#Ep. 22 The Vanishing Guest - Chapter 2: The Warning

What if the walls of room 207 could talk? Join me, Natalie, for a suspense-filled episode of Learn English with Natalie, as we uncover the eerie mysteries of "The Vanishing Guest: Chapter Two." Clara and the young bellboy, Marcus, find themselves tangled in whispered tales of vanishing guests and unsettling warnings. As Clara holds a cryptic note in her trembling hands, the words, "Clara, be careful whom you trust," echo in her mind. Together with Marcus, they embark on a mission to unravel the truth behind these chilling occurrences.

The episode promises an immersive journey through a world of suspense, perfect for English language learners eager to enhance their vocabulary. With vivid storytelling and an accessible narrative, you'll find yourself right alongside Clara as she navigates shadow-filled corridors and hears ghostly knocks at the door. Don't miss the chance to enrich your English skills while engaging with a gripping narrative. Grab the PDF activity sheet from my website to follow along with ease and enrich your vocabulary with carefully explained terms. Let's unlock the secrets of room 207 together!

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

Hi and welcome to today's episode of Learn English with Natalie. And for those of you that enjoyed the first installment of the Vanishing Guest, great news. I've got great news for you. Today we are going to be reading chapter two of the Vanishing Guest. Now, remember, I'm not here to say that this is the best novel that has ever been written. I've written this story specifically for English language learners, at a level of vocabulary that you can understand yourself. And if you download the PDF activity sheet, which is available on my website, you can find it in the show notes. You can download your copy of this chapter with all of the vocabulary words explained on each page, all of those difficult vocabulary words. Thank you so much for your feedback so far. We're going to get into chapter two right now. So go and grab yourself a cup of coffee or a cup of tea, relax and enjoy the story. The story now.

Speaker 1: 1:05

If you remember from last week's episode, clara had just found the suspicious note in room 207 and the mystery man who had checked into the hotel had disappeared. Let's continue. Clara's breath came in short, shallow bursts as she stood in the dimly lit hallway outside 207. The faint metallic tang tang is a sharp or distinctive taste or smell. The faint metallic tang in the air lingered. That means it's hovering around. She clutched the note in her hand, the words burning into her thoughts Clara, be careful whom you trust? How did he know her name? She forced herself to move her feet heavy as she made her way back to the reception desk.

Speaker 1: 1:58

The lobby, once a bustling. Bustling, means busy, full of energy and activity. Bustling, bustling means busy, full of energy and activity. The lobby, once a bustling hub of guests and polished civility civility meaning polite, courteous behavior now felt eerily empty. Morning sunlight streamed through the tall windows, but it did little to chase away the shadows pooling in the corners. Marcus Clara called her voice sharp and tense. The young bellboy appeared from behind a column, a steaming coffee cup in hand. He paused mid-step when he saw her face. Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost, he said, lowering his cup. Clara hesitated. That means she paused briefly, then held up the note.

Speaker 1: 2:56

This was in room 207. The man who checked in last night. He's gone, but he left this behind behind. Marcus squinted at the paper. Squinted is where you close your eyes to get a closer look. Marcus squinted at the paper, his brow furrowing. Furrowing means where you create lines and wrinkles, when you're scrunching your forehead because you're concentrating so much, his brow furrowing as he read it.

Speaker 1: 3:26

Clara, be careful whom you trust. What's that supposed to mean? I don't know. She admitted, lowering her voice, but the room was empty, completely untouched, like no one had been there, except for this, marcus's face darkened. I told you that room wasn't normal. The stories about it what stories? Clara interrupted. Marcus glanced around, then leaned in closer.

Speaker 1: 3:55

Guests who stay there always report strange things. Some hear knocking when no one's at the door, others say they feel like someone's watching them. And then there's the disappearances, disappearances. Clara echoed. She copied him, her stomach tightening. Marcus nodded gravely. Gravely means he's doing it in a serious way. Not often, but enough to give anyone the creeps. Staff don't like to talk about it, but I've heard rumors. People check into that room and are never seen again. Their stuff stays behind, but it's like they just vanished.

Speaker 1: 4:38

Clara's grip on the note tightened. That means she's holding it tightly, she's clutching it. Do you think that's what happened to the man? Let's take a quick break. While you grab a coffee and digest what we've learned so far. While you do that, I'm going to talk about what's been going on in my book club recently. The votes are in and we have begun reading our first English novel. Our first live stream was a success and I am so happy that the book club is bringing people together from all across the globe. If you love reading too, why don't you try it out? There's a seven day free trial, so you really have nothing to lose, but I know you're going to love it. You will be automatically added to the Discord community chat where you can experience real conversations with me and other English language learners, just like you. Check out all the information. All the information is available on my website, that's learnenglishwithnataliepodiacom. You can also find all the information that you need in the show notes for today's episode. Now let's get back to it. I don't know, marcus said, his voice dropping to a whisper, but if I were you, I'd stay far from room 207.

