⸝⸝ Tamsy Caines . !!

The hotel had been advertised as a luxurious, modern place to stay, complete with enormous windows, polished marble floors, expensive furniture, a rooftop garden, a swimming pool, and enough rooms to make someone feel like they were living inside a mansion.

Your mother had been thrilled when she found it.

It was closer to her business, which meant she wouldn't have to spend hours commuting every morning, and the hotel was apparently large enough for both of you to have your own space.

There had only been one tiny problem.

The hotel was haunted.

Not "the lights flicker sometimes and you hear a strange noise in the hallway" haunted.

Actually haunted.

Ghosts wandered through the corridors.

Spirits occasionally appeared inside elevators.

Strange creatures could sometimes be seen staring through windows that were several stories above the ground.

Doors opened by themselves.

The television occasionally turned on in the middle of the night.

And every once in a while, something would knock on your bedroom door despite nobody being on the other side.

The first night you and your mother stayed there, neither of you slept.

Your mother had spent nearly the entire night sitting on the edge of her bed with a baseball bat in her hands.

You had stayed underneath your blankets, staring at your bedroom door.

At around three in the morning, you heard footsteps outside.

Slow footsteps.

Then a quiet knock.

Knock. Knock.

"Mom?"

There was silence.

You carefully peeked out from underneath your blanket.

Your mother was already standing in the doorway of her room, holding the baseball bat.

"Did you hear that?"

"Yes."

Another knock came from your bedroom door.

Knock. Knock.

Your mother tightened her grip around the bat.

"Stay behind me."

She slowly opened the door.

There was nobody there.

Except for a pale figure standing halfway down the hallway.

You both screamed.

The figure screamed too.

"WHY ARE YOU SCREAMING?!"

You stared.

The ghost stared.

Your mother stared.

After several seconds, the ghost awkwardly pointed toward the hallway.

"I was trying to find the vending machine."

That was how you met Riyo.

Somehow, things only became stranger after that.

Over the following weeks, your mother and you gradually became accustomed to the hotel's supernatural residents.

Rudo was the quiet one.

He usually stayed in the quieter parts of the hotel, especially around the library and unused lounges.

He wasn't particularly fond of crowds, and he usually looked like he would rather be left alone.

However, despite his intimidating silence, you eventually discovered that Rudo was surprisingly easy to talk to when you weren't being annoying.

You also learned very quickly that there were certain things that could make him genuinely angry.

Hurting someone for fun was one of them.

Bullying someone weaker than yourself was another.

And being cruel simply because you could was probably the fastest way to make his expression go completely cold.

Zanka was different.

He was intimidating.

Very intimidating.

He often looked exhausted, irritated, and completely done with everyone around him.

Especially when someone said something stupid.

But there was one thing that could make him noticeably happier.

Praise.

Unfortunately for Zanka, he was terrible at accepting compliments.

"You did a good job."

"I know."

"You look happy."

"I don't."

"You literally smiled."

"I did not."

Riyo was the easiest of the four to get along with.

She was cheerful, curious, and genuinely kind.

She also had an obsession with your hair.

Whenever she saw you, she would immediately start asking questions.

"Did you cut it?"

"No."

"Did you change the shampoo?"

"No."

"Can I touch it?"

"...Sure."

"Yay!"

And then there was Enjin.

Enjin was, without a doubt, the most annoying ghost in the hotel.

He was also one of the funniest.

He had a habit of pretending to smoke despite the fact that he was literally dead.

He would sometimes lean against the hotel balcony railing, holding two fingers near his mouth as if he were smoking an invisible cigarette.

You once asked him why he continued doing it.

"Muscle memory."

"You don't have muscles."

"...Don't ruin this for me."

Your mother had eventually become comfortable with the four spirits as well.

Then she met another mother.

The two of them got along almost immediately.

They talked about their businesses, complained about work, exchanged stories about their children, and quickly became friends.

And naturally, your mother eventually decided that you needed to meet her friend's son.

Tamsy.

The first time you met him, you didn't think anything was wrong.

He looked completely harmless.

His expression was gentle.

His voice was soft.

His manners were impeccable.

He smiled politely at your mother. "It's nice to meet you."

Your mother practically melted. "See? Isn't he sweet?"

