Thais Hostel: The Murder of Annie White

[Midnight Slayer]

Author's Note: This book is part of the Thais Hostel Collection

____________________________


Thais Hostel: The Murder of Annie White
By Master Slayer / Midnight Slayer

23:00
A horrifying scream erupts from the silent night. Walter, the guard, heard the outburst from his post at the south gate. He suspects the scream came from the Thais Hostel. As he makes his way down Harbour Street he is met by Kulag, a fellow Thais guard with a concerned expression.

23:07
Kulag: You heard it too?

Walter: Yes, I believe it came from the Hostel.

Kulag: Quickly, we need to act.

23:07
Upon entering the Hostel, the two guards are met in the lobby by the Inn-Keeper Frodo, and the Thais postman Benjamin. They both turn their attention to the guards.

Frodo: Welcome to the Thais Hostel! One moment please, and I’ll be right with you!

Frodo is standing behind the counter in the lobby accepting a letter delivery from Benjamin. After handing off the letter, Benjamin walks toward the guards hoping to quickly exit the Hostel. Walter stops him at the door.

Walter: We are here investigating a disturbance. We cannot allow you to leave until we have some answers.

Walter looks over to Frodo.

Walter: Did you not hear a scream?

Frodo: I did, yes.

Walter: Then why are you conducting yourself as if you have not?!

Frodo: I only rent the rooms. I would never invade the privacy of our guests. Never again.

Walter: Kulag, please stand guard and do not allow anyone to leave. I will begin my search upstairs.

Kulag nods in agreement. As Walter heads upstairs, Kulag motions for Benjamin to take a seat.

Benjamin: I will be late on my deliveries! I must go!

Kulag: I need you to cooperate. Have a seat.

Kulag looks over to Frodo.

Kulag: When did you begin caretaking for the Hostel, Frodo?

Frodo: Only one night a week. Business at the tavern has been slow and I needed some extra coin on the side.

Walter reaches the upper floor and begins walking down a hallway of rooms. He checks the first room on the left. Unlocked, but the room is empty. The door across from it on the right, locked. He sees a door at the end of the hall half open. As he starts heading toward it, he passes by another door slightly cracked open to his left. He kneels down and peaks inside. Two beautiful women are getting dressed in their room. He is captivated by their alluring sexual vibe, but suffers from guilt seeing them in this vulnerable situation. He closes the door very gently to avoid alerting them. He proceeds down the hall and enters the final room on the right.

23:12
An angelic gorgeous woman with blonde, yet nearly white hair, and a lovely white dress lays on a bed with blood seeping from her mouth. Her skin is deathly pale and she is not breathing. Walter, stunned by the sight, does his best to remain calm and continue his investigation. He puts his hand to her neck to check her pulse. She is certainly dead. When he pulls his hand back there is blood on his fingers. He checks her neck once again by placing his hand to the woman’s chin and turning her head to the side. Walter finds two puncture wounds on the right side of her neck with fresh blood.

All of the furniture in the room is in place and there were no signs of struggle that may have occurred during the time of this murder. The window next to the bed is open and the curtains are flapping in the wind. He notices some light brown stray hairs on the bed sheet. Walter believes this is a strong confirmation someone else was in the room.

23:28
Walter closes the window and locks it. He locks the bedroom door from the inside, steps out of the room and closes the door. He checks the knob. Locked. The crime scene is secured, for now.

Walter shouts,

Walter: Attention! All guests of the Thais Hostel need to exit their rooms and meet downstairs in the lobby!

As he walks down the hall, he bangs his fist on the doors waiting for them to open. The door with the two women opens, and together they enter the hall. They both have long dark black hair and pale skin. They are wearing extravagant dresses as if they were attending a late night ball or event.

Natalie Nightcourt: My word! What is all the fuss about?

Phoebe Monroe: Is something wrong?

Walter: Ladies, it is not safe up here. Please, head downstairs.

Natalie Nightcourt: Ohh, are you here to save us?

Natalie winks at him. They both giggle and turn away from him. As they walk toward the stairs, they glance back at him smiling. Walter is charmed by their flirtatious behavior then continues down the hall to the door locked on the right. He bangs on the door one more time without a response.


23:30
Walter walks downstairs and returns to the lobby. Benjamin, Frodo, Natalie and Phoebe are all seated with Kulag standing guard by the door.

Walter: Frodo, who is renting the first room on the right?

Frodo: I will check for you.

Frodo walks around the counter and checks the record book.

Frodo: A gentleman checked in around 22:30 under the name Owin, from Grimvale.

Walter: Do you have a key to his room?

Frodo: Yes sir. Here you are.

