A posh café filled with crystal lights and marble tables, surrounding it are leather chairs, and the smell of expensive liquor and cologne which permeate through the café, accompanying it is a light murmur from the guests that fill the atmosphere.

Under the shade of all this opulence sits a young man concentrating on the screen with one hand on a laptop and the other supporting his head, with a closer look at his wrists the glistening of an expensive watch shines against the crystal lights.

Behind his annoyed expression lies an attractive face with sharp features. Eyes as green as a polished emerald which compliment his slightly tanned complexion, framed with wild jet-black hair and dressed in a black jumper and subtly branded jeans. He leans back, eyes closed as he stretches his arms and falls back into the soft red leather sofa as he lets out a deep sigh, a sigh that isn’t of frustration, but one of acceptance.

Ugh… Can this day get any more exhausting?

“Cryus! How are you?!”

Oh for the love of…       

Recognising the voice, his eyes slowly move up from the laptop screen, half opened looking like a cross between disinterested and fatigue. He notices a young woman approaching.

She had a fair complexion with shyly blushed cheeks, thin but luscious naturally red lips that accompany a well-proportioned nose. Sapphire blue, doe like eyes that would turn a man’s heart into gold, framed with Rose-blond hair that rest above her collarbones. A slim but mature bust, waist and hip, carried by long and slender legs. She was wearing a long, turtle neck jumper dress in a light beige, flattering her every feature.

I really needed the day to myself

“Hey Emily, Look I’m not-” Cyrus says before he is cut off by Emily’s excited tone

“Oh my god, where have you been?! I haven’t seen you in like forever!” She says as she pulls back the chair opposite of Cyrus to sit on.

She really can’t take a hint can she? Well… I guess it isn’t her fault, I’m just not in the mood

“Emily, I’m really not having a great day, no offense but I really want to be alone”

The girl’s eyebrows furrow as her face changes from excitement to worry.

“What is it Cyrus?” Emily says with a concerned tone, she leans in closer “you can talk to me, maybe I can help?”

I really don’t want to talk right now.

Cyrus, visibly looking uncomfortable is noticed by one of the waiters from behind the counter. Trying help him, the waiter approaches the table the pair are sitting on attempting to diffuse the situation.

Man what does Josh want, I already bought my coffee

“Cyrus, I’ve just received a message from the reception. They told me you have a phone call waiting”

What’s Josh talking about, who would call me through the reception instead of my phone?                

With slightly squinted eyes, Cyrus stares for a moment at the member of the hotel staff. After a moment of realisation, his eyes open but then, return to his normal uninterested facial expression.

Damn, I’m gonna tip him big time

“Oh thanks Josh, I mustn’t keep them waiting shall I” says Cyrus with a slight smile as he stands from his chair packing his laptop away. He then reaches for his back pocket, presenting a thick wallet, with more than half the girth coming from the amount of bank notes within it. He pulls out a pink note and places it on the payment tray on the table.

“Keep the change, thanks for the service, Emily we’ll catch up some other time” Cyrus says as he throws his laptop bag over his shoulder

“Umm, I guess I’ll speak to you later?” Emily says shyly as she is visibly disappointed while watching Cyrus leave the café.

Leaving the luxurious café, Cyrus enters a grand lobby, bustling with people who look to be of a high social status. Everyone is covered in expensive furs and silks, the lights reflect off all the jewellery and which in turn adds to the ambience as it bounces off the centre piece, a large crystal chandelier, that is hung above a red carpet that spans over the whole centre of the hotel lobby.

Cyrus makes his way through the lobby towards the front desk, where a young lady wearing a maroon coloured suit that’s branded with the hotels insignia. He leans down on the desk with one arm, waiting for the clerk’s attention.

“Hello Mr Skies, how may I help you this evening?” She says with a beaming smile that would brighten the day of any man.

“Hey Polly, I’m gonna head to my room, but I’m bloody starving. Mind sending someone up with some pepperoni pizza?” Before letting the clerk respond, Cyrus’ facial expression slightly drops “Uh, also did anything come in the mail for me today?”

The clerk turns to a clipboard by her on the desk and flicks through the pages in a graceful fashion. “Hmm it seems nothing has arrived, but if anything does come, I will be happy to get that delivered straight to your suite, but I’ll be sure to get that pizza to you shortly sir.”

“Thanks Polly” He says before leaving towards the elevator.

He presses the button then takes a step back, crossing his arms while waiting. Watching the numbers descending till it reaches the lobby floor. He then enters the empty elevator and stares back at himself in the mirror, waiting for the doors to shut behind him. He notices his tired eye bags and how exhausted he looks.

It’s no big deal, just take a shower and get some rest, everything will be chill, and maybe I’ll get to have a quiet night to myself

After reaching the 35^th floor, Cyrus heads to his suite, closing the door behind him and throwing the laptop bag onto his bed as he strips down to prepare for his shower.

Stepping onto the heated marble floor, feeling the warmth against his bare feet providing a sense of comfort and safety. He voices to his AI entertainment system.

“Please play my Lo-Fi playlist”

The lights of the system turn on and the speakers start to play music as he steps into the shower. Water falls onto his athletic shoulders and flow around his defined muscles while he runs his shampoo filled hands through his long, wavy, jet-black hair.

