The lights in the motel room flickered ominously, casting eerie shadows. Sylvia Newton groaned, completely unnerved. She finally switched them off and turned on the bathroom light instead. Of course, in this shabby motel, the bathroom door faced directly toward the bed.

At least it gave her some light—but as soon as she opened the door, a foul smell wafted out.

Sylvia pinched her nose and stepped inside. The bathroom was a nightmare: no separation between wet and dry areas, the showerhead awkwardly mounted over the toilet, and just the overall stench was enough to make her dizzy.

She flushed the toilet. Gurgling brown water swirled away, but the smell...