Simukadalota usiku wabwino kwambiri pazomwe zatsala pang'ono kuchitika m'mbali mwa Nyanja ya Michigan. Matalala a chipale chofewa ankayenda mozungulira mdima wokhawokha, ndipo phokoso lokhalo linkamveka chifukwa cha mphepo yamkuntho komanso chingwe cha zingwe zolimbana ndi chikwangwani cha positi ofesi kudutsa mumsewu wopanda kanthu. Nyanja ya Michigan idabisala mozama mopanda kanthu kopitilira apo, ngati chilombo mumthunzi chomwe chimatha kukumeza iwe wonse. Munali m'tauni yakuzizirayi yomwe ndimagona ku Karsten Hotel ku Kewaunee, Wisconsin. Kuwongolera - a akuwombera mbiri Karsten Hotel.  Iyi ndi nkhani, mulimonsemo. Karsten Hotel, yomwe imadziwikanso kuti Karsten Inn kapena Kewaunee Inn, idapita kumsika posachedwa. Ili ndi mbiri yakale kuyambira 1912, pomwe nyumba yanjerwa yazitatu iyi idakwera kuchokera phulusa lanyumba yakale yamatabwa yomwe idawotchedwa pamoto yomwe, mwamwayi, sinaphe anthu. Nyumbayi idatchulidwa dzina la a William Karsten, omwe adatenga malowo patangotsala pang'ono kuti awotche, ndipo anali ndi udindo woukitsa. Hoteloyo idachita bwino kwambiri komanso kukhala ndi zambiri ndikukonzanso pazaka zambiri. Mbiri yake yayitali idafotokozedwa bwino ndi tsamba lovomerezeka, ndiye ndipitilira ndikufikira chifukwa chomwe mwabwerera kuno — mizukwa!

Alendo ku Karsten Hotel anena za mizimu itatu yosiyana. Woyamba ndi wa William Karsten yemweyo, mnzake wolimba yemwe amasamalira bizinesi yake monyadira. Adamwalira mu suite yake pa chipinda chachiwiri, ndipo akuti akupititsa zipinda ziwiri zomwe zidalowa m'malo mwake. Anthu anena kuti amva mawu ake kapena akumva kupezeka kwa munthu wokoma mtima, ndipo akumva fungo lake la fodya ngakhale kuti hoteloyo ilibe fodya. Mzimu wachiwiri ndi wa Billy Karsten III wamng'ono - mdzukulu wa William Karsten. Mzimu wa Billy, yemwe adamwalira adakali wamng'ono, akuti umathamanga kuzungulira maholo ndikusewera ndi ana omwe amakhala ku hotelo. Mzimu wachitatu komanso wogwira ntchito kwambiri ndi Agatha, mayi yemwe amakhala ku hotelo ndipo amagwira ntchito ngati wantchito. Alendo akuti adamuwona atayima mchipinda momwe amakhala, chipinda 310, komanso kumuwona akuyendayenda m'maholo, akuyesetsabe kuyeretsa malowo. Amanenanso kuti anali ndi moyo wovuta, popeza anali atagwiriridwa ndi woyandikana naye woledzera pafamu ya banja lake, zomwe zidapangitsa kuti amuna azimuda. Mzimu wake tsopano umadziwika kuti amakonda kunyengerera amuna kapena ogwira ntchito zomangamanga, kupanga zoipitsa pobisa zida zawo kapena kuzimitsa pomwe akugwiritsa ntchito. Amawonekeranso m'malo olandirira alendo ku hoteloyo, komanso chipinda chodyera chapafupi.

