Doors: The Hotel

Room 3 was eerily quiet. Kikidori's footsteps echoed faintly as he stepped inside, his flashlight casting long, dancing shadows across the walls. The room was smaller than the last, but the same sense of decay was evident—peeling wallpaper, overturned furniture, and a thick layer of dust that seemed to cling to everything.

He scanned the area carefully, his flashlight's beam darting across the floor and walls. The silence weighed heavily on him, making his breathing sound louder than it should. As his light swept over a cracked desk near the center of the room, something caught his eye—a small orange bottle lying on its side.

"What's this?" he muttered, crouching to examine it. The label was faded, but he could just make out the word "Vitamins" printed in bold letters. He picked it up, shaking it lightly. The pills inside rattled softly.

"Huh," Kikidori said, slipping the bottle into his pocket. "Might come in handy later."

He turned his attention back to the room, his flashlight continuing its search for the door. There was no sign of it. His brow furrowed as he moved further into the room, checking behind pieces of furniture and even under the dusty rug in frustration.

"Dang it," he muttered, spinning around. "Where's the stupid door?"

Then his light landed on something unusual—a vent embedded low in the far wall. The metal grate was slightly ajar, and scratch marks surrounded its edges, as though something had pried it open. Kikidori's stomach churned uneasily.

"A vent?" he said, taking a cautious step closer. "You've gotta be kidding me."

The opening wasn't large, but it was just big enough for him to crawl through. He crouched down, peering into the darkness beyond. The narrow passage stretched ahead, the dim light from his flashlight barely illuminating its depths.

"This… this is not what I signed up for," Kikidori muttered, rubbing the back of his neck. But with no other option in sight, he took a deep breath and reached for the vent. His fingers hesitated on the cold metal before pulling the grate completely open.

"Here goes nothing," he whispered, climbing inside.

The vent was cramped and dusty, the air stale and heavy. Kikidori kept his flashlight ahead of him, its beam bouncing as he crawled forward. Each movement sent an echoing creak through the narrow space, making him wince. His heart pounded in his chest, the thought of something—*anything*—waiting for him on the other side gnawing at the edges of his mind.

After what felt like an eternity, he reached the end of the vent. Another grate blocked his path, but it looked loose enough to push open. He braced himself, nudging it aside with a shaky hand.

The vent led into a fully lit room, a sharp contrast to the dim spaces he'd been navigating. Room 4 was bathed in a warm, golden glow from a chandelier above, its crystals sparkling like diamonds. The walls were clean, the furniture upright and dust-free, and the air felt lighter, less oppressive.

Kikidori crawled out of the vent and stood, brushing off his clothes. "Well, that was awful," he muttered, glancing back at the dark opening behind him. He turned his attention to the room, relief flooding through him at the sight of the light.

"This is… better," he said cautiously, though a lingering unease remained.

The end of Chapter 3.