Emma's fingers trembled as she fumbled for her phone. The sudden loss of light had plunged her into an inky blackness, and she was desperate to find a way to illuminate her surroundings. Finally, her fingers closed around the device, and she managed to activate the flashlight app.
The weak beam of light cast eerie shadows on the walls of the cramped motel room. Emma's heart still racing, she took a deep breath and tried to calm herself down. The power outage was probably just a result of the old motel's faulty wiring. But as she looked around the room, she couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.
The window, which she was certain she had closed before the lights went out, was now open, the curtains billowing in the gentle breeze. Emma's skin prickled with unease as she approached the window. She peered out into the darkness, but there was nothing to see. The motel's parking lot was deserted, the only sound the distant hum of crickets.
As she turned back to the room, Emma noticed something else odd. Her suitcase, which she had left on the bed, was now on the floor. It was as if someone had rummaged through her belongings while she was distracted. Emma's heart skipped a beat as she approached the suitcase. She hesitated for a moment, wondering if she should investigate further.
But her curiosity got the better of her. She opened the suitcase and began to dig through its contents. Everything seemed to be in order, but Emma couldn't shake the feeling that something was missing. She checked her wallet, her phone, and her laptop, but everything was accounted for.
Just as she was about to close the suitcase, Emma heard a faint scratching noise. It started as a gentle sound, like fingernails on wood, but grew louder and more insistent. Emma's skin crawled as she realized that the noise was coming from outside her room.
She slowly got up from the bed and approached the door. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and her senses were on high alert. She slowly turned the handle and pushed the door open, shining her flashlight into the dark corridor.
The scratching stopped, and an oppressive silence fell over the motel. Emma's beam of light illuminated the deserted corridor, casting eerie shadows on the walls. She took a step forward, her eyes scanning the corridor for any sign of movement.
And then, she saw it. A figure, tall and imposing, stood at the end of the corridor. Its face was shrouded in shadows, making it impossible to discern any features. Emma's blood ran cold as the figure began to move towards her, its slow, deliberate steps echoing through the corridor.
She tried to scream, but her voice was frozen in her throat. She was paralyzed with fear, unable to move or look away from the approaching figure. The darkness seemed to be closing in around her, suffocating her.
As the figure drew closer, Emma saw that it was a man. He was tall and gaunt, with sunken eyes that seemed to bore into her soul. Emma's heart was racing, and her breath was coming in short gasps.
The man stopped in front of her, his eyes fixed on hers. Emma felt a chill run down her spine as he reached out a bony hand and touched her face. His fingers were cold and clammy, and Emma felt a wave of revulsion wash over her.
And then, everything went black