Summary

In “1408,” Olin, the manager of the Dolphin Hotel, met Mike Enslin, a writer, when he arrived at the hotel. Mike intended to spend the night in room 1408, a room that was said to be haunted, and then write about the experience. Mike made it clear he did not believe ghosts or the paranormal. Olin begged Mike not to stay in the room because he thought Mike’s disbelief made it that more dangerous for him. Mike joked that he was wearing his lucky shirt and had a cigarette tucked behind his ear.

Olin tried again to persuade Mike not to stay in the room by asking him to have one drink with him before he gave Mike the key to the room. When Mike asked, Olin said Room 1408 was the only room that still opened with a key. He said the key lock had not...