Ndinafika masana achete, achisoni, ozizira Lamlungu. Popeza inali february komanso nyengo yopanda nyengo, sindimayembekezera kuwona anthu ambiri, komabe, sindimayembekezeranso kuti ndingamve ngati moyo wamoyo wamakilomita ambiri, mwina. Munthu yemwe adakhala pa desiki yakutsogolo atandiuza kuti ndikhale mchipinda 310, ndidayatsa - chipinda cha Agatha! Akuti chipinda chochezeredwa kwambiri mu hotelo yonse, ndipo sindinachite kufunsa! Patadutsa maola ochepa, ndidazindikira kuti ndiyenera kukhala mlendo yekhayo usiku womwewo. Kuphatikiza apo, pomwe nambala imapezeka kuti ingayimbire foni ngati pakufunika kutero, sipangakhale kosintha komwe kungachitike. Usiku uno ndikanakhala munthu yekhayo m'nyumba yonseyi - ndikumangokhala mchipinda chochulukirapo, osachepera.

Pamene ndimakwera masitepe awiri opita kukafika pa chipinda chachitatu, zimangokhala ngati ndikudutsa pazenera munthawi yake. Mapale adakongoletsa kofika koyamba, ndipo settee yakale idapuma pamalo ocheperako kuti anthu azisangalala ndi khofi ndikucheza. Chipinda chachitatu chidadzitamandira pamalo ena otere, ndipo ndimatha kulingalira anthu kumayambiriro kwa zaka za m'ma 1900 atavala zovala pano ndikukambirana bwino. 

Nditangolowa kuchipinda cha Agatha, ndimatha kumva nthawi yomweyo. Makulidwe, zokongoletsera, ndi mawonekedwe onse amaphatikizidwa kuti atumize msana wanga msanga. Ndidazindikira koyamba mapepala khoma lakuthwa kumbuyo kwa bedi pamutu waukulu. Ngakhale inali yopangidwa ndi maluwa, inali ndi mtundu wobiriwira wobiriwira. Chithunzicho kuphatikiza ndi khoma la njerwa kunja kwa chipindacho zidapangitsa kuti zizimveka bwino ngakhale kuti zidali zazitali. Chotsatira chomwe ndidazindikira chinali chidole chakale chitakhala pampando wapafupi ndi bedi. Zinandipatsa zokwawa, komanso zinandisangalatsa kuganiza kuti mwina zingakope chidwi china chadziko. Ndimaganiza kuti ndigona nawo moyang'ana mbali imodzi, kenako ndikudzuka ndikuwuwona ukundiyang'ana.

M'chipindacho munalinso zithunzi ndi zojambula zingapo. Mmodzi wa iwo anali wa Billy wamng'ono, mnyamata wamzimu yemwe amasewera mu maholo. Pafupi ndi chithunzi chake panali chojambula cha mtsikana wokhala ndi chithunzi chenicheni cha mtsikana pansi pake. Pamwamba pa TV ndipo moyang'anizana ndi kama panali chithunzi chowopsa kwambiri, cha mayi kuvala diresi lakale komanso mawonekedwe owoneka bwino. Kudziwika kwa msungwanayo pachithunzicho, mtsikana yemwe ali pachithunzichi, komanso mayi yemwe anali pamwamba pa TV sanatchulidwe kulikonse komwe ndingapeze, koma lingaliro langa loti mkaziyu ndi mkazi wa William Karsten, kapena Agatha yemweyo. Kumbali ina ya chipinda kunali kujambula kwa mwana wamwamuna ndi njinga yamoto yayikulu itatu. Zinali zachilendo ndipo, potengera momwe zidakhalira, zidamukumbutsa za Danny kuchokera Kuwala.