Walter accepts the key from Frodo and returns upstairs. He opens the door leading to Owin’s room to find it empty with the window open. Quickly, Walter runs over to the last room with the murder victim. The door is unlocked. He was certain he locked the door before he left. When he opens the door, the corpse of the slain woman is missing.

23:35
Walter, now confused and frustrated, returns back to the lobby.

Walter: What the hell is going on here? Kulag, has anyone left this room?

Kulag: No, they have all been here with me under my watch.

The front door to the Hostel opens. Owin enters but is blocked by Kulag standing in the entrance.

Walter: Kulag! Grab him. He is a suspect!

Kulag pulls Owin inside and signals for Owin to take a seat.

Owin: What is this about, hmm? Suspected of what?

Walter interrogates Owin.

Walter: You are from Grimvale, are you not?

Owin: I am, what of it?

Walter inspects the physical appearance of Owin. A rather hairy man with thick brown arm hair and bushy eyebrows. The same color of hair was found in the victim’s room.

Walter: Frodo, who was the woman in the room at the end of the hall?

Frodo checks his record books again.

Frodo: Annie White is her name. She checked in around 22:15. No information of where she is from but based on her clothing I would say, Liberty Bay.

Walter: What is your relationship with Annie White?

Owin: I don't know anyone by this name.

Walter: You checked in around 15 minutes after her. Did you follow her here?

Owin: No, and I have never met her.

Natalie Nightcourt: He’s lying.

Owin: Pardon me?

Natalie Nightcourt: I saw you go with her to her room.

Benjamin interrupts.

Benjamin: May I please leave? I have deliveries to make!

Walter: What was your delivery here?

Benjamin:That is private! I will not go against my duties as an honest postman.

Frodo: I have it right here!

Frodo holds up the letter. He slices open the envelope with a knife. Benjamin does not approve and gives an angry stare toward Frodo.

Frodo: Addressed to Annie White. Shall I read it?

Walter: Yes.
Benjamin: NO!

Walter: A woman was murdered here and I need answers. Frodo, please read the letter.

Everyone else: Murdered??!!

Frodo clears his throat and reads the letter aloud.

Frodo: “Dear Annie White, the Alanui Institute invites you to the Open-Air Theater for an extravagant performance. The musical “A Dance with Death” will be playing Saturday night and you are on our guest list! We hope to see you there!”

Natalie Nightcourt: Ah, the play! We are set to perform there tomorrow night. Phoebe and I were in our room trying on our new dresses. Don’t we look stunning??

Walter becomes more attracted to the two ladies in the lobby.

Walter: Yes ma’am. Lovely.

Walter does not believe these women could possibly commit a murder. Benjamin is in a hurry but seems quite harmless.

Walter: Frodo, was Benjamin upstairs during any time of him entering the Hostel?

Frodo: No sir.

Walter: Benjamin, you are free to go.

23:40
Benjamin rushes out the door to make the rest of his deliveries on time. Kulag and Walter stand in front of Owin and continue interrogating him.

Walter: The lady here says you went into Annie’s room. Be honest with me and explain.

Owin: Alright! I was in her room, ok? She invited me there after we met in the lobby.

Walter: What happened in the room?

Owin: We had an attraction to each other. We talked, we sat on the bed and kissed, but nothing else happened. After I left her room, I returned to mine at the end of the hall.

Walter believes Owin to be the prime murder suspect and begins piecing together what he believes occurred.

Walter: No, when you were in her room you murdered her!

Owin: What?! I wouldn’t dare.

Walter: You went out of her window, snuck across the ledge, and entered back into your room.

Owin looks toward the clock. It reads 23:41.

Owin: Impossible.

Walter:When you heard me coming down the hall minutes later, you locked your door and hid in your room. Then, when I came back downstairs, you left your room and returned to hers. You needed to hide the body, didn't you?

Owin: How could I have done that if her door was locked?

Walter: How did you know it was locked?

Owin fails to answer.

Walter: Search him.

Kulag searches Owin but does not find a key.

Kulag: He must have gone through the window each time then.

Walter: No, I locked the window.

Both Kulag and Walter are stumped.

Phoebe Monroe: You know.. I have heard strange things about Grimvale. Werewolf-like creatures and such. Quite fascinating tales.

Walter may not have an explanation to the murder but he feels the evidence is enough to have Owin arrested.

Walter: Ahh, it all makes sense. Is that what you are? You must be one of those were-creatures, eh? You sunk your fangs into that poor woman and took her life, didn’t you?!

Kulag: Confess!!

Owin: No! I am not one of those… THINGS! These are preposterous accusations! I am an innocent man!

