by Amy Cross
Copyright 2016 Amy Cross
All Rights Reserved
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, events, entities and places are either products of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual people, businesses, entities or events is entirely coincidental.
Kindle edition
Dark Season Books
First published: December 2016
This book's front cover incorporates elements licensed from the Bigstock photo site.
“What happens when a good and honest person is cruelly murdered? When her ghost returns to the place of her death, is she still good and honest? Or has she become a twisted, deadly spirit who will stop at nothing in her thirst for vengeance?”
When Beth Hayes arrives at Lakeforth Hotel, she's expecting a quiet, sedate and maybe even boring night. What she finds, however, is a crumbling old ruin that has clearly been left abandoned for many years. She wants to turn around and leave immediately, but her boyfriend has other ideas.
Lakeforth Hotel has a dark history. Almost a century earlier, two young girls were orphaned in a horrific fire, and they were quickly taken in by the hotel's owner Jobard Nash. They soon discovered that Nash was a cruel and sadistic man, and now it's said that the ghosts of those two girls haunt the hotel. But what do they want, and how far will they go in their hunt for revenge?
The Ghosts of Lakeforth Hotel is a horror novel about a girl who wants revenge for her murder, and about a woman who discovers years later that the living can never escape the clutches of the dead.
Table of Contents
Part One
Annie Hayes – Today
Chapter One
Part Two
Beth Hayes - Today
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Part Three
Maurice Mecklethorpe – 1915
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Part Four
Ruth Maywhistle – 1935
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Part Five
Ellen Nash – 1945
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Part Six
Jobard Nash – 1950
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Part Seven
Steve Culshaw – 2006
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Part Seven
Steve Culshaw - Today
Chapter Thirty-Two
Part Eight
Beth Hayes – One day later
Chapter Thirty-Three
Chapter Thirty-Four
Chapter Thirty-Five
Epilogue
The Ghosts of
Lakeforth Hotel
Part One
Annie Hayes - Today
Chapter One
“Well, you didn't have to come,” Beth replies, as the car continues to bump along the dumpy old dirt road. “You could have stayed at home for the week and hung out with all your fabulous friends.”
“Nah,” I mutter, still filing my nails on the back seat. “They'll be there when I get back. Besides, your brain-dead boyfriend has been going on about this place so much, I just had to see it. His taste is so lacking in other areas, after all.”
Glancing at Beth, I smile as soon as I see the scowl on her face.
“Joke,” I add silently. “Still, I don't really have high hopes. I'm gonna bet this turns out to be the crumbiest, most rundown hotel in the whole of England.”
“Is it much further?” she asks, turning to Steve, She's doing that thing she always does when she's annoyed. She pretends to ignore me, even though I know she's seething. Honestly, my sister is so easy to read. Sometimes, I wish I had another hobby, but winding her up is just so much fun!
“We should be there by now,” he replies.
“Maybe you took the wrong turning,” I suggest.
“I know the way, Annie. I came here every summer when I was a kid.”
“But you said there should be a sign. I didn't see a sign. Beth, did you see a sign? The lack of a sign seems like a sign to me that maybe we're on the wrong road.”
“Did you see the sign?” she asks him, still studiously avoiding looking at me.
“This is definitely the right way,” he replies, although he sounds a little annoyed now. Steve and Beth are such a good couple. They're so alike, which is why it's so easy to annoy them both at the same time. Even now, as the car rumbles along the road, they're still muttering to one another about turn-offs they might have missed, or routes that might have changed over the years. I swear, they're starting to sound like some lame old couple.
Sitting up, I look out the window and see nothing but a dirty old forest spreading to the horizon on either side of the road. The trees don't even look very healthy, with pale, leafless branches reaching up as if they're trying to scratch the dull gray sky. I never thought any part of England could be more depressing than Sittingbourne, but I've got to give my sister and her boyfriend a little credit. They've actually managed to find an even worse cesspool.
“Where the hell are we?” I ask finally. “I thought you said this hotel was, like, cool and chic. I mean, I didn't believe you for a second, but you still said it. Defend yourself, man.”
“There!” Steve says suddenly. “See it?”
Turning, I see that there's a large building up ahead, barely visible behind a line of dead trees. I open my mouth to tell him that it looks like a dump, before suddenly realizing that 'dump' might actually be too flattering. In fact, as the car rounds the bend and the hotel looms fully into view, I'm shocked to see that the place looks like it's falling down. I was expecting to be able to make fun of this hotel, but I thought I'd at least have to work a little. Instead, I think Steve might actually have driven us all this way, only to find that the fabled Lakeforth Hotel is closed for business.
I can't help grinning from ear to ear.
“Honey,” Beth says cautiously, “are you sure this is it?”