Ndinayamba kufufuza. Sindine wofufuza zamatsenga, choncho zida zanga usiku zinali zojambulira mawu pamakina ena a EVP (zamagetsi zamagetsi), foni yanga ya kamera, kamera ina yadigito, komanso mphamvu zanga zisanu. Ndidalola chojambulira kuti ndichitepo kanthu pomwe ndimasanthula zolemba zam'chipindacho, ndikuwerenga nkhani za alendo am'mbuyomu zomwe amaganiza kuti mwina anali maulendo ochokera kwa Agatha usiku. Chimbudzi chimadzipukusa chokha. Amagogoda pakhomo. Chithunzi cholakwika chomwe chikudutsa mchipinda. Nkhope yoyang'ana pakona. Pomwe ndidalemba ndidafunsa mafunso, kuyambira mosamveka ndikusunthira kudera lina. “Kodi pali aliyense pano amene ali ndi ine? Agatha, ndamva kuti akuzunzidwa kwambiri, zomwe ndizowopsa. Kodi muli ndi chilichonse chomwe mungafune kunena? Kodi mungakonde kulankhulapo chilichonse? Kodi ukudwala anthu obwera kuchipinda chako ndikukufunsa mafunso nthawi zonse? ” Ndikufunsa mafunso awa, ndidamva phokoso likuchokera pakhonde. Zimamveka ngati zomangira pansi, koma modekha kuposa momwe amachitira ndikamadutsa. Ndinatsegula chitseko ndikuima pakhomo, ndikuyesera kuti ndidziwe komwe kumamveka mawuwo. Ndimangokhalira kuzimva nthawi zonse, koma sindimatha kudziwa komwe zimachokera. Kaya ndasamukira kuti, zimamveka ngati zimachokera pamalo omwewo pafupi ndimakutu anga, ngati chithunzi chomwe maso ake amakutsatirani kulikonse komwe mungapite. Ndinapitirizabe kuzimva, choncho ndinazilemba mpaka kumveka kwa nyumba nthawi zonse. Pambuyo pake, komabe, mawuwo adayimilira, ndipo sindinamvanso. Ndinapezanso chomwe chinawoneka ngati chogwirira chakale pachifuwa chamtundu wina pansi. Ndidayiyika pa desiki yomwe imagwiritsidwa ntchito ngati TV ndipo ndidafunsa ngati Agatha angandidziwitse komwe ikupita, kapena ngati angathe kuyiyika pomwe ili. Sanasunthe konse. Ndikudabwa ngati Agatha adandimva ndikufunsa funsoli ndikungopukusa maso ake ndikuganiza, "Ikupita zinyalala, achabechabe!"

Ndinatulutsa chojambulira changa kumakoma ndikungoyendayenda. Matabwa akale pansi pa carpeting amadzaza ndi sitepe iliyonse. Zipinda zonse za alendo zinali zotseguka, ndipo popeza ndinali mlendo yekhayo usikuuno, ndinasuzumira m'chipinda chilichonse ndikusungira chojambulira changa mkati, kuti mwina. Zipinda zina zimawoneka mosiyana kwambiri. Ambiri aiwo anali ndi zipilala zolimba m'malo mopakira mchipinda 310, ndipo zokongoletserazo zinali zambiri. Zinali zowonekeratu kuti eni hoteloyo amafuna kuti chipinda cha Agatha chikhale chachikale momwe angatetezere mzimu wake, kwenikweni komanso mophiphiritsa.

Madzulo anga adaphwanyidwa ndi chakudya pachakudya chamakona munsewu, chomwe chinali pafupi maminiti forte-faifi kutseka usiku. Nthawi inali 6:15 PM okha, koma mwina kunali pakati pausiku ndi kuchepa kwakanthawi m'misewu ya Kewaunee. Nditabwerera ku hotelo, yomwe idawopsyeza kwambiri mdima wa Nyanja ya Michigan kumbuyo kwake, wantchito wakutsogolo anali atapita kale usiku. Ndinatsekeredwa kunja ndipo ndimayenera kugwiritsa ntchito kiyi wanga wachipinda kutsegula ndi kutsegula zitseko zakutsogolo. (Sindikumuimba mlandu mnyamatayo, chifukwa sindinamuuze kuti ndipita kanthawi pang'ono.) Koma zinali zovomerezeka - malowo anali anga onse. Chabwino, mwina.

