Airbnb

A Weekend Away:

What a great idea. An Airbnb four on a high remote spot in the Pennines. Admittedly, the drive up was torturous, but they got there and eventually got the keys out of the key locker to get into the place. It was a single-story building, and the views were amazing.

They were well stocked up with food, films on DVD, memory sticks, wine and beer. Local shops were not an option, and they were only here from Friday afternoon, returning on Monday morning. There was no television or even radio signal here, and the mobile phones were dead as doornails. There was not even a landline. They had running water from a spring, and the electricity was from a combination of a solar battery and a diesel-powered generator.

They got in, made something to eat, got a few drinks, put on a film and settled in for the night. As darkness fell, they drew down the blinds and felt perfectly cosy, and their weekend escape seemed brilliant.

The film they put on was The Wicker Man, the Robin Hardy original with Christopher Lee, not the messy remake with Nicholas Cage. As they watched it, they thought that it might not be the best one to watch, given where they were.

Someone thought that they heard something outside. They pulled back the blind, but it was very dark, and they could see their SUV, so they left it. It was probably a stray cow or sheep or something.

They joked with each other that this was bound to happen in such a remote, god-forsaken place, but tomorrow would be great for walking, exploring and photography. There was a stone circle nearby, and apparently, there had been human sacrifices there, according to local folklore.

Everyone took that with a pinch of salt, but they definitely wanted to check out the ancient site. It was one of the reasons that they had chosen this particular cottage.

The wind got up, and rain hit the windows, but they were warm enough, and eventually, fully inebriated, they took their leave of each other and retired to their bed.

Sleep was amazing. The beds were so comfortable, and in the morning, no one wanted to get out of bed, but breakfast had to be made, and coffee had to be taken. No one could remember having slept so well; these beds were so perfect.

They got up and made coffee. Then everyone said they had a sore throat and were having difficulty breathing. When they opened the blinds, the windows were just grey, as though a thick fog pressed up against them. They thought they could see something moving in the mist, but could not make out what it was.

Breathing was getting harder, so they went to open the door. It was not just locked, it was sealed.

They tried smashing the windows, but the glass seemed virtually bulletproof.

They were being suffocated.

Police Report:

Following a call from an Airbnb cottage owner, the police were called to the cottage to investigate the deaths of four people who had booked the cottage for a weekend away.

The bodies had suffered oxygen deprivation and then had been exsanguinated, although there were no wounds, no blood, so at the moment, how this happened is being looked into.

The owners discovered the bodies when they went up to clean the cottage for the next occupants.

We are speaking with residents and dignitaries in the village nearest to the cottage, in the hope that they may be able to cast some light on what may have happened.

This case is open, pending further investigation.