a wooden dresser a small table and chairs and a bed that looked older than I was I dropped my bag on the bed eager to get out of my wet clothes as I moved around the room I noticed it had that uncomfortable Stillness like it hadn't been

Disturbed In a long time I tried turning on the TV but it only flickered with static with a sigh I gave up and headed for the bathroom the water pressure was low and it took forever for the water to warm up but eventually I managed to rinse off the cold from my bones I was drying off when I heard it a faint rhythmic thumping sound coming from somewhere in the room I paused listening carefully the sound was muffled but it was there like someone knocking on the wall in a Steady Rhythm Thump Thump Thump I

wrapped the towel around myself and stepped into the main room the noise stopped abruptly leaving only the sound of rain tapping against the windows I Shrugged it off figuring it was just the old Plumbing acting up but as I got dressed the thumping started again this time louder it seemed to be coming from the wall behind the bed I pressed my ear against it trying to make sense of the noise it was then that I realized it Wasn't just a random thumping it was deliberate like someone was trying to get my attention a chill ran

down my spine I wasn't the type to scare easily but there was something unsettling about being the only guest in a remote motel with strange noises coming from the walls I decided to ignore it telling myself it was just the old building settling and climbed into bed the sheets were cold and the mattress was lumpy but exhaustion won out and I eventually Drifted off to sleep I don't know how long I was out but I woke up to the feeling of someone watching me my eyes snapped open and I was met with Darkness total suffocating

Darkness the lamp I'd left on was off and the room was Pitch Black I reached for my phone to use as a flashlight but it was dead my heart pounded as I fumbled in the dark trying to find the lamp switch that's when I I heard it again Thump Thump Thump but this time it was coming from The floor beneath the bed I froze my mind racing I could feel the vibrations through the mattress like something or someone was underneath me trying to get out I jumped up grabbing my bag and keys and bolted for

the door I didn't care about my other belongings I just needed to get out as I reached for the doorknob I Heard a Voice a faint whisper that sent chills down my spine it was coming from the closet Please don't leave me it whispered so faint I almost thought I imagined it I didn't stay to find out who or what was in that closet I tore out of the room not even bothering to close the door behind me I ran to my car the rain soaking through my clothes as I fumbled with the keys the

engine roared to life and I sped out of the parking lot the gravel crunching under my tires I drove for miles before I dared To stop at a well-lit gas station I was shaking so badly I could barely hold my coffee the attendant gave me a strange look but didn't ask any questions I didn't know what to tell him anyway after Gathering my thoughts I decided to call the local police the officer who answered listened patiently as I told him about the strange noises and the voice in the closet there was a long pause before

he spoke sir the Maplewood in burned down Nearly a decade ago he said slowly as if speaking to a child there haven't been any buildings there since I hung up my hands trembling I don't know what I Stay in that night but when I drove back the next morning to prove I wasn't crazy there was nothing but an empty lot overgrown with weeds no sign of the motel no flickering neon sign nothing I've tried to rationalize it tried to convince myself That I was just over tired that my mind played tricks on me but deep

down I know what I experienced was real and sometimes in the dead of night I can still hear that faint desperate whisper please don't leave [Music] me I've spent more nights in motels than I'd like to admit life on the road as a traveling consultant means living out of a suitcase and getting used to cheap no-name motels with their flickering Neon signs worn carpets and stale cigarette smells I thought I'd seen it all from bed bug infestations to screaming fights in the Next Room but nothing could have prepared me for my stay at the Evergreen

Motel it was the summer of 2019 and I was driving from Chicago to Denver for a week-long project I was supposed to make the drive in 2 days but traffic delays and a late start meant I was behind schedule by the time I hit Nebraska it Was well past midnight and I was running on fumes both in my gas tank and in my body I needed a place to crash somewhere cheap and close so when I saw the green glowing sign for the Evergreen Motel off the highway I pulled off without a second thought the

Evergreen was a classic singl story roadside Motel the kind where all the rooms face the parking lot the building looked like it hadn't seen an update since the 1970s The paint was chipped the parking lot was riddled with potholes and the only other car in sight was an old station wagon covered in dust I pulled up to the front office which was dimly lit and rang the bell a few moments later a man shuffled out from the back room he looked to be in his late 60s with greasy gray hair and a grizzled beard his

eyes were bloodshot and he smelled faintly of alcohol need a room he grumbled as if annoyed I'd interrupted whatever he'd been doing yeah just for the night I said trying to hide my exhaustion he gave me a once over then grabbed an old-fashioned guest book from under the counter cash only he said flatly I handed him a few crumpled bills and he slid over a key with a heavy brass tag that read 303 I found it on since there didn't seem to be a second floor but I was too tired to question it I just

wanted a bed Room 33 is down the hall he said jerking his thumb toward a dimly lit Corridor that extended behind the office a hall I thought all the rooms faced the parking lot but again I was too tired to care I thanked him grabbed my duffel bag and headed down the narrow hallway it smelled Dam D and musty like an old basement that had never been aired out the fluorescent lights overhead flickered as I walked casting Eerie Shadows on the peeling wallpaper I Counted the doors as I passed most were marked with numbers like

