The Gallagher Hotel

Digging through my grandfather's old items, I came across an envelope. Addressed to my grandfather, he never opened it. It was from a man named 'Mr. Gallagher', which I assumed was the comedian. After looking through my grandfather's old things some more I realized that this "Gallagher" was someone else entirely. Apparently from the newspaper clippings, he was a very rich man who had the idea of opening up a big casino/hotel. I had no idea why my grandfather had all this stuff, but I then found a framed picture that had a much younger him among other people which must have been the staff. I still question why I never seen or heard of this Gallagher anywhere. Finding my grandfather's journal, he was working in construction/maintenance of this new casino. He helped build it from the ground up, and Mr. Gallagher made sure to extend a large sum of money to each of the people involved in building to stay as permanent engineers. Seemed harmless enough. I opened the envelope, and slid out the cassette tapes, as well as a check for $500,000 with a slip of paper with the words "I'm sorry" written on it. I used my grandfather's old tape recorder, and pressed play.

Initially, it was when he first got the tape recorder. Hearing his voice when he was younger was very pleasing to hear, him badgering my grandmother to enjoy the tape recorder with him, and the like. The next recording is of him stating that he was looking for a job and how he had to sell his Ford Coupe to pay the bills. More recordings of him still job hunting. Then, out of nowhere, the recording is him acting happy and explaining how he was picked to help with a secret project, but he was mostly praising the money being pushed his way. I was at least glad that he was being paid a high amount after a large amount of sad recordings. The tape recorder clicked, and I chose to take a break from the tapes. I then moved to his journal. It seemed he kept his journal as up to date as his tapes, so I got to the part that I got to in the tape. He stated his excitement and how things would change around the house. The next page was all the items he was dreaming of buying, some underlined. I skipped ahead, and stopped at after the casino was built. He mentioned meeting Gallagher, a small man who had millions after selling properties. I got a sense of hatred from his description.

I came back to the tapes, skipped ahead to his first night on staff. He said the check was being sent home often, I even heard the voices of some of the guys he bunked with. The recording mentioned how one of the guys in his bunk had some tools missing, a man named 'Kowalski' was yelling at another man about his food missing which turned into a brawl. Day 7 or so, and some of the guests had gotten sick. No one knows how or why, they just got very ill over night, and they were blaming maintenance of being slackers. I heard granddad talk to the group about going inside the "guts" of the casino and trying to fix a leak, or check for something that can prove that maintenance isn't causing it. Next was static, lots of static. I then heard what was like the tape recorder being dragged across the floor. I grabbed the journal and flipped some pages, but none mentioned this. I then heard breathing, heavy breathing. It then sounded like it was biting something. Was this thing trying to eat the tape recorder? I still don't know, nothing in the journal ever mentions my grandfather trying to eat his tape recorder. Then, something metal hit the floor, which startled this figure, I next heard movement and heard it say "next time", and heard a heavy metal door slowly close.

Click. I quickly switched tapes, and it began with my grandfather asking "what the hell did he just listened to", with many other voices in the background also showing confusion. A while later, there were voices in the background talking of missing tools and how one guest died at the hotel. Apparently asphyxiation or something. Again, same creature was dragging the recorder across the floor, I heard what sounded like cans being rustled, and heavy tools being lifted. It then said in the recorder with a raspy voice "thanks", and the same door was silently closed. My grandfather's voice soon broke in saying, "what the he- Guys! Wake up!". I flipped through the journal and found a page scribbled with the words "I need these! Work! Finish Work!", the voices on the tape are obviously startled, confused, until someone notes the door is barely closed. I hear people grunting and closing the door with a heavy thud, another voice suggests calling Gallagher, then the tape stops.

The journal is blank after that, only thing left is the tapes. Listening further, it is revealed that numerous guests have died in similar fashion. I hear a voice I'm not familiar with, and find out that it is Mr. Gallagher. He is furious and threatening to have the entire maintenance staff arrested for murder. My grandfather tells him to come to the recorder, and I hear nothing for a few moments. He must be showing Gallagher the voice. The tape then comes back on where my grandfather reveals that one of the staff, Kowalski, went into the "guts" and never came back. Another recording reveals that they found his jumpsuit with large cuts in it. Another than reveals that the people found the cans of food, and an arm. In similar fashion my grandfather says that Elliot, his bunk mate, disappeared too, with all his gear. A group soon found pipes broken, and human remains jammed in vents. My granddad was talking about escaping when another door is opened, Gallagher is there barking orders and I hear more foot steps as well. Voices in the background want to know what is happening, my granddad obviously wanting the same thing. Gallagher then tells the other people in the room to prepare to go inside, and forces a man named Brian to accompany them. The metal door closes. Gallagher is saying that he is prepared to issue warrants for arrest as maintenance is responsible for the guests dying. I here my grandfather about to explain when a banging is heard on the metal door. It opens and it is revealed that something killed the other guys and Brian. Sounds of items being dragged about, I think they barricade the door. The sound of a gun being prepared is heard. No noise is heard for awhile. Faint footsteps is heard, getting closer. The sound of the metal being stripped is heard as people scream. Something else is roaring above the screaming, and gunshots are heard. Gallagher opens another door and running is heard, the gunshots getting more and more frequent. The door closes as people pound on it, yelling for help, the gunshots cease and something roars and sounds of biting are heard. Struggles and sounds of people screaming for help are heard. Eight whole minutes of this, then silence. The same heavy breathing comes to the recorder and says "I'm sorry" and the recorder clicks.

My cellphone got a call from a number labeled as "UNKNOWN" and same as the caller, I answered it. Heavy breathing. I ask the obvious question of who it is, and it says "sorry" and hangs up.