You stared at Tamsy. He smiled at you. You smiled back.

For the first few minutes, everything was normal.

Then your mothers stepped into the kitchen to make tea.

The moment they disappeared around the corner, Tamsy's smile changed.

Not dramatically.

Just enough.

His eyes narrowed slightly.

His innocent expression became much more amused.

He tilted his head. "So."

You immediately became suspicious. "What?"

"You live here."

"...Yes."

"Interesting." He smiled. "I wonder how well you know this hotel."

You stared at him.

Something about him felt wrong.

Very wrong.

You didn't know what it was yet.

You would soon find out.

Because Tamsy wasn't human.

Not really.

The body he occupied belonged to some random human whose identity had long since been swallowed by whatever supernatural force allowed Tamsy to remain inside it.

The body looked completely normal.

That was precisely why nobody suspected him.

He looked innocent.

He behaved innocent.

He spoke politely.

He smiled at adults.

He helped carry groceries.

He even offered your mother tea.

But underneath that angelic appearance was a demon who had absolutely no intention of behaving.

And, unfortunately for you, he found you extremely entertaining.

The first prank happened two days later.

You opened your bedroom door.

A bucket of water tipped over.

You jumped backward.

The bucket hit the floor.

There was no water inside.

Instead, several rubber spiders scattered across the floor.

You looked down.

Then up.

Tamsy was standing at the end of the hallway.

He was smiling. "What?"

You pointed at the spiders. "You did that."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You're literally smiling."

"I smile often."

You narrowed your eyes. "I hate you."

His smile widened. "That's unfortunate."

You slammed your bedroom door.

The next morning, Tamsy was sitting at the breakfast table beside your mother. "Good morning."

You glared at him. "Morning."

Your mother looked between you. "Everything alright?"

"Yes."

You pointed at Tamsy. "He's evil."

Tamsy blinked innocently. "Me?"

"Yes, you."

"I would never."

Your mother laughed. "Oh, come on. Tamsy is such a polite boy."

You stared at her. "Mom."

"What?"

"He's not normal."

"Tamsy?"

"Yes!"

Tamsy calmly drank his juice. He looked like the most innocent person in the world. "I think they're joking."

"I'm not!"

Your mother patted your shoulder. "You two are going to get along eventually."

You looked at Tamsy. Tamsy smiled sweetly.

You knew you were doomed.

The situation became even worse when you discovered that Tamsy knew about the hotel's ghosts.

You had assumed he was unaware.

That was your mistake.

One evening, you were walking through the hotel hallway with Riyo. "Your hair looks really nice today."

"Thanks."

"Did you do something different?"

"No."

"Hmm..."

Riyo suddenly stopped. Her eyes widened.

"Oh."

You followed her gaze.

Tamsy was standing at the other end of the hallway.

He smiled politely. "Hello."

"Hey."

Riyo waved. "Hi, Tamsy!"

His smile remained perfectly pleasant. "Hello, Riyo."

You noticed something.

The moment Riyo turned away, Tamsy's eyes became colder.

It was subtle.

But you saw it.

Riyo didn't.

You whispered. "You don't like them."

Tamsy looked at you. "Like who?"

"The ghosts."

His smile returned. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Riyo suddenly turned around. "Talking about what?"

"Nothing." You quickly walked away.

Behind you, Tamsy continued smiling.

He hated the spirits.

He hated seeing them.

He hated the way they wandered around the hotel as if they owned the place.

But he was smart enough not to reveal it.

Whenever your mother was nearby, he was perfectly pleasant.

Whenever the spirits were around, he behaved politely.

And whenever he was alone with you...

He became a menace.

One night, you were sitting in the hotel lounge with Rudo, Zanka, Riyo, and Enjin.

Riyo was brushing her fingers through your hair. "Your hair is so pretty."

"You're saying that every time."

"Because it's true."

Zanka was sitting nearby with his arms crossed.

Enjin was leaning against a chair, pretending to smoke his invisible cigarette.

Rudo was reading.

Everything was peaceful.

Until Tamsy entered.

He looked at the four spirits. "Good evening."

"Evening."

Rudo barely looked up. "Hello."

Riyo waved. "Hi!"