101 and 102 but as I got further down the hall the numbers jumped erratically 2011 305 2007 it didn't make any sense the numbers weren't in order and some of the doors looked like they hadn't been opened in years with rusted locks and hinges covered in dust finally I found room 303 At the very end of the hall the door looked newer than the others as if it had been replaced recently the brass numbers gleamed in the dim light I slid the key into the lock and after some effort the door creaked open the room

was small and sparsely furnished just a bed with a faded quilt a wooden chair and a TV that looked like it hadn't worked in decades the air was Heavy with the scent of mildew and something else something metallic that I couldn't quite Place but I was too exhausted to care I tossed my bag on the floor locked the door and collapsed onto the bed I must have fallen asleep almost instantly because the next thing I knew I was jolted awake by a loud banging sound I sat up heart pounding trying to orient myself the room

was pitch dark and for a moment I had no idea where I was then I remembered the Evergreen motel room 303 the banging came again louder this time like someone pounding on the walls It was coming from the room next door I I glanced at my phone it was 3:03 a.m. I tried to ignore it telling myself it was probably just some drunk guest stumbling back to their room but the banging didn't stop it grew more frantic more desperate like someone was trying to break through the wall I got up walked over to the wall

and pressed my ear against it that's when I heard it whispering faint almost inaudible but definitely there I Couldn't make out the words but the tone was pleading almost like someone begging for help a chill ran down my spine I backed away from the wall trying to convince myself it was just my imagination but then the TV in the corner flickered to life blasting static at full volume I nearly jumped out of my skin I hadn't even touched the remote I scrambled to turn it off but the power button didn't respond the screen was just

a mess of static but for a split Second I thought I saw a face in the noise pale and gaunt staring right at me then everything went silent the TV shut off on its own and the banging next door stopped abruptly leaving a ringing silence that felt even more unnerving than the noise I was shaking my heart racing I grabbed my phone but there was no signal no Wi-fi I was completely cut off I decided I'd had enough I was getting the hell out of there I threw my things back into my bag unlocked the

Door and stepped out into the hallway the lights were even dimmer than before and a cold draft blew through the corridor carrying that same metallic scent I'd noticed earlier I started walking toward toward the office my footsteps echoing loudly in the silence that's when I heard it the sound of footsteps behind me soft at first then growing louder faster I turned around but there was nothing there just the long empty hallway stretching Back Into Darkness I broke into a run not caring about the noise just wanting to get out when I reached the office it

was empty the old man was gone and the lights were off the front door was locked Panic set in as I tried to find another way out I banged on the glass shouting for someone anyone to help but there was no response then out of the corner of my eye I saw it a shadowy figure standing at the end of the hallway watching me I don't remember how I managed to break The front door open but I I did I ran to my car the gravel crunching under my feet and threw myself inside the engine

roared to life on the first try and I peeled out of that parking lot not stopping until I hit the interstate I didn't look back I made it to Denver the next day exhausted and shaken I told myself it was just a bad dream that I'd imagined the whole thing but when I reached into my bag for my phone charger I found something that Made my blood run cold a rusty brass key with the number 303 on it I never went back to that part of Nebraska a few months later out of curiosity I tried

looking up the Evergreen Motel online but there was nothing no listings no reviews not even a mention it was as if the place had never existed but I know what I experienced was real and sometimes when I'm driving late at night and I pass an old rundown Motel on the side of the highway I swear I can See a flicker of green neon in the distance like a sign calling me back to room 303 but I never stop I've learned my lesson some places are meant to be left [Music] alone I used to think of

myself as a pretty rational guy I never bought into ghost stories or urban legends always chalking them up to overactive imaginations or tricks of the mind that was until a few years ago when I had an Experience that still haunts me to this day I haven't told many people about it mostly because I don't think they'd believe me and honestly I'm not sure I would believe it myself if I hadn't lived through it it was late October of 207 I was on a cross country Drive heading from Dallas to Los Angeles for a new job

I had recently gone through a rough divorce and starting fresh on the west coast seemed like the perfect way to hit the reset button I decided to Take Route 66 partly for the Nostalgia and partly because I thought it would be a more Scenic interesting Drive little did I know it would become the most terrifying night of my life I had been driving for hours and the sun had already set leaving the desolate stretch of highway bathed in darkness the old Route 66 was nearly empty save for the occasional 18-wheeler roaring past me I was

getting tired and my eyes were starting to droop The coffee I had downed at the last gas station was wearing off and I knew I needed to find a place to crash for the night that's when I saw it a bad shattered sign on the side of the road barely lit by a flickering neon light it read Route 66 motel in faded cracked letters it looked like it had seen better days probably sometime in the 1950s I hesitated for a moment but I was exhausted and didn't have the energy to keep driving besides I figured

