The Old Shanghai Hotel : Room 101
Island School , Daswani , Sohan – 15
24 th of November 2016 , the day I first set foot into the bustling city called Shanghai . As my Chauffeur elegantly opened the door of my hired Chevrolet Bel Air , I admired each of it ’ s stunning details from bumper to bumper . I planted myself onto the warm seat and rolled down the window . I rested my arm with my palm on my chin as we zoomed by cars and buses . Inhaling the fresh air of Shanghai was sweet and compelling like splashing cold water on my face on a really hot day .
As we were approaching the hotel I was staying in after an interesting hour long ride , I looked up at the shimmering stars in the clear dark night sky . Quietness , all forms of life sleeping , birds chirping wistfully . For some reason I felt an unpleasant feeling engulf me . It was almost like an ominous feeling . The striking structure of the hotel gave an impression of a long , abandoned and empty prison that was once luxurious long ago . The doors and windows were coated with dust and looked back at me like the eyes of an empty soul .
I gently got out of the car , slightly shivering with fear . I politely thanked my chauffeur as he drove along passed the hotel . I felt terribly isolated and deserted , standing on my own in front of a spooky hotel . I took a few more steps forward and I could finally see the huge imposing door at the entryway to the hotel .
I heard this hotel was one in a million and simply one to experience ! Maybe , just maybe it could be better on the inside ? I took a deep breath in and let it all out hoping that this is not as bad it looks . I walked forward to the colossal ancient door and pushed it to go inside . The rusty hinges of the old door squealed like fingernails on a dusty chalkboard . My heart just skipped a beat when I peeked on both sides of the building and saw nothing but pitch black darkness .
Seeing nothing but darkness frightened me terribly . I started to question myself ; Should I even stay here any longer ? Why am I forcing myself to go one more step further ? I should just run away . No wait , no way . I need some place to stay . I really wanted for this trip to be memorable and so far it doesn ' t look like it at all . We ’ ll just have to wait and see right ? I can ’ t come all the way here and go back home without doing anything ! I ’ m going to experience and learn something new . With each step forward I was trembling more like a leaf . My heels clicking on the glass floor . Or maybe wooden . Out of the blue , I heard a ding . Was it me that did that ? All of a sudden , a light turns on . One single bulb .
“ Ni hao wo neng wei ni dedao shenme ?” I really didn ’ t know what this meant . The lady in black stared back at me with her piercing dark brown eyes . I started to explain to her , in my own language that I ’ m staying in this hotel and I ’ ve come for a vacation although it ’ s not seeming like one . All I heard was just chinese responses , until she said “ Vacation , I see …” She eventually gave me the keys to my room after a number of attempts of convincing .
I don ’ t know why , I felt like I was the only one here . Like I was the only one staying in this hotel and this started to terrify me more . I could squint all the way to the end of the hallway on the first floor . The couple of dim lights let on overnight reflected off the freshly waxed tiles and the clicking of my heels and echos of my breathing made me feel uneasy . I felt exposed with no room to duck into and no stairs to take . I got chills and coldness crept through my spine but I still pushed myself farther and farther until the room right at the end . Room 101 .
Right before entering my room , I froze and scanned my surroundings . Instantly , I heard glass rattling and the whistling of the wind and then footsteps behind me . I was debating whether to turn around or not . But before I could even move my head , I felt a tight grip around my wrist . In a blink of an eye , I collapsed . Paralysed with terror .