Yeah… I’ve been waiting for this kind of solitude all day

BRRRRRRIIIING

Ahh that must be the pizza

Cyrus turns the shower off and grabs his towel, wrapping it around his waist as he steps out of the bathroom, water dripping from his wet body onto the cashmere rug. He opens the door and to his surprise, Emily is standing before him.

Man what’s she doing here?

 “So I thought I wou…” Emily stops as her eyes open widely realising Cyrus half naked with only a towel covering his jewels.

Maybe if I fuck with her a little bit, she will leave

Cyrus smirks slightly as he looks at her “You like what you see?” he says in a teasing tone letting out a low subtle laugh.

“You know, people might get the wrong idea with you standing in front of me in the hallway while I’m half naked”

Emily eventually composing herself returns her gaze back towards Cyrus’s eyes “You know, maybe I’ll come back later seems like you were in the middle of something”

Just before Emily is able to leave completely, she is stopped in her tracks as she notices Josh standing near her with a food trolley, standing and watching with a smirk on his face.

Josh is looking up and around the hall way, anywhere but towards the pair, pretending like he isn’t paying any attention to the situation. Emily, with flaring red cheeks turns the other way and promptly leaves feeling embarrassed.

Well that certainly cheered me up ha-ha

Josh pushes the trolley closer to Cyrus’s door and banters with him while handing over his pizza.

“Looks like she doesn’t give up easily, that one’s a keeper” Josh says with a smile

“Yeah well, I’m not really interested in that kind of thing right now” Cyrus responds while opening the box in his hands and taking out a slice “I got too many other things on my mind these days”

“Fair enough, I’ll leave you to it. I have other rooms to tend to” Josh gives Cyrus a wink as he leaves pushing the trolley down the hall.

Cyrus jumps onto his bed while turning on the TV and eating his pizza, flicking through the channels as he notices an emergency news broadcast on one of the channels.

“Breaking News! Reported earthquakes, spanning the globe, citizens are urged to…”

The feed cuts off, the whole room starts to vibrate, and Cyrus’s heart rate starts speeding up as he has never experienced an earthquake living in London. The lights start to violently flicker till they turn off, as the earthquake suddenly stops.

He quickly rushes to the window and looks down onto the streets of London to see the extent of the damage. He notices a couple of accidents outside the building as car alarms are going off simultaneously and all the remaining lights on the street are from the cars, as the electrical grid seems to have been cut off by the earthquake.

Cyrus gets an eerie vibe as he gets out his phone to check the newsfeed, and sees that his Wi-Fi is no longer receiving signal, nor is he getting any mobile signal. He turns his mobile light on as he goes through his closet to put on his typical black t shirt, joggers and trainers, before leaving his room to get more information on what’s happening. Before opening his door he hears a loud shrieking scream, making him pause in his tracks.

What the fuck, that scream sounded primal, like somebodies fighting for their life

He slowly opens his door as he peeks into the hallway, stepping out carefully as his flashlight shines on splatters of blood, he slowly moves his light forward, uncovering more blood.

It’s… Everywhere. I’ve never seen so much blood like this before. There’s no way somebody survived whatever happened here.

Cyrus’s blood runs cold as he feels a sharp shiver go down his spine, he hears a soft low whisper coming from behind him.

“Oi, stay silent”

Cyrus turns his head slowly and looks behind him, shining his light on Josh, crouched down against a tipped over food trolley.

“Want to fill me in on what’s happening?” Exclaims Cyrus in a scared yet excited tone.

“I don’t know, but something real fucked up looking just carried one of the guests into that room” replied Josh.

Cyrus and the guy slowly follow the trail of blood all the way up to the slightly opened door. A low grunting sound is being emitted from the room, sounding like a cross between a growl from a wild dog and something else that can’t be described. They slowly peek in and see a dark moving silhouette standing over another object.

Suddenly the hotel back-up generator finally kicks in, turning on the lights that rapidly flicker probably from a lack of power, the lights flicker over the dark silhouette and reveal something foul looking, bent over the corpse of a dead woman, it has a large muscular back with large thick pulsing, veins. The beast is covered in a reddish complexion, it looks as though it is eating at this corpse.

Both Cyrus and Josh stumble back in surprise, attracting the attention of the beast, revealing its putrid looking face.

It is smeared with blood all over its large round mouth, filled with rows of teeth as far back as you can see into its throat, consuming the flesh of the corpse, visibly showing the teeth grinding the muscles and bones.

Cyrus quickly grabs the handle of the door and slams it shut before pulling Josh, sprinting along with him, they run through the hall hearing the door break open behind them as they quickly turn into Cyrus’ room as he locks it behind them.

Cyrus quickly exclaims in his heightened adrenaline filled state “barricade this room quick!”

They both grab what they can, the sofa, chairs, even the bed stands to seal up the door. They hear the beast banging loudly against their door with frightening force. Cyrus looks towards Josh who is visibly shaken up.

“Listen josh, I don’t think the barricades gonna hold, looks like we got no choice but to fight that thing.”

The banging on the door stops, as they hear a girl scream. “Shit that’s Emily”

Got to face that thing either way, might as well fight it with an extra person. Better odds.

Cyrus quickly grabs a kitchen knife as he starts to remove all the items barricading the door.

“Josh grab a weapon, this is the best chance we’re gonna get”.