Ndinayendayenda mozungulira malo olandirira alendo, ndikufufuza zinthu zakale ndi zithunzi zomwe zidakhazikitsidwa patebulo. Ndinakhala pa mipando yakale, kamera ndikadakonzeka kuti mwina mizimu ingafune kulowa nane. Ndinayenda mozungulira limba yakale ndi mabasi omwe amakhala pakona, ndikudabwa ngati mafungulo angadzidetse okha ndikundiyimba.

Patapita kanthawi ndinabwerera kuchipinda changa ndikuyamba gawo latsopano la EVP. Ndidayendayenda m'maholo opanda kanthu, omwe adakhalabe oyatsa, ndikuyembekeza kuti ndidzawona zamatsenga, kapena kumva wina akundiitana. Ndikulowa mchipinda pakona pakanjira yachitatu, ndinamva kena kake kamene kamamveka kachilendo. Zinandigunda m'makutu ngati china chomwe sichinali gawo la mamvekedwe omwe ndimakhala ndikumva mpaka pano - matabwa apansi akuwomba, mphepo ikuyenda pamakoma akunja, madzi akutumphuka a thanki la nsomba pamalo ochezera. Ndikuganiza kuti zimamveka ngati mawu adalankhula mwakachetechete nditangoyandikira chitseko cha chipinda chija. Ndinazigwiranso pa chojambulira changa. Zikuwonekeratu kuti ndikumveka kosiyana ndi komwe ndidapanga ndikuyenda, komwe kumadziwika bwino komanso kutchuka. Phokoso ili linali lofewa ndipo linali ndi mawonekedwe ena. Tsoka ilo, sindingathe kufotokoza bwino chomwe chinali, kapena kudziwa ngati linalidi liwu, kutengera zomwe zili pa chojambulira. Zidachitika mwachangu, ndipo ndikangoganiza kuti sizingachitike, zimangokhala ngati wina akuti "tsegulani chitseko." Izi zati, sindingathetsere kuthekera kwa ubongo wanga kuyesera kumvetsetsa china chake chosasinthika, chifukwa chake sindinganene kuti ndi umboni wovuta. Ndimaona kuti ndizovuta komanso zina zomwe sindingathe kufotokoza.

Mphindi zochepa pambuyo pake, ndinatsika panjira yopita tsidya lina la chipinda chachitatu. Hoteloyo idapangidwa motere kotero kuti mayendedwe awiri apansi lililonse ali mbali zonse za masitepe, olumikizidwa ndi malo okhala aliyense. Kumapeto kwa khwalala ili panali kama, choncho ndidaganiza zokhala pansi ndikufunsanso mafunso ena angapo. Sindinamve kalikonse panthawiyi, koma pomvera zojambulazo, panali nyimbo yofooka nthawi ina, yosamveka. Ankamveka ngati noti ziwiri kapena zitatu zosewerera piyano. Mwina piyano yochokera kumalo olandirira alendo imadziyimba yokha, kapena zolemba zam'mbuyomu, zomangidwa m'makoma a nyumbayi, zidalowa pano kwakanthawi kochepa. Ndinabwerera kuchipinda changa kukacheza kanthawi. Ndinawerenga zambiri za nyuzipepalayi, nthawi zina ndikuyang'ana mozungulira mchipindacho, ndikuyembekeza kuti ndimugwira Agatha akundiwonera. Ndidatchula mokweza kuti ngati abwera, nditha kudabwitsidwa koyamba, koma ndidafotokoza kuti zingachitike chifukwa sindikumvetsetsa za kukhalako kwake. Ngakhale ndimkafuna kugona mpaka m'mawa, nthawi ya 1:30 AM pamapeto pake ndidadzipeza ndikutopa. Ndidayika chojambulira changa pa TV kuti chiwonetsetse zochitika zausiku, ngati pangachitike zochitika zina kupatula kulira kwanga. Ndikuvomereza, ngakhale ndidapita kumalo ano kuti ndikawone mzukwa, lingaliro loti nditha kutsegula maso anga ndikuwona maso a munthu yemwe sindimadziwa akuyang'ana kumbuyo kwa ine usiku zidandipangitsa kukhala ndi nkhawa pang'ono. Koma ndidachita zonse zomwe ndingathe kuti ndilandire, nditonthozedwa ndikuti ndinali mlendo kuno, osati Agatha kapena bungwe lina lililonse lomwe lingakhale mu hoteloyi. Pamapeto pake ndinagona ndipo ndinadzuka masana popanda chochitika.

