The Secret of the Aurora Hotel

by Danny McAleese

  The ghost turns slowly in her direction, reflecting perfectly in the elevator's mirrored walls. "Yes," he says, nodding politely. The voice you hear seems to come from every direction. It's also vague. Non-corporeal. Almost like it's inside your head.

  "Do-- Do we have everything?" you ask. Twelve hours ago it would've been impossible to believe you'd be conversing with a ghost. But after everything you've seen tonight, it seems oddly natural. "We should head down to the basement now, right?"

  The man who was once Alastair flutters in answer. At one point he almost disappears. When he rematerializes, he stands there smoothing his mustaches. You can tell the movement is more a reflex than a conscious action.

  "No," he rasps. "Up."

  Evan, quiet until now, finally shifts forward. "Up? Up where?"

  "You must see... my kin." At this point the ghost flutters again. His head jerks abruptly over one shoulder, eyes locking on some unseen entity. "He comes," Alastair says hurriedly. "I cannot be here."

  "But wait!" Jenna cries. "Kin? Kin who? What's a kin?" Instinctively your cousin reaches for the man's hand, as if to grab his attention or perhaps keep him there. Her fingers pass right through it. "Alastair, we--"

  Just as quickly as it appeared, the apparition is gone. You're left standing in the bitter cold, with the sudden urge to get out of the elevator. All three of you are shivering.

  "Oh man," Evan says all of a sudden. He's peering down at the manifest. "I can't believe we missed this!" Your cousin points to a name as you and Jenna lean over his shoulder.

  "James Roakes," you read aloud. Right next to the name is a room number: 217.

  "His kin!" Evan cries. "Alastair Roakes's grandson, or great grandson, or great great... whatever. He's here, in the hotel! He's been at the Aurora the whole time!"

  147

  The elevator shudders to life as Jenna mashes the 2nd floor button. You notice the electronics on the old elevator are all modern, except for a small, silver-colored keyhole recessed just beneath the new panel.

  You go up one level, wait for the doors to open, and peek out into an empty hallway. Less than a minute later you're all standing at the threshold to room 217.

  "Now what do we do?" Evan asks. "We can't just go knocking on this guy's door at one o'clock in the--"

  Jenna knocks, hard. There's the rattle of a chain latch being undone, and the door opens in a surprisingly short amount of time. Even more surprising is the person who answers.

  "Alastair?" your cousins gasp in unison. It reminds you sharply that they're twins.

  The man behind the door is tall and bearded, but without the trademark mustache you've seen in the photo. His receding hairline is not nearly as advanced either. Still, he appears as the spitting image of a young Alastair Roakes.

  "No," the man says in a velvety voice. "But I suppose I know why you'd think so." He examines each of you in turn, then pokes his head out to scan the empty hall. Finally he steps back and opens the door. "You may as well come in."

  You enter the double-sized Roakes suite. It looks far less like a hotel room and much more like a home. Each piece of furniture and decoration looks like it belongs, rather than having been placed there to fill a space or only as an afterthought. The air is steeped in the warmth and aroma of herbal tea.

  "Sorry if we woke you," Evan begins. "It's just that--"

  "You didn't," James Roakes interrupts. He glides into the kitchen, moving with grace and speed. "Unfortunately for me, I seldom sleep these days. Especially on this night, of all nights."

  Jenna's eyes flash brightly. "So you know!" she cries. "About your grandfather, and his ceremony, and All Hallows' Eve!"

  "Great grandfather," the man corrects her. He pulls forth a mug and pours himself a steaming cup of tea. "And yes. I'm familiar with the story." Mid-sip, he looks over the rim of his cup. "I assume you've seen him as well?"

  "Y--Yes," you fumble awkwardly. "We have."

  Mr. Roakes nods. "He's here, of course. From time to time he's come to me through the years, usually on this night. I've seen him as reflections, mostly. In mirrors, windows and the like." With the last statement the man motions to a large antique mirror, framed by floral blossoms at each corner.