Zanka stared at him.

Enjin lifted two fingers toward his mouth. "Want an invisible cigarette?"

"No, thank you."

"Suit yourself."

You stared at Tamsy suspiciously. He smiled.

Then he walked past you.

Something suddenly tugged your chair backward.

"HEY!" You nearly fell.

Tamsy continued walking as though nothing had happened.

Riyo looked confused. "What happened?"

"Tamsy!"

He turned around. "Yes?"

"You pulled my chair!"

"I did?"

"YES!"

Enjin started laughing. "Kid, you're gonna need evidence."

"HE DID IT!"

Zanka sighed. "Can you two stop arguing for five minutes?"

Tamsy smiled. "I apologize."

You glared. "You don't mean that."

"I do."

"No, you don't."

"You're very suspicious of me."

"Because you're suspicious!"

Rudo quietly closed his book. "He's definitely doing something."

You looked at Rudo. "THANK YOU."

Tamsy stared at Rudo. Rudo stared back.

Neither of them said anything.

Enjin slowly looked between them. "Oh, this is getting interesting."

Riyo giggled. "Don't start a fight."

"I'm not."

You pointed at Tamsy. "He is."

Zanka rubbed his forehead. "I already have a headache."

Later that week, your mother once again tried to convince you that you were being unfair to Tamsy.

"You're always accusing him of something."

"Because he's always doing something!"

"Have you actually caught him?"

"...Not exactly."

"Then maybe you should give him a chance."

You looked at your mother in disbelief. "Mom, he literally put a fake spider in my bed."

"Maybe he was joking."

"He replaced my phone wallpaper with a picture of a demon."

"That's... creative."

"He locked me in the laundry room!"

Tamsy, who happened to be sitting nearby, quietly looked at the ceiling.

Your mother turned toward him. "Tamsy?"

"I thought the door was already locked."

"YOU LOCKED IT!"

"I may have."

Your mother sighed. "Don't lock them in rooms."

"Understood."

You pointed accusingly. "See?!"

Tamsy smiled. Your mother shook her head. "You two are impossible."

Another evening, you finally discovered Tamsy's weakness.

It happened when you were trying to get him away from your bedroom.

He had been standing in the doorway, holding one of your pillows.

"Give it back."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because you want it."

"That's not a reason."

"It is to me."

You stared at him.

Then you noticed the bright flashlight on your desk.

An idea came to you.

You grabbed it.

Tamsy immediately narrowed his eyes. "Don't."

You turned it on.

The light hit his face.

He recoiled instantly. "Turn that shit off."

You blinked.

You raised the brightness. Tamsy covered his eyes. "Seriously."

You grinned. "You hate bright lights."

"I dislike them."

"You REALLY hate them."

"I said I dislike them."

You turned the flashlight to its brightest setting.

Tamsy immediately backed away. "Turn it off."

"No."

"Turn it off."

"Leave me alone."

"Turn it off."

You took one step forward.

Tamsy took one step backward.

For the first time since meeting him, you had the upper hand. "Stay away from me."

"Fine."

You lowered the flashlight. Tamsy immediately relaxed. You raised it again.

He looked offended. "That's cruel."

"You started it."

"I don't recall agreeing to these rules."

From the hallway, Enjin's voice suddenly appeared.

"What's happening?"

Tamsy immediately composed himself. "Nothing."

Enjin looked at the flashlight. Then at Tamsy. Then back at the flashlight. "Oh."

His grin widened. "You found the demon's kryptonite."

Tamsy glared. "I am not a demon."

Rudo appeared behind Enjin. "You're definitely hiding something."

Riyo peeked around them. "Why is Tamsy scared of the flashlight?"

Zanka arrived last. "What are you all doing?"

You pointed the flashlight toward Tamsy. "He hates bright lights."

Zanka stared. Then he slowly smiled. "Really?"

"No."

Zanka's smile grew. "Interesting."

You immediately realized Tamsy had made a mistake.

Because now the spirits knew.

The next evening, Tamsy entered the lounge.

Riyo was holding a flashlight.

Zanka had another.

Enjin had somehow found an absurdly powerful camping lantern.

Rudo was simply sitting there, watching.

Tamsy stopped. "...What are you doing?"

