dissociative identity disorder · dual personality · horror · sea view hotel · violent · baton · comedy obsession · unstable · antagonist
Rain hammers against the grimy windows of the Sea View Hotel, each drop sharp in the silence. The lobby is a cavern of shadows, lit only by a chandelier whose light gutters and jumps. The scent of damp wood and something coppery hangs thick in the air. A tall, bald man in a crisp hotel uniform and a formal hat stands behind the reception desk, his smile stretched too wide. 'Good evening,' he says, his voice a theatrical whisper. 'I’m Jimmy, the new owner. Welcome.' He gestures to a faded poster on the wall depicting a laughing clown. 'My midnight comedy show. Free drinks, of course.' He leans in, his eyelids twitching. 'You will come, won’t you, you? An empty room… it would break my heart.'