Nditamvetsera zojambulazo usiku wonse, ndidamvako mawu pang'ono. Kumayambiriro kwake panali kuwunikira pang'ono, ngati mapazi pachitetezo. Patangopita nthawi pang'ono, panali nyimbo ina yofooka itatu, koma idamveka mosiyana ndi yomwe idalembedwa koyambirira. Nthawi ziwiri zolembedwera, zolekanitsidwa pafupifupi maola anayi, panali matepi atatu motsatizana, woyamba kuyambira kutali ndi chida chojambulira, wachiwiri akumvekera pafupi, ndipo chachitatu chikuwomba ngati chinali pafupi ndi chojambulira. Zomwe zidamvekanso munthawi ina zinali zokometsera zokhumudwitsa, koma ndizovuta kunena motsimikiza ngati ndizomwe zidalidi. Chochitika china chodziwikiratu ndichomwe chidamveka ngati chitseko chikumenyedwa m'nyumbayo mochedwa kujambula, koma zidachitika nthawi ngati imeneyi (cha m'ma 6:00 AM) kuti mwina zidayambitsidwa ndi ogwira ntchito m'mawa, ngakhale kulibe zolowera pansi kulengeza zakupezeka kwa munthu wamoyo wina kunamveka kusanachitike kapena pambuyo pake. Kutengera zojambulazi, sindinganene kuti pakadali pano ndiumboni wovuta, koma zovuta, zomwe sindingathe kufotokoza. Ndi nyumba yakale, makamaka yomwe imagundidwa nthawi zonse ndi mphepo yam'nyanja, zimatha kukhala zovuta kudziwa mamvekedwe achilengedwe ndi omwe akumveka mwachilengedwe.

M'mawawo, ndinadya chakudya cham'mawa chaulere monga woyang'anira yekhayo m'chipinda chodyera chachikulu, ndipo ndinalongedza ndikufufuza popanda zochitika zina zilizonse. Ndikufuna kuchezerananso kuti ndikafufuze zambiri, mwina kuyang'ana kwambiri pa chipinda chachiwiri kapena kuyesera kukhazikitsa masewera olondera mu holo ndikuwona ngati Billy akufuna kulowa nawo. Lingaliro lidafika m'maganizo mwanga kuti mwina ndiyenera kuchita zinthu ngati chibwana kuti ndituluke mu Agatha, koma sindikufuna kunyoza chilichonse cha mizimu iyi ngati akuwononga moyo uno pambuyo pake mnyumbayi . Sanenedwa kuti ndi mizimu yoopsa kapena yoyipa — ndi anthu wamba, abwino, choncho sindikufuna kuwachitira nkhanza.

Ngakhale sindinawone mizukwa iliyonse, ndidamva mawu okwanira kuti andidabwitse, ndikupereka mbiri ya nyumbayi komanso mawonekedwe ake, ndilibe vuto kukhulupirira kuti atha kubwera. Ngakhale opanda mizukwa, zinali zosangalatsa komanso zosangalatsa kukhala ndi nyumba yonse kwa ine ndekha. Ndi malo okongola, ndipo ndiyofunika kuti mufufuze za zokongoletsa zakale komanso zachikale, ngakhale mutakumana ndi m'modzi pakati pa nzika zake pakati pausiku.