The Secret of the Aurora Hotel

by Danny McAleese

  Jenna looks crestfallen. "What are we going to do now?" She picks up the broken candle, her expression miserable. "Maybe we could--"

  "I'll tell you what you're going to do now," a stern voice calls from behind you. You wince as you recognize your Uncle Gus. "First, you're going to clean up this mess. And right after that, you're both going back to your rooms!"

  Oops! Busted!

  Well, the night didn't pan out quite the way you wanted it to. If only you'd been quicker! Sorry to say though, for now this looks like

  THE END

  121

  You wind back and punch through the glass window of the cupola. There's no noise at all as the already cracked pane gives way easily.

  "Are you alright?" Evan asks quickly.

  A bit apprehensively you unwrap your arm and check for injury. Nothing!

  Evan takes back his sweatshirt while Jenna steps up to examine your handiwork. The hole you made in the glass is very small. Luckily, it's close enough to the door that Jenna can reach right in and unlock it.

  "Get inside!" she urges. "I want to close this door as quickly as possible!"

  Nice work!

  Get into the cupola and out of the wind WHEN YOU TURN TO PAGE 88

  122

  Left... right... you decide to split the difference. "We're taking the window," you tell your cousins. "Before this room gets any weirder."

  "Is that even possible?" Jenna asks, laughing.

  "Probably not. But I'm not sticking around to find out." With your cousins close behind, you throw open the window. A blast of cold air and blowing snow hits you square in the face. "It leads outside," you call back. "There's some kind of a ledge here."

  Evan moves beside you to investigate. "Yeah, this is part of the stone facade. It runs around the entire hotel."

  Behind you, the room appears to be spinning. It also looks as if the walls are closing in. Jenna pushes past you and climbs out onto the ledge. She looks totally comfortable, even in the raging snowstorm. "Come on," she urges. "We can climb up to the roof from here."

  Evan's expression tells a much different story. Unlike his sister he's absolutely frozen with terror.

  "Forget about your fear of heights," you implore him. You jerk your thumb back toward the room, which now appears as a chaotic swirl of light and dark. "This is the only way."

  Thankfully, this motivates him. A minute later the three of you are pressed tightly against the stone ledge of the Aurora's rear wall.

  123

  "We have to climb up!" Jenna yells over the wind. She's pointing. You can see a number of decorative stones that would make fine handholds, although they look more than a little icy. "It's easy," Jenna adds. "I've done it before."

  "That was in the summer!" Evan shouts back. He shoots you a grim look. You can tell the climb is going to be hard for him.

  You reach for one of the handholds. As you do, you notice several depressions set at even intervals leading up toward the roof. Almost like a reverse ladder. An inscription runs along the apron of the ledge, except for one spot where there's a square-shaped hole. It looks like something fits into it. Something that would have writing on one side.

  Do you have something that fits into the square hole? If so, add the letters of that word together using the chart below, and then GO TO THAT PAGE

  If you don't have anything that fits, it's time to climb!

  Roll two dice (or just pick a random number from 2 to 12)

  If the sum of your roll comes up an EVEN number, HEAD TO PAGE 78

  If the two dice add up to an ODD number instead, GO TO PAGE 92

  124

  "Come with me," Jenna tells you over the noise. "I know what to do."

  Your cousin takes your hand and pulls you down the right-side corridor. The two of you hug the wall for a moment as a man approaches from the left. It's Uncle Gus! Thankfully he turns without noticing you, walking back the way you came.

  "That was close," you breathe. When you look back, Jenna's already moved further down the hall toward the source of the noise. A thin, older man is shampooing the rug with a giant silver machine.

  "Jenna!" you cry out in warning. Your voice comes off as more of a strangled whisper. But it's too late -- the man has already seen her. His reaction however, is not what you expect. He looks up at her and smiles. Then he flips a switch, and the machine powers down with a long, winding whir.

  "Scotty," Jenna says, "this is Vincent. He's been the janitor here for a really long time."

  The man extends a calloused hand and you take it. His grip is warm and strong. "Pleased to meet you, Scotty."

  "Uh, yeah," you smile awkwardly. "Nice to meet you too." Vincent looks like the epitome of every janitor you've ever seen, right down to the big ring of keys at his hip. You notice that one of them -- a long silver one with teeth on both sides -- seems different from the others.

  Jenna is looking down at the rug. Vincent follows her gaze, scratching his head. "Same spot?" she asks.

  "Yup," the janitor laments. "Every night I clean it. And every morning it's back, same spot, same size and shape." You can make out a dark stain on the rug now. It looks reddish-brown, like the color of rust... or something worse. "No matter what I do, it keeps rising up," Vincent says. "But your dad wants it clean, so..."

  "What do you think it is?" you find yourself asking.

  The janitor shrugs. "Dunno. But something happened here, a long time ago." The man looks over his shoulder warily. "And whatever it was," he says, his voice now suddenly low, "the Aurora remembers."

  125

  "Tell him about the ghosts!" your cousin chimes in.

