Dimensional Hotel

(.)

Yu Sheng first noticed the squirrel’s anxious chattering, which made him tilt his head to listen for any noises outside. All he could hear was the soft, far-off sound of the wind.

Inside the little house, the crackling fire in the hearth and the gentle hush of the wind made everything seem even quieter. It was so calm that it felt almost sacred, the room bathed in the warm glow of candlelight.

The house was simple but cozy. Near the entrance stood a small square table draped in a blue checkered cloth, with two chairs tucked beside it. On the opposite wall sat a wooden shelf packed with various trinkets, right next to a tall wooden wardrobe. In the corner, a single bed rested, its thick layers of blankets looking warm and welcoming.

To the left of the door, a small window reflected the dancing flames and candlelight. Yu Sheng could see the squirrel’s shadow flickering across the glass as it hopped back and forth.

Carefully, Yu Sheng approached the window. The old wooden floor squeaked beneath his feet. Outside was nothing but the deep, endless blackness of the night forest. It seemed like twilight had only recently passed, but the thick canopy overhead swallowed what little light remained, leaving a vast stretch of darkness.

He had the unsettling feeling that countless cold, predatory eyes might be watching from the shadows, silently lurking. Whether this was real or his imagination, he couldn’t tell.

“Don’t look, don’t look,” the squirrel muttered, anxious, as it paced atop the wooden table. “The more you look, the more you imagine. And in the dark, every thought comes alive. Here, all you’ll think of is wolves.”

Just then, its voice turned excited. “Oh, acorns!”

It had spotted a bowl of acorns on the table. With a delighted squeak, it leapt over and grabbed one in its tiny paws. Turning back to Yu Sheng, it offered, “Want one? They’re delicious!”

“No, thank you,” Yu Sheng replied politely, though his focus was drawn to the curious state of the little house. He noticed strips of red fabric and cords scattered everywhere, almost like good-luck charms. They hung on doors and windows, dangled from the roof beams, and lay in tangled heaps in a corner.

Suddenly, the squirrel darted away from the table and rummaged through a messy pile of red cloth in the corner. At last, it tugged out a long strip, wrapped it around itself, and puffed out its chest with pride, looking both silly and pleased with itself.

“Good luck! Good luck!” it chirped cheerfully.

Curious, Yu Sheng asked, “What are you doing?”

“Bringing good fortune,” the squirrel declared, still wearing its makeshift cloak. “Red is the color of luck. Every squirrel needs a little boost—especially a charming one like me. But blast it, where’s the wine in this place? I’m parched!”

It bounded back to the table and picked up an acorn, tapping it against the surface before nibbling it to bits.

Yu Sheng thought for a moment, then pulled out a chair and sat down. Watching the squirrel crunch away, he said, “Can you tell me about Little Red Riding Hood?”

“Which one are you talking about?” the squirrel asked, its eyes shining in the candlelight. “Oh, I suppose you mean the most recent one, the one who’s still alive. But why tell you, a random stranger who barged into my home?”

“…I’m her friend. I just want to know about her,” Yu Sheng answered calmly, recognizing the squirrel’s jumpiness. Softening his tone, he added, “You helped me before, and I think you’re a good squirrel. Maybe you’d want to help me and my friend again.”

“A good squirrel—exactly!” the squirrel crowed, clearly flattered. It strutted across the table with its nose in the air. “But where to begin? I don’t know how she lived outside or what was in her head. I only know that when she first arrived… she was so small…”

The squirrel glanced around, then pointed its paw toward one of the chairs. “She was about as tall as that chair back. She wandered into the pitch-black forest, crying and clueless about where to hide or how to find her way. I spoke to her, but all she did was promise, over and over, that she’d never wander off again. And then?” The squirrel threw up its paws. “A wolf ate her. Wolves are quick, you know. And the more frightened you are, the stronger they seem.”

The squirrel’s voice rose dramatically, but its tone shifted again almost at once.

“She started off in a dreadful state, but with time, she improved. Wolves caught her again and again, and she cried buckets. After a while, though, she learned how to cry while running toward the light with me. Then she learned to cry without making a sound. And finally, she stopped crying altogether. Later, she mentioned she’d found some sort of ‘organization,’ but I didn’t get the details. She began learning all sorts of things.”

Yu Sheng waited patiently for more. Eventually, he prompted, “And then?”

“Don’t rush me, don’t rush me,” the squirrel complained. “I’m just a squirrel. I need to think… Anyway, she learned to set traps while in hiding. She learned how to recover quickly after a wolf attack. She even started studying them, memorizing their habits. Then one day, she managed to catch a wolf. Then another… and another…

“The wolves hunted her, but she hunted them back. Sometimes she won, sometimes she got eaten. Over time, she became part of this forest, living through most nights. But the more she adapted, the more like the wolves she grew. Sometimes she sprouted claws or a tail and dashed through the darkness. When hunters came, their gunfire jolted her awake. The more hunters arrived, the more she felt like one of them…”

Here, the squirrel’s words faded with unease. It fiddled with its red cloth, then looked up at Yu Sheng, eyes shining with a serious urgency that startled him.

“You need to help her,” it said gravely. “She’s not doing well. The more she becomes one with this forest, the harder it’ll be for her to leave. The closer she gets to the Big Bad Wolf, the greater the danger—not when the wolf attacks, but when she grows her own fangs. You’re her friend, aren’t you? You must help her!”

Yu Sheng let the squirrel’s warning sink in. After a moment, he asked, “How can I help her? What should I do?”Nôv(el)B\\jnn

The squirrel paused, then slumped in defeat. “I don’t know… I’m just a squirrel…”

“Would killing the Big Bad Wolf work?” Yu Sheng ventured.

“No, no,” the squirrel said, looking miserable and shaking its head. “It always comes back. As long as there’s a Little Red Riding Hood, there’ll be wolves, hunters, grandmothers, and a little house at the end of a long road. That’s just the way things are. You can kill them a hundred times—it changes nothing. The forest only goes quiet when Little Red Riding Hood disappears…

“Until a new one shows up.”

“There have been many Little Red Riding Hoods, haven’t there?” Yu Sheng asked, voicing the fear he’d been avoiding. “When one dies, another victim arrives. Right? How many have there been? When did the first appear?”

“Always more. Always more,” the squirrel mumbled, trembling. “Don’t ask me. Don’t ask. I’m just a squirrel… If I say too much, the wolves will come.”

The squirrel now seemed terrified, not just of wolves but of something deeper. It scurried back and forth in a fit of nerves.

At that moment, Yu Sheng felt a faint pull somewhere deep in his mind.

A distant voice called to him, quiet at first but growing clearer as he concentrated.

“Yu Sheng! Yu Sheng, where are you? Answer me!”

“Irene?” Yu Sheng gasped, a wave of relief washing over him. “I’ve been trying to reach you. Where were you?”

“Oh, I heard you! I’ve been searching everywhere!” Irene’s breathless voice crackled with excitement. “It was like you got lost in your own dream. I couldn’t find your consciousness! And I was here with Hu Li—”

The squirrel hissed, “Irene!”

Despite the swirling chaos around him, Yu Sheng couldn’t stop a smile from forming on his face.