Everything seemed surreal to Wiley as her small Volkswagen Beetle’s engine seized. Her two day road trip had been going great until the clock struck three a.m. Wiley was alone, no cell service or street lights made her feel even more alone and lost. She tried desperately to get the car started again but to no avail. A small lit up sign in the distance caught Wiley’s attention; maybe they could help. Wiley left her car and took her backpack with some necessities she would need until the morning and started walking to the sign.

She arrived about twenty minutes later and stood under the sign looking at the rundown B&B in front of her. ‘Abby’s Bed & Breakfast’ read the sign. All the lights were out except those of the sign and what looked light the front office. Wiley walked inside carefully, a short young woman stood behind the desk with a book.

“Hi, is there any rooms available?” Wiley asked.

“Yes, just sign into the check-in log there and then I can help you.”The lady said motioning towards a small leather notebook that is laid open on the edge of the desk. Wiley walked over to the book and read a few other the other entries. Something was off, all the previous entries were recent from within the past two weeks but none of the customers had signed out. “Excuse me Wiley? Payment is due before you get your room. Is that okay?”

“Uh yes tha-how do you know my name?”

“The total for one night is $55, cash or credit?” Wiley stood in front of the book and flipped through a few previous pages, no one has ever left it seemed.

“Why has no one ever signed-”Wiley said turning around to ask the woman, but she wasn’t there. Wiley looked around and saw her near the front door.

“Some people forget, some come back every few days so they just don’t sign out.” Said the woman shoving keys into her pocket. Wiley was confused, did she just lock the door?

“I’ll find somewhere else to stay, I apologize.” Wiley closed the book and walked towards the front door.

“But you already signed the book.” The woman yanked the book off the desk and opened to the recent page, showing Wiley her entry.

“I did not sign that, what is happening.” Wiley looked closer and notice the entry with her name was dated back two days ago, the day she left for her trip. “How?”

The woman dropped the book to the ground and stared at Wiley without saying anything. They both stood in silence waiting for something to happen. Without breaking eye contact the woman moved behind the desk and flipped a switch, turning the sign off.

“We’re closed.” And just as the short woman said that something pulled Wiley back into the darkness of another room. The woman returned to the desk and turned the sign back on, waiting for three a.m. to strike the very next night.