  Vincent looks uncomfortable. His eyes shift left to right. "Now Jenna, you know your father doesn't want me talking about--" Her intense look of disappointment stops him. "Oh all right. Yes," he says in an even more conspiratorial tone. "This place is haunted. On this night especially, above all others." The janitor suppresses a shudder. "You should be careful around here. You'd be safer in your rooms. In fact, what are you doing--"

  "Up at this hour?" Jenna finishes. "We're looking for... a few things."

  "What kind of things?"

  "An very old book. A bell. A candle. A crystal ball."

  Vincent's eyes narrow. You can't believe Jenna is telling him all this! Still, the man doesn't bat an eyelash. He taps one finger on his chin before speaking again.

  "For the book, you could check the lounge," the janitor says. "It used to be the old hotel library."

  "Good idea!" Jenna says. "Thanks Vincent!"

  "As for the candle... I don't know. This place is old. There are bound to be a lot of candles." Vincent pauses for a moment, as if considering something. "And one more thing," he says, his voice going low. "Beware of Warrick."

  "Warrick?"

  You can tell by the way the man winces that Jenna uttered the word too loudly for his tastes. "Yes, him. Of all the spirits here, he's... the bad one."

  Your cousin starts to say something else but the sound of more footsteps rises from the hall. Vincent looks worried. "Got to get back to work," he says, kicking on the shampoo machine. He winks at Jenna. "Good luck you two!" he shouts over the noise. "And be careful."

  You can no longer hear the footsteps over the whirring of the machine, so you'll need to move quickly:

  A large exit behind you leads to the hotel lounge. Check that out OVER ON PAGE 49

  Also, you notice the janitor's closet is open. Investigate it by GOING TO PAGE 23

  126

  After consulting the manifest, you enter room 121. Immediately you're forced to shield your eyes, because with the moonlight streaming in through the windows everything is impossibly bright.

  "A white room?" you ask. "How the heck does your father keep this one clean?"

  The walls, floor, ceiling, bed, furniture... everything here is painted a stark, immaculate white. Everything, that is, except five narrow doors on one wall. The doors themselves are washed in bright, primary colors. Left
to right, they are red, blue, green, black, and gold.

  "What are these all about?" you ask Evan. But your cousin isn't answering. He's just staring at the doors in disbelief.

  "Dunno," he breathes. "They've never been here before."

  The doors stand out in stark contrast to the rest of the pure white room. Each sports a single knob, with no lock or keyhole.

  "Which one do we open?" you ask.

  Evan looks at you like you just suggested walking across hot coals. "None of them?" he suggests. "They're not part of the hotel, I don't think. They can't lead anywhere good..."

  "C'mon," you say. "Your sister would've had three of these doors open by now. We couldn't stop her if we wanted to. And you're saying you're not even curious? Are you really her twin?" Evan's eyebrows knit together in what might be indignation. It's hard to tell. "Come on," you urge again. "After all, we are searching for things here."

  Your cousin still looks apprehensive. "Okay," he says finally, "let's try one." He pauses, biting his lip. "But have we gotten any hints so far as to which one to go with?"

  Alright, it's time to pick a door! But choose wisely...

  If you decide to open the RED door, TURN TO PAGE 22

  If you decide to open the BLUE door, TURN TO PAGE 106

  If you decide to open the GREEN door, TURN TO PAGE 136

  If you decide to open the BLACK door, TURN TO PAGE 36

  If you decide to open the GOLD door, TURN TO PAGE 145

  127

  "Fire escape!" you yell to your cousins. "Now!"

  Jenna doesn't need to be told twice. She bolts past you and scrambles onto the snow-covered ledge. Evan moves less decisively, but you usher him through quickly and slam the window shut behind you.

  "Get back here!" the man shouts. His threat is muffled by the storm and thick glass.

  You whirl, confused to see both your cousins climbing up instead of down. They continue along the fire escapes' metal ladder until they're standing on the roof.

  "Come on!" Jenna shouts back. Her brother, standing next to her, looks utterly mortified. A memory floats back to you -- something about your cousin Evan and a debilitating fear of heights.

  There's nothing else to do but climb. You grit your teeth against the cold, fingers clinging painfully to the frozen rungs as you push your way upward and into the swirling snow. It's not long before you've reached the end. Standing next to your cousins on the roof of the Aurora hotel, you peer three long stories straight down.

  "Tell me again why I agreed to come here?" you say, teeth chattering.

  "Because you love us!" Jenna shouts, wrapping her arms around you.

  I'd say things are heating up, but that would be an outright lie.

  Bundle up and TURN TO PAGE 104

  128

  Riding a squeaky glass elevator straight into the lobby doesn't seem like a good way to stay low profile. "Let's take the stairs," you tell Jenna.

  The Grand Staircase is a wood-paneled masterpiece. You follow your cousin down each carpeted step, clutching a banister worn smooth by a centuries' worth of visitors. Halfway down, a strange feeling steals over you. You have the distinct sensation of being watched, but when you turn around of course nothing is there.

  "You get it too, huh?" Jenna calls from over her shoulder. "We all do. It's no biggie."

  A statue stands at the base of the staircase, perched tall on the last baluster. The sculpture is of a strikingly beautiful woman with a mouthful of broken teeth. You can't tell if her teeth were broken later on, of if they were part of the original artwork.

