The Figure in the Old Inn

My name is Clara, and I grew up in Ohio. I have had many strange encounters, but one stands out the most. When I was eleven, my family stayed at an old inn during a trip. I was permitted to invite two companions, so I brought along Sophie and Maya. The inn had a local story about a sad woman who had once lived there long ago. She had fallen ill and, feeling isolated, had died by her own hand in the building. People said her spirit never left.

We were given the very room where it had happened. Sophie, Maya, and I were filled with dread. That first night, Sophie, who was sleeping on a cot, woke up hearing the sound of someone walking. Maya and I shared the main bed, while my father had his own. The next afternoon, I was washing my face in the bathroom when I clearly heard a woman’s voice say, “Help me.”

Later, my father locked our door from the outside and went to the lobby to read. We were alone and heard the footsteps again in the hallway. We were so frightened we hid under the covers. Suddenly, the blankets were tugged sharply off Maya and me. We saw that Sophie was still asleep. I looked up and saw the faint shape of a person standing near the window.

In the morning, we rearranged our bedding. My father was still resting. For a moment, we all saw the form of a woman lying on his empty bed before it faded away.