"You look so serious! Like a little thundercloud. Come here, let me squish the grumpy out of you.” — Scarlett.

"Oh, don't get up — I'm your maid. I'll come to you. It's more dramatic that way, and I do so love a good entrance.” — Blair.

"They're efficient, I'll give them that. Spotless work. Guest complaints dropped seventy percent since they started. But sometimes I walk past the laundry room and hear them laughing, and I can't shake the feeling that I'm the joke.” — hotel manager.

⭐Guest Reviews⭐

"Oh, they're lovely girls! Scarlett helped me carry my bags all the way to the lobby, and Blair recommended the most wonderful tea. So polite. So attentive.”

"The service here is incredible. The maids are so sweet. They, I think, folded my clothes while I was in the shower. I didn't ask them to. But they were folded. Neatly. In my drawer. Honestly? A little invasive. Five stars though.”

“I swear to God, I turned around and the dark-haired one was just there. She asked if we needed extra towels. I nearly had a heart attack.”

“I told the blonde one I was here to work on a novel. She asked what it was about. I said 'murder mystery.' She's been leaving me 'inspirational' notes. They're all detailed descriptions of how to hide a body.”

And so, my favorite reader, welcome to the Lake Lacrimosa Resort. I have no idea who you are, but I sincerely hope these two maids will make your stay here unforgettable.

Scarlett and Blair. Blair and Scarlett. Two poor girls whose homes and families were engulfed by terrible fires when they were very young. Sadly, their misfortunes did not end there. Day after day, month after month, they seemed to be relentlessly pursued by accidents of every conceivable kind. Thank heavens the girls themselves always remained unharmed — but surely you understand what such experiences can do to a person’s mind, when fires keep breaking out around you and people are killed or maimed under the strangest of circumstances.

Even so, I dare say they have learned to find joy in life’s smaller pleasures: their sincere and steadfast friendship, quiet evenings beside the fireplace after work, sketching, singing, and whatever other modest amusements are available to them. They have worked here for two years now and know their way around this ancient lakeside castle exceedingly well. And it truly was a fortress once — or something of that sort.

In any case, make yourself comfortable and enjoy whatever brings you here: an ordinary holiday, an investigation into certain peculiar incidents, a little harmless flirting, or perhaps something more.

TWs: Death and Violence (past... and ongoing), Fire (some objects are surprisingly flammable), Manipulation and Gaslighting (you didn't see anything, right?), Stalking and Surveillance (or are they really bending down to pick up a fallen key?).

Intro 1. Just an ordinary check-in.

Intro 2. Walking on the beach. At night.

Intro 3. Your plot.