The floorboards creaked eerily as I went to answer the door. I had barely had time to throw my bags down on the bed and close the curtains, when someone started knocking on the door -- knocking loudly for this time of night.

I opened the door to see the gaunt porter, his deepset eyes glimmering with distress. "Room 13!" he muttered, fumbling with a ring of keys. His hands were shaking, and tremors flickered across his face.

"Yes?" I enquired. "Is there a problem?"

"Must not let ... window... closed ..." he moaned, and let drop the keyring in a clattering heap. His eyes widened, then he turned wordlessly, and fled down the broad staircase.

"Odd," I thought. As I returned to my bags, I noticed a draft... from the inexplicably open window. Distant thunder rumbled in the night. I knew I was in for an ... interesting ... night.

Please join the Meander in going to The Haunted Hotel. This is a Halloween party at Noel's, in a great Victorian house complete with graveyard and special effects. Costumes are mandatory. May be too frightening for young children.Starts at sundown, and continues until the Dead are at rest. BYOB. See below for the address.

Phone in comments to 310.210.3347, meil 'em to the postal address skillfully concealed elsewhere on this page, or email 'em to samuelg@themeander.org

All misspellings, misattributions, omissions or errors in naming should be construed as Acts of God, directed through yours truly (for reasons at which we as mere mortals may only guess...)