“What the hell happened?” he mutters, bringing the car to a halt at the edge of the cracked, leaf-strewn driveway.
“I don't see any signs,” Beth points out. “This doesn't look like a hotel at all. We must've taken a wrong turn.”
“This is definitely it,” he replies, unbuckling and climbing out of the car.
Beth finally turns to me, and my grin somehow gets even bigger.
“Don't!” she says firmly.
“What?”
“Just don't! You know how much this trip means to him!”
“Just because something means something to someone,” I reply, “doesn't mean it's worth doing.”
“Annie! Stop!”
With that, she gets out of the car and goes over to join Steve, who's standing dumbstruck at the foot of the steps that lead up to the grand main door. I watch them for a moment, still unable to stifle a faint smile, and then I open the door and clamber out of the car. I've been curled up on the back seat for so long, my legs are stiff, and I'm starting to get a little hungry. Stret
ching my arms out wide, I let out an exaggerated yawn that I just know will bug my sister.
Now that I'm out of the car, the first thing I notice is that the air is clean, the kind of clean that people always bang on about whenever they're pretending to enjoy getting away from the city. Those people are so tiring and over-enthusiastic about everything. And the second thing I notice, to my absolute delight, is that the large sign for Lakeforth Hotel has not only been knocked over, but there are actually vines growing across its surface.
This place has blatantly been abandoned for years.
As my grin broadens, I finally raise my hands and start a slow, sarcastic clap.
“Stop that!” Beth hisses, turning to me. “Annie!”
“It's a ruin,” I reply, putting my hands on my hips. “I mean, I was probably going to say that anyway, but I figured I'd be exaggerating a little. But no, this hotel is an actual, real ruin. It looks like it's on the verge of falling down. Didn't you even double-check that it was still running before you drove us out here? I mean, hello? Ever heard of the internet, guys?”
Ignoring me for some reason, Steve steps forward and starts making his way up the steps, as if he still can't quite believe what we've found. He's a cute guy, earnest but fun to be around sometimes, and I actually feel a little sorry for him. I mean, he's been bigging this hotel up for so long, and one might even say that he staked his reputation on it being the most fun place in the history of the world. Now we're here, and it's blatantly clear that the owners packed up and moved on a long time ago.
The whole trip is a joke.
“Well this is fun,” I say as I wander over to join Beth. “I am so glad I let you talk me into coming.”
“You talked me into letting you come,” she whispers. “Can you at least stop grinning like that? Steve's going to be really upset.”
“Why? We can just hit the road again and find a motel somewhere. Preferably one with a bar attached.”
“You know why he wanted to come here,” she replies, turning to me. “Believe it or not, Annie, some people actually have real human emotions. They care about things.”
“Blah blah blah.”
“Of course you don't understand. You don't care about anything, do you?”
“Ouch,” I reply, raising a skeptical eyebrow. “If I didn't know that you knew better, I'd be tempted to think you're trying to make me feel bad.”
“It's open!” Steve calls out suddenly.
Beth and I both turn to see him standing at the top of the steps, holding the front door wide open to reveal the gloomy interior.
“Yay,” I mutter, rolling my eyes.
“Maybe there's someone around,” he continues. “I'll go check.”
With that, he heads inside, leaving the door to slowly and creakily swing shut again. I guess that'll probably be the last we see of him. He'll probably be, like, eaten by hillbilly cannibals while he's in there, or slaughtered by the ghost of some long-dead serial killer.
“So we're leaving soon, right?” I ask, turning to Beth. “Promise me we're getting the hell out of here.”
Sighing, Beth makes her way up the steps. I guess it's only natural that she's going to follow her darling Steve into the building. After all, they've been practically joined at the hip ever since they started dating last year. Beth's a sucker for a guy with a tragic backstory, and Steve ticks all her boxes. In fact, finding this place abandoned probably makes her love him even more. She can dote over him, and try to make him feel better, and tell him he's not being a total wimp. And then they'll get all lovey-dovey and...
A shudder passes through my chest, and I swear I actually feel a little nauseous.
“I'll just go take a look around outside, then!” I call after them, even though I doubt they can hear me. Still, the idea of hanging around with those two right now is enough to make me want to vomit. “I'll probably get raped and murdered, but hey, who cares? Right?”
I wait.
No reply.
Wandering toward the far corner of the building, I can't help noticing that the entire area seems overgrown and abandoned. Like, this hotel has clearly not been in use for several years, and I actually have to be careful as I pick my way through the weeds. When I get to the corner, I spot a large patio area, complete with rusty old metal furniture that looks to have been just left behind by the previous owners. There are thick knotty weeds growing through the gaps between the patio's paving slabs, and some of those slabs feel loose as I make my way over to take a look at the swimming pool.