it would Be an interesting story to stay in one of these old roadside motels something out of Americana travelog the driveway was long and grally and as I pulled up the headlights of my car illuminated the motel's worn out facade the building was single story with about a dozen rooms lined up side by side all facing the parking lot most of the rooms were dark but a few had dim lights glowing through Dusty windows I parked my car in front of the office Grabbed my duffel bag and stepped out into the chilly night air the

office was Tiny just a cramped room with a counter and a few ancient chairs a rusty Bell sat on the counter and I gave it a ding after a few moments a man shuffled out from the back he looked to be in his late 60s with unkempt gray hair and a sow face that made it look like he hadn't slept in days he gave me a long almost suspicious look before finally cracking a crooked Smile need a room he asked in a grally voice yeah just for the night I replied trying to sound casual he

grabbed a Dusty Ledger from under the counter the kind with actual paper pages that you have to write in I couldn't help but notice the pages were yellowed and dogeared like they hadn't been touched in years I filled in my details paid in cash since the old man insisted the card machine was down and he handed me an old-fashioned brass Key with a tag that read room 7even room 7's around the corner he said pointing vaguely to the left side of the building checkouts at 10: don't be late I nodded feeling an odd sense of

discomfort under his gaze but brushed it off as fatigue as I walked to my room I couldn't shake the feeling that I was being watched I turned around but the the parking lot was empty and the old man had disappeared back into the office the exterior lights were dim and some were Flickering sporadically casting Eerie Shadows that danced along the cracked pavement I finally reached room 7 the door was chipped and faded and the brass numbers were barely hanging on I slid the key into the lock and it took some effort to get the door

open like it hadn't been used in years the room room was exactly what you'd expect from a rundown Motel outdated floral wallpaper a sagging bed with a scratchy blanket and a musty smell that hung in the air There was a small TV in the corner the old boxy kind and a single lamp on the nightstand that barely lit up the room I was too tired to care I tossed my bag on the floor kicked off my shoes and collapsed onto the bed I must have fallen asleep immediately because the next thing I remember is waking

up to a loud rhythmic thumping sound I sat up confused and disoriented my heart pounding in my chest the room was Pitch Black save for a sliver of moonlight Filtering in through the thin curtains I checked my phone it was 3:33 a.m. the thumping grew louder more insistent and it was coming from the wall right next to the bed it sounded like someone was banging on the wall with their fists over and over I tried to convince myself it was just noisy neighbors but something about it felt off there was a frantic desperation to the

sound hey keep it down I shouted hoping that whoever it was would get the Message but the banging didn't stop if anything it grew louder I got up and pressed my ear against the wall that's when I I heard it faint muffled voices almost like whispering but I couldn't make out any words it was like a chorus of hushed tones all overlapping in a frantic panicked Cadence a chill ran down my spine I grabbed my phone and tried to call the front desk but there was no service no Wi-fi either the realization hit me I

Was completely cut off I threw on my jacket and decided to go to the office to see if the old man knew what was going on the hallway outside my room was even darker than before the few working lights flickering erratically the air was cold almost unnaturally so and carried a metallic scent like old blood I walked quickly my footsteps echoing unnervingly in the silence but as I turned the corner to the office I stopped dead in my tracks The office door was wide open but there was no sign of the old man the desk

was overturned papers scattered everywhere and the ancient guest Ledger was lying open on the floor I picked it up out of curiosity flipping through the pages that's when I noticed something odd my name was written on the first page but the date was from 3 years ago and every name after that had been crossed out in thick Black Ink I dropped the book and bolted back toward my room But as I ran the hallway seemed to stretch out longer and longer like some kind of Twisted fun housee the lights overhead began to Blink rapidly and

The Whispers I'd heard earlier grew louder now coming from every direction panicking I finally reached room 7 and slammed the door behind me I leaned against it trying to Catch My Breath but the banging started again this time from every wall around me it felt like the entire room was closing in The air growing colder by the second The Whispers turned into full-blown screams echoing around the tiny space and I could hear what sounded like nails scraping against the walls in a desperate attempt I grabbed my car keys and rushed out the door I sprinted

to my car not daring to look back the engine roared to life on the first try and I floored it gravel flying as I tore out of that parking lot the screams and Whispers faded into the distance but I Kept driving until I hit the interstate not stopping until the first light of dawn when I finally pulled over at a rest stop I was shaking drenched in sweat I tried to Google the Route 66 motel but there was nothing no listings no reviews not even a mention of its existence it was as if the place

had been wiped off the map I drove by that stretch of road a year later out of curiosity but there was no sign of the motel just an empty lot overgrown with Weeds to this day I don't know what happened that night part of me thinks it was some kind of elaborate prank or my mind playing tricks on me but deep down I know that place was wrong like it existed on the edge of reality waiting to trap anyone unlucky enough to stop there I don't drive Route 66 anymore and I avoid motels whenever I

can but sometimes late at night I can still hear those Whispers like they're calling me back but I'm never going back not to That place not to the Route 66 Motel