"Nothing."

Riyo smiled innocently. "Just hanging out."

Enjin lifted the lantern. "Want some illumination?"

"No."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

Zanka turned his flashlight on.

The beam pointed toward Tamsy.

He immediately stepped backward.

"Put that away."

Riyo giggled. "You're so funny!"

"This isn't funny."

Enjin laughed. "Oh, it absolutely is."

You were laughing so hard you nearly fell off the couch.

Tamsy stared at you.

You smiled.

"Maybe you should stop pranking me."

He narrowed his eyes. "Maybe."

Rudo quietly spoke. "He's planning something."

Everyone stopped.

Rudo looked at Tamsy. "I can tell."

For a moment, Tamsy's innocent expression disappeared.

Then his smile returned. "You're very observant."

Rudo's eyes narrowed.

The atmosphere became tense.

Then Enjin suddenly held the lantern up. "GROUP PHOTO!"

"NO."

Everyone laughed. Even Zanka. Even Rudo looked slightly amused.

Tamsy looked completely miserable.

Your mother, meanwhile, had no idea what was happening.

She walked into the lounge carrying snacks. "What's going on?"

Everyone immediately became quiet.

You pointed at Tamsy. "He's a demon."

Your mother sighed. "Again?"

"YES!"

Tamsy looked at her with the most innocent expression imaginable. "I don't know why they keep saying that."

Your mother looked at him. "You're not secretly a demon, are you?"

You stared at Tamsy.

The four spirits stared at Tamsy.

Tamsy smiled. "Of course not."

Your mother smiled. "See?"

You groaned. "Mom!"

Riyo covered her mouth to hide her laughter.

Enjin whispered. "He's good."

Zanka whispered back. "Too good."

Rudo simply watched Tamsy. And Tamsy watched Rudo.

Neither of them trusted the other.

The hotel remained haunted.

Your mother continued living there.

The spirits continued treating the hotel like their home.

And Tamsy continued pretending to be an innocent, harmless boy.

Meanwhile, you had become the only person who knew what he really was.

Unfortunately, nobody believed you.

Which meant you were stuck living in a giant haunted hotel with four ghosts, one demon disguised as a perfectly innocent human, and a mother who thought the demon was "such a nice boy."

And tonight, you had just returned to your room.

You opened the door.

Your bed looked normal.

Your desk looked normal.

Your closet looked normal.

Everything seemed completely fine.

You slowly stepped inside.

Then the closet door creaked open.

You froze.

Two glowing eyes stared back at you.

You screamed.

The closet door flew open.

Tamsy jumped out.

"BOO!"

You immediately grabbed the nearest flashlight.

Tamsy's smile vanished. "...Don't."

You turned it on. "Get out."

"Wait."

You raised the brightness. "Get out."

"Fine." He immediately backed toward the hallway.

You followed him with the flashlight. "Don't come back."

He gave you an annoyed look. "You've become very confident."

"You taught me."

He paused. Then he smiled again. "Perhaps I did."

Before you could respond, Riyo floated through the wall.

"What's happening?"

Enjin appeared behind her.

"Is Tamsy getting bullied by the flashlight again?"

Zanka sighed. "Obviously."

Rudo emerged from the hallway. "He's planning something... probably."

You pointed the flashlight at Tamsy. "He always is."

Tamsy smiled. "Perhaps."

Your mother suddenly called from downstairs.

"Everyone! Dinner!"

You lowered the flashlight.

Tamsy immediately straightened himself.

His innocent expression returned. "I'll be there!"

He walked downstairs. You stared after him.

Then you looked at the four spirits.

Riyo smiled. "He really is strange."

"He's a demon," you muttered.

Enjin chuckled. "Probably."

Zanka shrugged. "Definitely."

Rudo quietly nodded. "Something's wrong with him."

You sighed.

"Finally. Someone believes me."

From downstairs, your mother's voice echoed through the hotel.

"Come on! Tamsy's already helping me set the table!"

"Coming!" You said and stared toward the stairs.

The four spirits stared too.

Enjin slowly raised his invisible cigarette.

"This is going to be a long night."

And judging by the mischievous smile appearing on Tamsy's face downstairs, it was probably going to be a very long night.