There's a pale gray cover over the pool itself, although it's not particularly secure and I can see water bobbing under the edge. I shiver slightly as I think about how cold this pool must be right now, and a moment later I see that there's something floating in the water. Leaning down a little and squinting, I see that the object in question is a dead wasp.
“Lovely,” I whisper. “Who wouldn't want to go for a dip?”
Still, as I look around at the vast, deserted expanse of the hotel's garden, I guess I can see how this place might have been nice once.
Years ago.
Years and years and years ago.
Before it became a gross trash heap.
“What a dump,” I mutter, heading around to the far end of the pool. “I am not staying here a moment longer than I have to.”
Glancing back toward the main building, I see nothing in the windows except the gray afternoon sky reflected back at me. I guess Beth and Steve are in there somewhere, and she's probably telling him how everything's going to be fine, and how he's a strong, sensitive guy who's in touch with his feelings and blah blah blah.
God, I really do feel sick.
Stopping at the edge of the paved area, I look toward the trees and see the lake glittering just a few miles away. There's no sign of life out there, of course, but at least the area has some potential. I mean, I could get behind some speedboat action, maybe some jet-skis, that sort of thing. Maybe I could go for a topless swim, let some guys check me out, see if any of them have the balls to make a move. Not that there are any guys around right now, but I reckon it'd be possible to hold a decent party out here. Not with Beth or Steve around, though. They're just -
“Ow!” I hiss, suddenly feeling a stinging sensation on my right leg.
Looking down, I see that I've brushed against a thick patch of nettles.
“Piece of shit!” I mutter, rubbing the patch of skin as I glance around, hoping to find some of those plants you can use to soothe the sting. I don't remember the name of them, but -
Suddenly I let out a gasp as I spot a face staring back at me from the forest. I tell myself I must be wrong, that I'm imagining things, but my heart is pounding and as I stare at the face I realize that it's real.
A little girl.
There's a faint, cold breeze blowing over my shoulder, ruffling the overgrown grass and causing the trees to rustle. The girl, meanwhile, looks to be no more than seven or eight years old, and she's standing completely still as she stares right back at me from her vantage spot about fifty feet away.
I wait for her to turn and run, or for her to just do something, but she just seems happy to stand there like some kind of idiot.
“Are you okay?” I call out finally, trying to force a smile even though I'm officially feeling 100% weirded out. Like, maybe even 1,000% or more.
Of course, the girl doesn't reply. She just keeps staring at me, and now I can't help noticing that she looks very pale. Whatever the hell's going on with her, she seems totally dedicated to the creepy little girl act, to the extent that I really just want to turn around and leave her alone.
At the same time, I'm not exactly the easily-upset type, and I figure this kid could give me some valuable intel that I can use to screw with Beth and Steve.
“Hey!” I yell, waving at the girl before using my hand to shield my eyes from the sun. “Come over here!”
I wait, but she's still just staring at me.
“Oh great,” I mu
tter, realizing that I'm going to have to go to her.
Well, I guess I could not bother, but it's not like I have anything better to be doing.
The overgrown grass isn't so bad, although I'm really not liking the mud and nettles. Still, as I make my way slowly and carefully toward the treeline, I tell myself that this might all be worth it. If the girl can tell me some juicy tidbits about what really happened here at Lakeforth Hotel, I can dangle those details over Steve and really make him sweat. It's not as if I've got anything else to do while we're at this dump, and maybe I can even expedite our departure a little. In fact, by the time I get all the way through the grass and stop just in front of the little girl, I'm starting to think that I'm the only person around here who actually has a hope of getting to the truth.
“Hey dude,” I say with a cautious smile. “So what's up? Do you know why this hotel is, like, all closed and stuff?”
As I wait for her to reply, I can't help noticing that she really is pale. Like, she doesn't really have very much color to her skin at all, just a tinge of very faint yellow to offset the white tones. She seriously needs some sun, maybe even a few tan jobs.
“Do you speak English?” I ask finally. “Am I making any sense to you at all?”
She's starting to really piss me off now, and I'm also wondering whether maybe she's retarded somehow. Still, I step closer, until I'm just a couple of feet away. Figuring I might still be able to get some info from her, I crouch down until we're face to face, and now I can't help noticing that her eyes are very dark, with smudged, smoky patches that form deep bags. Frankly, for someone her age, she really could use some skincare lessons, although I'm totally not in the mood to help her out right now. Instead, I'm actually starting to think I should have just ignored her and gone to find Beth and Steve.
“Do you know why the hotel closed?” I ask, speaking very clearly and very carefully, in case she's a bit slow. “My friends and I thought it'd be open, but it's closed. Do you know what happened?”