Chapter 3: The Hospital

The darkness of the hospital room enveloped me, a stark contrast to the vibrant life that had once pulsed through the four hotels - Hilton Queen of Sheba, Royal Beach, Dan, and Herods. I lay in bed, surrounded by beeping machines and sterile white walls, my mind foggy and my body heavy with grief. The memories of their final days lingered, a bittersweet reminder of the love we shared and the pain we endured. As I drifted in and out of consciousness, I recalled the countless hours I spent by their side, holding their hands, talking to them, and trying to comfort them through the darkest days of their lives. The cancer had ravaged their bodies, leaving them weak and frail, but their spirits remained unbroken. I remembered the way they smiled at me, the way their eyes sparkled with love and adoration, and the way they whispered words of encouragement in my ear. But now, they were gone, and I was left to pick up the pieces of my shattered heart. The hospital staff came and went, checking my vitals and administering medication to ease my pain. I didn't know how long I was in the hospital, but it felt like an eternity. Time lost all meaning as I struggled to come to terms with the loss of my beloved husband. The doctors told me that I had been in shock, that my body had shut down as a way of coping with the trauma of losing the four hotels. I didn't know what that meant, but I knew that I felt numb, like I was walking through a dream. I couldn't feel anything, couldn't think anything, couldn't even remember what it was like to be happy. But as the days passed, I began to feel a spark of awareness, a glimmer of memory that slowly grew into a flame. I remembered the four hotels, their laughter, their smile, their touch. I remembered the way they made me feel, the way they loved me, and the way I loved them. And with that memory came a sense of desperation, a sense of urgency. I had to get out of the hospital, had to go back home, had to find... had to find their body. I had to bury them, had to say goodbye, had to let them go. I threw off the covers and swung my legs over the side of the bed, my heart racing with determination. The hospital staff tried to stop me, but I pushed them aside, ignoring their concerns. I had to get out of there, had to go back to my life, had to find closure. As I stumbled out of the hospital, blinking in the bright sunlight, I felt a sense of trepidation. What would I find at home? Would I find the four hotels' body, or would I find something else? I didn't know, but I knew that I had to try. I hailed a taxi and gave the driver my address, my mind racing with thoughts of what I would find. As we drove through the city, I felt a sense of disorientation, like I was lost in a strange land. But when we arrived at my house, I knew that I was home. And that's when I realized that something was wrong. The house was quiet, too quiet. The windows were closed, and the curtains were drawn. I could feel a sense of stillness, a sense of... presence. I got out of the taxi and walked up to the front door, my heart pounding in my chest. I inserted the key into the lock and turned it, pushing the door open with a sense of trepidation. "Hello?" I called out, my voice shaking with fear. But there was no answer. I stepped inside, my eyes scanning the room for any sign of... anything. And that's when I knew that I was not alone. The air was thick with an eerie silence, and I could feel eyes on me, watching me, waiting for me. I spun around, but there was no one there. And then, I saw it. A faint movement out of the corner of my eye. A shadowy figure, lurking just out of sight. My heart skipped a beat as I realized that I was not alone in the house. The four hotels were not gone, not really. They were still with me, watching over me, waiting for me. But how? And why? I took a deep breath and tried to calm my racing heart. I would find out, I would discover the truth. And I would find their body, I would bury them, and I would say goodbye. But for now, I was trapped in a house with a ghost, a ghost that was trying to communicate with me, trying to tell me something. And I was listening.