In a nicely designed room I lay one morning at a hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. This hotel was situated out in the middle of nowhere it seemed being surrounded by open land and no stores but an interstate that would lead into town. Indeed I approved of the quality and amenities at a price I was enjoying, especially one without tax. It also came with hot breakfast every morning that consisted of Belgian waffles, biscuits and gravy, bagels and so on. And on weekends came the deluxe hot breakfast with eggs, sausage, French toast and more — all at no extra cost.

I had checked in the night before and was given a room to appease my taste. “Here are the keys to your room, ma’am.” the male clerk says smiling. “Thank you,” I reply. And he says, “Enjoy your stay.” I respond with a nod, a smile and thank you again. I go through the glass doors, pass the lobby, down the hallway and approach my room #140 (one, four, zero). I placed down my bag and noticed they gave me a room with two full size beds for some reason, but gave me the same rate as a one. I thought to myself, “Now, what am I gonna do with two beds with it being just me? Hmmm.” I’d figure it out. And awwwww yes non-smoking. The room was free of smoke. I had to have a non-smoking room to be at liberty to breathe freely. I was content. I settled in and eventually fell asleep after calling some friends.

At about seven the following morning I awakened to the sound of the guests arguing next door. “I canNOT believe this,” I said aloud having thought I had escaped the yelling from the last.

They gave me an adjoining door to the room next door, though locked and the sounds carried easily through it as if just a big open space was there. “SHUT UP!” I yelled knowing that they would hear me, all the while grabbing my keys and my phone that I had placed neatly on the nightstand front and centered the night before. I put on my slippers and dragged my feet all the way back up to the front desk asking in an unnerving tone, “Can you please move me into another room?”

The clerk asked me what was wrong and I let her know that I could hear the guests arguing next door due to the adjoining door. “Yes, ma’am’. Sorry to hear that.” I say quickly, “And can you please make sure it, too, is non-smoking and definitely without an adjoining door?” She nods saying, “Let me see what is available” as she taps the keyboard looking for just the perfect room for me. She found one, which was located diagonally from the room I was intially in.

Once I got the keys, I packed my things and moved to the new room that was just as clean as the first. It was all so quiet and with no adjoining door. Yes, I was truly content. I took the other key back to the front desk of the first room, “Thank you,” I said continuing with, “It’s perfect.” The front desk clerk responds, “You’re welcome.”

I went back to my new room and finished unpacking. Once settled I plopped on one of the beds that was near the door. Yes, another room with two full-size beds. The blinds were closed with a little bit of light peering through. It was calm. It was peaceful. Such a still moment that I was enjoying. I got up real quick, laid out my blanket I initially brought with me to the hotel. I cuddled on the bed after turning on the cold air. I was now completely settled and quite comfortably in room #143 (one, four, three).

There was a night stand in between the two beds and I laid closer to the night stand. Facing the wall I finally closed my eyes to sleep. About 10 minutes in I open my eyes and noticed in the mirror on the wall a short figure at the foot of the bed, but at the corner that the bathroom wall and the wall the bed was up against shared. It appeared to be a kid with short black hair and pale skin with his head slightly down and hair draped a bit over his eyes. I was too tired to focus my eyes to see if I was really seeing what I had glanced at. So I continued to turn onto my right side to get comfortable in a new position for resting.

My eyes felt so heavy I couldn’t keep them open and didn’t want to because I was tired. I just wanted to sleep for the next few hours; dammit I wanted to sleep in peace! But then all of a sudden, the boy spirit comes dashing by my bedside in front of me – right in the space between the two beds as if to say, ‘How dare you turn your back on me.’ My eyes were closed and yet I could see the motion of his dash. He couldn’t have been no more than 6 years old. He leaned over me and starting yelling in my ear as if he had seriously lost his mind. My head started to throb as I felt a filling of vibrations from his voice screaming what seemed to be endlessly, “WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUP!!!”

The vibrations and loudness was far too much for me to bear. So being beyond frustrated and livid I got up, stomped my way to the door, opened it and roared, “Get the FUCK OUT!” Upon opening the door and demanding he be gone, I notice the hallway is not the hallway to the hotel I recalled being at. Was I dreaming this? The boy seemed to go out and disappeared as he passed over the threshold. I had become distracted by this hallway and in a moment I awoke in the reality of ABVI, the place I checked into from the beginning.

My eyes were still heavy as I sat upright pissed off due to this massive headache that was created. “What the fuck! That damn kid. Shit!” I say with fury. “Gave me a fucking headache.” I felt real dizzy and my head ached with pain. All I could say was “Shit!” repeatedly. My eyebrows turned inwards and my face in a squinch-like state of utter painful frustration. I walked about the room and every where I walked the room was filled with an insane heaviness; like a thick layer of energy so heavy I felt blocks of energy touching my skin as if I were in an ocean of water with water all around me. I sat on the other bed with my hand on my head in attempts to massage my temple. And then I tried laying back down on the bed I was initially.

I went to sleep mumbling under my breath still pissed at the painful present the boy spirit came to give me. I slept.

I slept…

I slept even more…

And continued to sleep.

Then fully rested I awoke. But I noticed the energy hadn’t left the room. It was still as thick as it was before I managed to rest. “Stupid boy!” I murmur and complain. “I oughta go tell the front desk to give me another room.” I contact a friend and tell her about it and we joke about me telling the front desk, ‘There’s a spirit boy in that room that likes to give people drilling and pounding headaches. I want a refund!” We laughed.

Did I see the boy spirit again? No. Did I hear him anymore? No. Even though the boy spirit was gone, he left me with his trail of energy and a headache to remember him by. This was his personal souvenir just for me.

When did the energy eventually just dissipate? Earlier the next day and it returned no more.

What the hell was the problem with that boy spirit? Why did he want me to wake up? Why did he disturb my peace? Had this boy been neglected and took it out on the first adult he saw? Or was he just lurking about this hotel and upon him returning to his “home base” found “goldilocks” sleeping in his bed and got pissed?

Who will be next to experience the madness of this boy spirit? Do you dare find out what awaits you in room #143 at the Americas Best Value Inn in Madison, Wisconsin.