12/12/2025
HAUNTED INN
Ben, his elder brother, and their girlfriends could barely see the road ahead as rain poured relentlessly. They were driving home from a school holiday party out of town, and the storm made visibility nearly impossibleâno more than a foot in front of their car. Exhausted and terrified, they breathed a sigh of relief when a sign appeared up ahead for a place to stay the night. They would finish the rest of the drive in the morning.
Overjoyed, they rushed into the inn, shaking off the cold rain. The old building smelled of moist wood and mothballs, yet it was remarkably clean. An elderly innkeeper greeted them warmly, explaining excitedly that they were his only guests that night. He would give them his favorite suite.
First, he showed them a large, luxurious room with a king-sized bed and expansive windows. Then, he led them down the hall to a smaller room with a single twin bedâonce used by the maid back when travelers carried many belongings. Next, he took them to the deck and introduced them to the old lady who handled cleaning and room service.
Where she sat, the area was cloaked in darkness. Only her long gown, brushing the floor, was visible, along with the creaking of the chair she occupied. She did not respond to their greetings. As they left, they noticed a mischievous gleam in the innkeeperâs eyes.
After the tour, the innkeeper wished them a good night. The group climbed to their rooms, exhausted but unaware of the nightâs strange events awaiting them.
---
That night, Ben was awakened by a faint knock at the door.
âTurn-down service,â a voice called softly from beyond.
âNo, thank you,â Zach replied.
A second knock followed. What kind of room attendant visits in the middle of the night? Ben wondered. Perhaps he was dreaming. He closed the door, locked it, and tried to return to sleep. Yet the voice came again.
Finally, Ben stood, opened the door, and peered outâbut no one was there. Only a shadow moving quickly around a bend caught his eye.
âHello!â he called, stepping out cautiously, following the figure.
He reached the bendâbut the person had vanished. Around the next corner, he saw a large window illuminated by moonlight. A young lady, dressed entirely in white, sat there whistling melodiously. Her song seemed to cast a spell over Ben. Despite the warning inside him, he was drawn forward, unable to resist.
He wanted to scream but felt his actions no longer under his control. Step by step, he approached the mysterious woman. Slowly, she turned her face toward him.
Then a hand suddenly grabbed him, pulling him into darkness.
âYou are gone for good if you see her face,â a strange voice warned.
A bitter cry echoed, and a hand pressed a pair of nodules into his palms. âFix these into your ears. Donât remove them until you return to your room,â the voice instructed.
Ben obeyed. Once safely back, he slammed the door, locked it, and struggled to catch his breath. His brother awoke, calling his name. He quickly recounted the eerie encounter.
They laughed, teasing him as a scaredy-cat, dismissing his warnings. Ben insisted he spoke the truthâthe inn was haunted. Resigned, he joined them in sleep.
---
Strange things happened while they slept. Andrew, his girlfriend Rebecca, and Benâs girlfriend Anna awoke to find their clothes neatly folded and packed in their backpacks. Beds were made, hair carefully combedâand the girlsâ hair braided. Andrew, nearly naked, discovered his nightclothes washed and packed as well.
This shocking discovery confirmed Benâs story. They hurried to the front desk, impatient as the innkeeper filled out his paperwork by hand. Once done, Andrew and the girls dashed to the car, while Ben waited outside.
âYouâre lucky, boy,â the innkeeper called from behind the desk.
Ben turned to him, curiosity piqued.
âThank you for choosing the inn,â the innkeeper said. âIt can get very quiet here, with only me and the room attendantâwho has been keeping her duties for 200 years.â He smiled mischievously. âNext time, if you hear a knock in a strange place, do not open the door. Curiosity may spell doom. The next encounter could be very bad.â
Ben hurried to the car, jumping in as his brother sped off. He pondered the events of the past few hours. Everything seemed impossible, too heavy for a small mind to comprehend.
Later, he searched online for the Inn at Ford Havens. Headlines confirmed his fears: âThe Maid Who Haunts the Ford Havens Innâ and âFord Havens Inn â A Place From Where Men Go Straight to Eternity.â
Suddenly, he knew who had knocked on his door, who kept the inn, and who the mysterious lady in white was. He sighed in relief, thankful he hadnât been dragged into eternity for spending a single night at a haunted inn.
As they drove past another sign, it read:
âFORD HAVENS INN â A Straight Way to Eternity (Where Spirits Tend to Your Needs)â
A newcomer might take it lightlyâbut Ben and his friends knew better.
(From my published complication from Amazon)