Speaker 1: 6:06

The rest of Clara's shift passed in a haze. A haze means like a blur. She replayed the man's arrival in her mind, searching for clues in his sharp features, his deliberate words. So deliberate means he's thought about them carefully. What he thought carefully about what he said, his choice of room 207. Nothing made sense and the notes only deepened her unease.

Speaker 1: 6:35

As the morning bustle quietened, clara found herself alone at the reception desk. The hotel was calm now. The occasional clink of dishes from the breakfast area the only sound. Then she saw him. Her heart stopped as she caught sight of the man through the glass doors of the entrance. He stood on the sidewalk across the street, his trench coat billowing slightly in the breeze. So it's moving in the breeze. His hat was tilted just enough to cast a shadow over his face. But Clara knew it was him. She stepped out from behind her desk, her pulse quickening. Sir, she called, moving towards, towards the doors. But as she pushed them open and stepped onto the pavement, he was gone. The street was empty, save for a few early morning commuters, that's people traveling to and from work, and a stray cat darting into the alley. Clara spun around scanning the area, but there was no trace of the man Trace, meaning that there's no evidence that he had been there.

Speaker 1: 7:42

Back inside, clara's nerves were frayed. Frayed means worn out or unraveled. She couldn't shake the feeling that she was being followed or watched. She returned to the desk only to find it in complete disarray. So it was in a big mess. Her hands trembled as she sorted through the papers strewn across the counter. Strewn across the counter. Strewn means they're scattered and spread out everywhere.

Speaker 1: 8:12

As she organized the papers, she noticed something peculiar, which means something very strange. The guest log for room 207 had a blank space where the man's name should have been. She distinctly remembered typing his information into the system, so she clearly remembers doing that. She distinctly remembers she distinctly remembered typing his information into the system the night before. But now there was nothing no name, no payment record, no trace that he had ever been there. Panic bubbled in her chest. So bubbled means it's rising up in her chest. She opened the handwritten logbook where she always recorded her check-ins as a backup. Her handwriting filled the page listing the names of the other guests who had arrived that night. But room 207 was empty. It was as if the man had never existed.

Speaker 1: 9:16

Determined to find answers, which means that she has a strong desire to do so. Determined to find answers, clara grabbed her notepad and headed back towards room 207. The hallway was eerily quiet, the thick carpet muffling her footsteps. She hesitated outside the door, her fingers hovering over the handle Before she could turn the knob. A voice drifted down the corridor. So drift means it's moving slowly in the air. Clara, she spun around, her heart leaping into her throat. The whole way Was empty. Who's there? She called, her voice shaking no response. She turned back to room 207, but now the door was slightly ajar, which means it was slightly open. A sliver of darkness, so a small, thin piece, a sliver of darkness visible through the crack, summoning her courage. So she's gathering her courage and strength.

Speaker 1: 10:29

Clara pushed through the door. Clara pushed the door open and stepped inside. The room was cold, unnaturally so, and the metallic tang in the air was stronger than before. The bed remained untouched, the furniture perfectly arranged. And then she saw it A second note on the desk, identical to the first, which means it looks exactly the same. Her hands trembled. She picked it up and read the words you're not safe here. Behind her, the door clicked shut and that's the end of chapter two.

Speaker 1: 11:09

I hope you enjoyed this, but I hope you enjoyed this installment of the vanishing guest. Please do not forget to download your free pdf copy of two, which is available in the show notes, so you might want to listen to this again so that you can read along. If you are interested in reading books to further enhance your English, then you may want to consider looking into my book club, which is where I have a community of English language learners just like you, using stories to improve their English. You can join our community and practice your English with other language learners just like you. Make sure you subscribe so you don't miss out on the next installment of the Vanishing Guest. Let me know what you think. Let me know if you have any predictions of what is going to happen next. I'd love to hear your feedback Now, before you go.

Speaker 1: 12:08

I've got three comprehension questions for you to check your understanding, so you can comment, send me a message and let me know your answers. Can you remember the name of the bellboy who Clara spoke to earlier in the chapter? That was number one. Number two what animal did Clara see outside the hotel? What animal did Clara see outside the hotel? Question three what did the second note say? What did the second note say? Let me know your thoughts in the comments. Thank you for joining me today and I'll see you next time.