  "I dare you," Jenna says.

  "To what?"

  "To put your finger in her mouth!" Your cousin waits for your reaction before smiling mischievously. "It's said to be good luck if she doesn't bite you."

  "And what if she does bite me?"

  Jenna laughs. "Try it and find out."

  If you stick your finger in the statue's mouth, HEAD BACK TO PAGE 53

  What are you, crazy? Skip the whole thing and go to the lobby by TURNING TO PAGE 68

  129

  "Don't fight it!" you shout. The words come out strange because you can't even unclench your jaw. "We can't... try... to..."

  Clearing your mind, you force yourself to relax. You let your thoughts go clear, your body limp. The pressure eases, ever so slightly. You relax further, and it lets up even more.

  Slowly you allow yourself sit up. The hum in the air is gone. Although your body still tingles, you're no longer gripped by whatever was pushing down on you. You stand, flexing your hands and fingers tentatively.

  At last, Evan stirs. You reach down and help him to his feet.

  "How did you know?" you cousin asks. His whole body is still shaking. "Not to fight it, I mean. How could you be so sure it would let go of us?"

  "I wasn't really," you admit. "But I heard a voice..." You turn to face the mirror. The only thing looking back at you is your own reflection. "Or at least, I thought I did."

  Evan lets out a shuddering sigh. "No," he says, "I'm sure you did. And it wouldn't be the first time Jenna or I heard stuff like that around here." He checks himself from head to toe, then claps you on the shoulder. "Thanks though. Now let's get out of here before that...thing comes back."

  Cross the hall and search room 106 by TURNING TO PAGE 138

  130

  The vase is dark and (potentially) full of terrors. You're not sticking your arm in there.

  "Help me lift it," you say to Evan. "Gently."

  Together you hoist the vase into the air. Even the bottom is painted black. You upend it over the bed, just in case anything fragile is inside...

  "Watch out!"

  Evan springs back as a giant centipede crawls out of the vase! You nearly drop it as the creature slithers across the jet black bedspread. It disappears somewhere behind the headboard.

  "Sorry," Evan says sheepishly. Rightfully embarrassed, he helps you lower the vase back to the floor. He uses his cell phone's flashlight to check the interior. There's nothing else.

  You nod at his makeshift flashlight. "That's a good idea," you say. "Why didn't you think of it before?"

  Your cousin shrugs. "Just thought of it now."

  Whew! You dodged an insect there! (or more accurately an arthropod)

  Check out the strange metal clock OVER ON PAGE 134

  131

  "I'll do the upper shelves," you tell your cousin. "It looks a little dicey and I don't want you getting hurt."

  Jenna starts to pout, but then stops herself. "Awww, that's sweet! Fine Scotty. You do the top."

  The two of you make fast work of the library. The midnight silence is broken by the constant thump thump thump of books being turned on their spines. Every once in a while you step on a shelf that feels springy, causing you to be careful with how you distribute your weight.

  Halfway through, you still haven't found a single book with corner-guards. You're starting to get discouraged when suddenly--

  SNAP!

  One of the shelves gives way beneath you!

  Quick, roll two dice! (Or just roll the same die twice)

  If the total of your roll is an ODD number, HEAD TO PAGE 90

  If the total of your roll is an EVEN number, FLIP BACK TO PAGE 107

  132

  You drop to your knees and start rolling back the rug. It's easy work, and soon you've exposed most of the floor directly under the painting.

  "There," Evan says abruptly. "Look at that."

  A trio of symbols have been painstakingly carved into the floor. The middle one is crudely circled in red... in what you really, really hope not to be blood.

  "Two doors," you wonder aloud. "And that looks like a window. Any ideas?" you ask your cousin.

  Evan's notepad is out. Already he's drawn a crude sketch of the floor. "Nope. None at all."

  You roll the rug back over the carvings. "Alrighty then," you say, standing up so fast your knees pop. "Let's keep this ball rolling."

  The
fun continues OVER ON PAGE 35

  133

  You enter the hotel's main hall. A plush carpet stretches its entire length, embroidered with designs that are very old yet very cool. You follow the wide corridor until it comes to a T-shaped intersection.

  "What's that noise?"

  Somewhere off to your right, the steady whining sound of a large machine breaks the silence. At the same time, you can hear heavy footsteps coming in from the left. And they're getting louder. Closer...

  Jenna grabs your arm. "Quick!" she says. "We can't be caught down here!"

  Hurry! Flip two coins (or just flip the same coin twice):

  If both coins come up HEADS, TURN TO PAGE 21

  If both coins come up TAILS, FLIP ON DOWN TO PAGE 67

  If the coins come up with one of each, GO TO PAGE 124

  134

  You scan the room one final time. Then you smile. "I've got it!"

  "Got what?"

  "The answer to our riddle," you tell your cousin. He still looks confused.

  "There was a riddle?"

  You glare at him dubiously. It's times like these when you wonder if you're truly related. "Yeah, man," you say. "Think about it. Aside from you and I, what in this room has hands?"