  "Through the years?" Evan notes. "Just how long have you been here?"

  148

  Mr. Roakes places his cup carefully back on its saucer. "Nearly all my life," he says. "As have my father, and his father too. Since Alastair's disappearance, there has always been a Roakes at the hotel Aurora." He shrugs. "That's just the way of things."

  You're not exactly sure why Alastair told you to visit his great grandson, but you're determined to find out. "What if we could help him?" you ask.

  "Help who?"

  "Alastair!" Jenna chimes in. You can tell she's doing her best not to sound irritated. "The ceremony he was conducting was never completed. We're guessing that's why he disappeared, and why the nethergate is still open here, at the Aurora."

  Mr. Roakes makes a face like he just swallowed a bug. "Nethergate?" he asks. "Who told you that?" Evan hands him the photograph and letter in answer. James reads it three times. After the initial shock wears off, he looks back up at you.

  "You couldn't repeat the ceremony anyway," he says. "You'd need the artifacts mentioned here. The ones in the photograph, plus--"

  One by one, you show him what you've found. James examines the book, the bell, the candle. He cradles the crystal ball skeptically, as if expecting it to suddenly vanish. "What about the fifth artifact?" he asks casually.

  Your mouth drops open in shock. "Fifth artifact?"

  "Yes," James replies. "My grandfather always suspected there was another object involved in whatever his father was trying to do. Something required... or perhaps something that interfered." He nods to the four objects scattered across his kitchen table. "One of these items may not be correct," he explains. "And another one might be missing."

  Evan and Jenna stare back at you. This isn't what you expected at all!

  "Perhaps you should leave well enough alone," James Roakes sighs. "All of this was a long time ago. The Aurora has never truly been at peace, but maybe it's best not to make things worse than they already are."

  Jenna tenses up at the words. Now she actually does look irritated. "Why do you think Alastair keeps appearing to you?" she asks James. "What do you think he's trying to accomplish?"

  The man sipping his tea looks taken aback by this. "I-- I don't know. I supposed I never considered."

  "He's coming to you for help," Jenna says. "And instead of listening, you're doing your best to ignore him."

  The curious expression on Mr. Roakes face only makes things worse. "I don't see how--"

  149

  "You live here," Jenna continues, "and still you do nothing. This place is your family's legacy, and you don't even look for answers?"

  For a moment James Roakes appears stunned. As the seconds tick by however, he quickly recovers. His face goes red with what could be anger. But it could also be shame.

  "We're leaving now," Jenna says thankfully, "to go help your great grandfather. Maybe we can. Maybe we can't. But at least we're going to try."

  The door closes behind you as the three of you exit the Roakes's Suite. There's the sound of the latch being engaged again, and then silence.

  "Wow sis," Evan says. "You were a bulldog! I've never seen you like that before."

  Jenna's expression fades back into a smile. It looks a lot better than way. "Sorry," she apologizes. "After all the stuff we've been through tonight, I guess I'm on edge."

  "No," you cut in. "You were absolutely right. We're trying our best to help, and that guy's trying to... well, not help."

  Your cousin laughs as she pops another piece of gum in her mouth. "Not help?" she snorts. "Is that the technical term for it?"

  "Yeah," you elbow her. "It is."

  Evan is staring down at the manifest again. "This is the top level of the hotel," he says. "If James Roakes is right
, and we do need another artifact, there are still a few rooms we could check out."

  "But we don't even know what we're looking for," you point out.

  Your cousin shrugs. "True. But maybe we'll know it when we see it."

  The three of you look up and down both sides of the empty hallway.

  "Alright cuz," Jenna says. "We've been dragging you around this place all night long--"

  "Morning, technically," Evan corrects her.

  Jenna frowns at him before turning back to you. "Why don't you take the lead here and decide where we're going next?"

  To check out room 202, HEAD OVER TO PAGE 140

  If room 205 sounds luckier to you, TURN TO PAGE 89

  Or maybe you like the sound of room 212? If so, GO TO PAGE 24

  150

  You crunch your way to the dead center of the roof, where the cupola presides over everything. It's a white, eight-sided structure made up almost entirely of glass panes. Centered at its peak, past a small dome, are the frozen remnants of what might've been a flag.

