It all began with the ceremony—a glorious moment meant to be celebrated. Bang had worked tirelessly, earning first place, and the award ceremony was meant to be the crowning achievement of their efforts. But the day had other plans.
The chaos of house chores lingered, and with a limited wardrobe at the hotel, finding the perfect pant proved to be a Herculean task. The light brown one—brand new with price tags—came to the rescue, almost as if it was waiting for its moment to shine. After a quick change, the ceremony attire was ready, and Bang’s spouse removed the tags with care.
Time ticked away mercilessly.
Nature’s call soon arrived, and the urgency to find a bathroom became overwhelming. As Bang wandered through the labyrinthine hotel hallways, an eerie silence took over. The familiar bustle of humanity seemed to fade, replaced by shadowy corridors that stretched infinitely.
Finally locating a restroom, Bang emerged, only to be swallowed by a disorienting crowd that seemed larger, stranger, and... colder than before. The faces were unfamiliar, their expressions unreadable. Was it the wrong hallway? No matter where Bang turned, the path seemed to change, looping endlessly.
Then came the announcement. Echoing through the hotel like a ghostly whisper, a voice proclaimed, “The ceremony has ended.”
Bang checked the time—4:50 PM. Twenty minutes past the ceremony. Panic turned to dread as the weight of missing the celebration grew unbearable.
A hand suddenly tapped Bang’s shoulder. Turning around, there was no one there. The crowd parted silently, revealing a figure standing in the distance—someone wearing the same light brown pant Bang had chosen. The figure waved, a sinister grin plastered on their face.
And then it dawned on Bang. The award they had won was not just any award. It was cursed, binding the recipient to an eternal game of cat and mouse, forever lost in a maze of haunting hotel hallways where time, sanity, and reality held no meaning.