Phantasmagoria (Ziall)

Chapter 8

I didn’t realize how dire the situation was. I stared blankly at the camera in front of me and slowly made out the hand that was outstretched from the painting like it was a part of it. And Harry said that it grabbed Liam, or at least he thought that it did. None of this made sense. Not in the smallest bit. 

“No way.” I was shocked, handing back the camera to Harry. I looked back to Zayn and I knew by the look on his face that he had seen the photo as well. I took a step back to be closer to him, and in return, Harry joined closely with us. After all, we were stuck in a dilapidated hotel that was haunted, and our friends were going missing. “W-we need to have a plan.”

“A plan for what? We obviously can’t get out of this place.” Zayn said pessimistically. He was still slick with sweat and I knew his sickness was taking over. I hovered my hand over his until he grabbed it. If anything, we had each other, even if it was just to get the hell out of this place. 

“We need to think of something.” Harry said, eyeing Zayn and I’s locked hands. I gave him a small shrug and he continued. “We can’t get separated.” He was right, but what was to keep us from doing that. I had already passed out once and that was what separated us in the first place. What if it happened again? 

“Let’s try and find the lobby.” I said, thinking that was our best option. At least there we could sit and wait until the police figure out that we’re missing. Liam, poor Liam, had said that his parents were expecting a call. It was way past that window or time and they had to be worried. “Someone will find the car and figure it out. It’s only a matter of time.” I tried to sound hopeful, but we were deeper into this than we thought. 

“Lobby it is.” Zayn agreed, leaning into me. I heard a soft groan from his lips and I gave him more of my support. We walked slowly down the hall and I grabbed Harry’s hand with my free one. It was a different kind of support, something that I knew he needed. 

We walked for a while and it was just like the time before where the hallway just never seemed to end. We would stop every once in a while, but I was afraid to look around in case I saw Louis again in another painting. Or even worse, Liam this time. Eventually we made it to another hallway, though this one was different. It wasn’t lined with rooms like the other hallways. It was blank with only a door at the very end that looked like it was a double entry  to another room. 

“Did you hear that?” Harry let go of my hand and rushed down the hall. Zayn perked up slightly and looked around the hallway. “I’m serious, guys. Did you hear that?” Harry was up at the double wide door with his each pressed to it’s rotting, wooden surface. “It’s coming from in here.” I wished Harry would have waited for us to come to him before he opened the door, but of course, he didn’t. Though, thank god nothing happened and it was just another large room. 

What was strange about the place was that it was in pristine condition, like the hotel used to be before everything started to go all crazy on us. I gawked at the room as I walked inside, following Harry. Zayn was close behind me. 

We walked into what looked like a ballroom. It had shining floors and was rounded like an oval shape. Harry was in the middle of the room where a grand piano was positioned. Zayn and I walked up to him and he was just staring at the piano’s glossy surface. “Did you hear a piano or something?” I asked, wondering what Harry was hearing back in the hallway.