  "Get in!" Jenna shouts. She's shivering, even with both arms wrapped around herself. "Hurry!"

  The inside of the cupola looks calm and inviting. Evan circles around it until he finds a series of glass panes framed by a door. He tries it... but it's locked. You notice a small keyhole beneath the knob.

  "Break one of the panes if we have to," Jenna orders. She points down to the distant ground. "You won't even be able to tell from down there."

  Evan shakes his head. Evidently he hates the whole idea. "Maybe we should just skip--"

  "No!" Jenna shouts. "We have to be thorough! Besides, I'm freezing!" She looks to you pleadingly. "Come on Scotty, just do it! Here, this pane is already cracked anyway. Dad will never know."

  Reluctantly you step over to the cracked pane of glass. You ball your hand into a fist... pull it back...

  "Hang on!" Evan cries, stopping you mid-swing. He wriggles out of his sweatshirt and wraps it three times around your arm. It's not ideal, but at least it offers some protection. "Okay," he tells you. "Now try it."

  151

  Wait! Do you happen to have the cupola key? If so, what shape is its handle? Add up all the letters of that word using the chart below, then GO TO THAT PAGE

  If you don't have the cupola key, you'll just have to wing it. Punch through the glass by flipping two coins:

  If both coins come up HEADS when you flip them, GO TO PAGE 57

  If either or both coins show TAILS after the toss, HEAD TO PAGE 121

  152

  You pick up a ghost fork and a ghost knife. No one at the table even acknowledges you. Finally, without ceremony, you tear into the roast beef.

  You chew slowly, expecting something to happen. Nothing does. The meat is excellent actually. You find it tender, tasty, and pink in the center.

  Bite after bite you keep eating, compelled by a strange, ravenous hunger. It's almost as if you hadn't already downed an entire cheeseburger just a few hours earlier. Jenna watches you, thoroughly impressed. Even some of the other ghosts look on in admiration.

  You continue eating until you feel Jenna's hand on your arm. "Scotty," your cousin whispers, "we should go. There's something... I don't know, there's something weird about this."

  You laugh loudly as you stab another piece of meat. "Weird? We're guests at a ghost banquet in a century-old dining hall just after midnight, in the wee hours of Halloween. What could possibly be weird?"

  "I mean, well, I was thinking we should--"

  "Are you gonna eat that?" you ask, pointing. Rather than wait for an answer you slide your cousin's plate over in front you.

  "No, but--"

  "Good. Thanks." Your stomach rumbles, causing you to wonder if there will be seconds. Maybe you should look around for the serving ghost...

  "Cuz, let's go!" Jenna says. Now she's actually pulling you. Gently at first, and then with a lot more effort.

  "Do you think there will be dessert?"

  "We have to leave!" Jenna cries. Her voice is so loud she's practically shouting. "NOW!"

  A fog seems to lift from your head. Clarity descends as you allow Jenna to pull you out of your chair and away from the table. One of the ghosts glances up with an expression of indignity. "I-- I'm okay now," you tell your cousin. "Thanks."

  Jenna lets loose a tremendous sigh of relief. "Good," she says, pushing you through a large wooden archway. "Now let's get out of here. For a minute there I thought you were going to eat the tablecloth too!"

  Better go while you still can.

  Make your way into the hotel lounge BY TURNING TO PAGE 49

  Or investigate the Aurora's kitchen when you GO TO PAGE 117

  153

  You enter a room filled with heavy oaken furniture and crisp white linens. The floor is oak and the walls as well; you feel as if you've walked through the threshold and into a mountain lodge.

  "What's with this room?" you ask.

  "Not sure," Evan says. "But dad likes it, so he left it as is."

  You begin your search for the artifacts in the photo. There are no candles, no books, no bell or crystal ball. The drawers are large and empty, the floors polished and smooth. Everything in here is neat and clean and easy to check.