Walter: You climbed back down out of your own window, climbed down the side of the Hostel, and returned through the front door as if nothing had happened.

Kulag: Criminals always return to the scene of a crime!

Owin slumps in his chair in disbelief.

Kulag: Owin from Grimvale! You are under arrest for the suspected murder of Annie White. You will be seen before the King at dawn to receive judgment for your suspected crime. You will be held in Thais Jail until then.

Owin: You will regret this.

Walter: I will stay here and search for the whereabouts of the missing body.

Kulag nods in agreement and escorts Owin out of the Hostel.

Frodo: Well done, good sir! Walter, that was very impressive detective work!

Natalie Nightcourt: Yes, quite impressive. Phoebe, why don’t we invite Walter here up to our room to celebrate his success?

Phoebe Monroe: That sounds like a wonderful idea, Natalie!

They both smile.

Walter: I am still conducting an official investigation ladies.

Natalie Nightcourt: Oh, come now! Come have a sip of wine with us! You’ll have plenty of time to search the Hostel.

Phoebe Monroe: Yes, you can search us too.

Phoebe flirtatiously smiles and giggles at Walter. They walk up the stairs looking back inviting Walter to follow them.

Walter: If you insist.

23:55
As Walter enters their room, both of the women usher him toward the sofa to have a seat.

Natalie Nightcourt: You have been on your feet all day, guarding the city, solving murders. You should have time to rest and relax.

Natalie offers the guard a glass of wine.

23:58
Phoebe sits next to him rubbing his shoulders.

Phoebe Monroe: My my, Walter! What big strong shoulders you have!

She begins kissing and nibbling on his neck. Natalie joins them on the couch and begins kissing him on his other side. Walter is seated facing directly to the door of the room, and watches as it slowly creeps open.

23:59
Walter's eyes light up in shock. Standing in the doorway in her blood splattered white dress is Annie White. She has pale skin, and blood dripping from her mouth.

Walter: What… What is this?! Am I dreaming?!?!

Annie White, back from the dead, puts her bloody finger in her mouth and tastes it.

Annie White: I’m… hungryyy….

00:00
The clock strikes midnight. A full moon is out. Meanwhile in the prison floor of the Thais Jail, Kulag is about to place Owin in a cell. Owin dramatically transforms to a lycanthrope; A massive wereboar with deadly claws that mauls Kulag to death in the halls.

In the Hostel, the two women seated next to Walter reveal huge fangs in their teeth.

Walter: Vampire Brides?! W-w-wait! No! NO!

They viciously sink their teeth into Walter’s neck and begin draining the blood and life from his body. Annie White steps in the room, closes the door and locks it. Now, a vampire herself, joins in and feeds from her first meal as an undead.

After Walter passes away, the three women are interrupted by the sound of a bell clinging.

A new visitor has entered the Hostel.

The three women look at each other... and smile.

__________________________________________

-MS-

[Valkera]

Good lord, that was awesome! Very nicely written, and the dialogue was excellent. Mystery and horror... I expect more of this in October. We need in-game copies for sure!

[Midnight Slayer]

Good lord, that was awesome! Very nicely written, and the dialogue was excellent. Mystery and horror... I expect more of this in October. :) We need in-game copies for sure!

Yes, it is a bit out of season, hehe.

However, this was an itch I needed to scratch. Mystery is a bit of a new genre I haven't tapped in to before.

I'm glad to see your response. Thank you for the kind words as always, Valkera! :)

-MS-

[Mihiron]

I can imagine a play about it already

[Midnight Slayer]

I can imagine a play about it already

Maybe it is a play within a play? :)

-MS-

[Drarice]

Nicely written my friend, got my imagination going!

[Olfer Caemorius]

I wonder, how can two experienced guard did not noticed the pale skin from that two women, stunning dressed and clearly suspect.

And I still wonder, what the heck Benjamin is still delivering late at night?

Well, I have to agree that is pretty easy to make these questions reading this epic and well-writing tale, but in the heat of the moment is pretty easy to be take for a ride, many things happening at the same moment and handle with it.

[Midnight Slayer]

I wonder, how can two experienced guard did not noticed the pale skin from that two women, stunning dressed and clearly suspect.

And I still wonder, what the heck Benjamin is still delivering late at night?

Their appearances and behavior are misleading when compared to other vampires. Beauty can also be very distracting, no matter how diligent the guards are on duty.

As for Benjamin, excellent observation! Frodo should have been alert and suspicious of the delivery. Unfortunately, it went over his head.

Glad to see you are enjoying the series, Olfer! :)

-MS-

[Sadon Lightsun]

Since I had only read one random chapter of this.. I decided to read each one of them.
Started now

Awesome as always MS.