  "Looks empty," you say. "I guess we should--"

  Suddenly you feel a presence. A pressure. It shoves you downward, forcing you to your knees. You look over at Evan and he's feeling it too. Your cousin crumples into a push-up position. His arms give out and he's face down on the floor.

  "What is it?" he grunts. You can tell he's having a hard time breathing.

  "I don't know!" You try to stand but there's just no way. There's a hum in the air now, too. A vibration that seems to get louder and more pronounced as the pressure increases. Soon you're also hugging the floor. Struggling to push up against it...

  A voice floats into your head, from somewhere off to the left. There's nothing in that direction, you realize. Just a dresser and its mirror.

  "Don't fight it!" the voice tells you. "It only makes it worse..."

  The voice is deep, resonant, authoritative. You can't tell if it's stern and fatherly, or cold and sinister...

  Do you fight back against the unknown force? If so, FLIP BACK TO PAGE 13

  Or maybe you should listen to the ghost voice? To not fight back, GO TO PAGE 129

  154

  The vase is large... large enough to hide something. You step forward to check it out.

  "That thing doesn't have any hands," Evan points out.

  "True," you say, "but maybe at one point it did." You run your fingers over the painted black surface, feeling the brush strokes beneath. "Whatever it did have, someone covered it up."

  The vase is as long as your arm. The inside is darkness. You consider upending it, to see what's inside. Then again, the contents could be fragile...

  If you upend the vase, TURN TO PAGE 130

  If you reach inside the vase, GO TO PAGE 73

  155

  After several moments of silence you grab Jenna by the wrist and pull her to her feet. The kitchen appears empty. For now.

  "Back," you tell her. "The way we came."

  Quickly but carefully you hustle your way through the steamy kitchen. Somehow you avoid running into anyone else, or burning yourself on the searing hot maze of boiling pots and kettles.

  "The kitchen was a bad idea," Jenna admits. "But come this way. I have a better place for us to check..."

  Follow Jenna into a much better scenario when you TURN TO PAGE 49

  156

  Slogging back across the frozen roof is even colder the second time around. You claw your way down the icy fire escape and stumble through the door to the stairwell Evan mentioned. Your luck continues as you find it unlocked.

  In the second floor hallway Jenna stops and puts her hands on her knees. "Can we just rest here for a minute?" she begs. Melting snow drips from the tip of her nose. "Or maybe go to the lobby and stand in front of the firepla
ce for a little while?"

  You lay a reassuring hand on your cousin's shoulder. "Not yet," you say. "We're almost done. We have to do this for you dad. And for Alastair."

  Jenna nods. Smiles. Her tongue snakes out as she blows another pink bubble. This time you do reach out and pop it. She laughs. "Alright cuz. Let's go."

  Head back to the elevator OVER ON PAGE 137

  157

  You sneak back through the main lobby and past the Grand Staircase. Agnes is back at the front desk, but you stay far enough away that she doesn't even notice you. Eventually you arrive at the hotel's main elevator.

  "Why didn't we take this thing before?" you ask your cousin.

  Jenna shrugs. "Because the other ways were more fun?" You follow her inside. Although the elevator itself is old, the instrument panel consists of newly-added electronics. All except for an odd, silver-looking keyhole recessed just beneath the new panel.

  "Hit it," Jenna tells you.

  You thumb the thick plastic '1' button. It lights right up, and the doors open with a universal ding.

  One floor later the doors open again and you're staring at your cousin Evan. He looks totally frazzled but overwhelmingly relieved to see you.

  "Did you get anything?" he asks quickly. You motion him into the elevator so the three of you don't have to talk out in the hallway.

  "Only this," Jenna smirks, holding up the book. Less theatrically she shows him the candle. "Oh, and this too."

  Evan lets loose a huge sigh of relief. "That's great!" Without saying another word he holds up two objects: a crystal ball and a small silver bell, both identical to the ones in Alastair's photograph.