Chapter 1

Come As You Are

The road was winding and wet, and reflected the car's warm yellow headlights as it cruised along the lonely road. Tall pine trees stood on either side, hovering ominously below the cold grey sky. Misty clouds slithered along sluggishly, apathetic towards their own movement as they drifted carelessly.

Dull greens mixed with the near-black browns of trunks and dirt. All the dark colours melded together into a blurry rush that ran past Nicholas's peripheral as quickly as they had appeared. He rested in his seat, hands resting on the wheel while music hummed in the background. He'd been driving for so long, exposed to the same surrounding of sprawling acres of forestry, that he was no longer interested in the once mesmerising scenery. Now, it was only a dull backdrop to his venture, regardless of living in a city all his life.

Coming over a hill, the mysterious town sprawled out in front of him, down beside a dark coast. From here it was a calm, grey sheet of glass that stretched outward forever. Fog rolled across the terrain, dancing through the trees and settling down below, shrouding the town's bottom with a still cover of vapours. The dark roofs and spires sat above the misty mirage like thorns, with chimneys coughing out dark smoke.

His car rolled into the town, looking at the people shrouded in thick coats that lightly peppered the streets, tossing glances towards the unfamiliar car that cruised down the roads, painfully and obviously unaware of its surroundings as he awkward steered through the damp roads. He craned his head forward over the steering wheel, gawking through the windscreen, and sighed with relief as he finally reached his destination.

The gravel stones crunched as he drove slowly down the long driveway, around the ornate stone fountain and coming to a final stop outside the imposing entrance. The car whined and screeched as it stopped, and clouds of warm air left Nicholas's red nose with each shaky breath. From his trunk, he heaved two large leather suitcases out. Their weight nearly made him topple over, and his car creaked with relief as it resumed its suspension, no longer bearing the burden of his luggage. Nicholas dragged the two rugged leather suitcases up the wet stone steps and wrapped on the wooden door open with a red knuckle. He waited, spitting out plumes of exhalation as his body occasionally convulsed with a sudden shiver, until it became apparent there would be no answer. He sighed and grabbed the chilling iron handle and yanked. He leaned further and further with all his weight, prying the stubborn door back with as much strength as he could muster. Dragging in his luggage, the old dusty floorboards creaked with every movement he made. Beams of outside light shined through the tall windows, though they failed to penetrate the invasive darkness of the room. A single lamp sits upon the dusty desk, alongside a bell. His red fingertips warped in its silver reflection as he approached to tap it, when he was startled by a sudden voice

"Can I help you?"

The voice was harsh and interrogative, and Nicholas spun around to face them. It was a woman. She was tall, taller than him, with tar black hair and green eyes that shimmered even in the darkness of the frankly derelict room. He stood, partially in shock at her sudden appearance, mesmerised that she didn't make a sound on the ancient wood floor.

"Um…yeah, uh…I booked a room?"

A smile spread across her face as he announced himself, and he noticed her demeanour shift immediately. She adjusted her posture and a spark of hospitality appeared in her emerald eyes. But it was too superficial to put him ease, despite his inability to stop looking into her eyes.

"Oh. You must be Mr. Robertson. Let me show you to your room"

She leaned forward and picked up one of his suitcases, carrying it in one hand while walking away. It didn't shift her weight at all, unfazed by the bag his car struggled to hold. Nicholas hurried to follow her, lugging the second bag as he struggled to keep up with her through the dark abode. They entered a large room containing a grand staircase, lit by a colossal window behind it. The scene itself was grand, and emanated the beauty of lavish architecture, though it was far from "lavish". The wood was ruddy and coarse, coated with a thick layer of dust and cobwebs. The woman walked up the creaking steps, and Nicholas heaved the suitcase a ways behind her, huffing at its intense weight that apparently contested him.

The staircase split off halfway like a snake's tongue, and the two became bathed in the soft light of the gargantuan window. The woman's skin glowed like moonlight, and stood with effortless magnificence as she awaited her guest to catch up to her, struggling to haul the luggage which she carried without difficulty.

They walked through was seemed to be hundreds of hallways that stretched for eternities, and it became apparent to him that this "Inn" was more of a mansion. As they traversed, he was utterly baffled by the unassuming grandeur of the building, despite its age and wear.

After drifting through endless corridors, they finally reached his room. The woman unveiled a large iron ring of keys like a warden, and her picturesque finger flicked as it sorted through to find the right one.

The room was small, yet it was decorated beautifully. A fireplace sat opposite the sizable bed, and Nicholas inspected the chest of drawers that sat beside it. The woman placed his bag down before she left, talking as she did so. It was then that it became apparent to him that she was an efficient person, someone who didn't waste time in a sense.

"It's the off-season, so we won't be serving breakfast. Feel free to use the kitchen. You can find me downstairs if you need anything"

He dragged his finger along the top of the dresser, a thick layer of dust accumulating on it that he inspected.

"How long has it been the 'off-season'?"

She sighed and looked to his window, arms held behind her back, maintaining her perfect posture regardless of his informal nature.

"We don't get too many customers. Though the maintenance keeps me occupied, I suppose"

He nodded, and noticed the longing look she held in her eyes as she stared outside. Though it was grey and dull, white specs of snow had begun to trickle from the sky as the day drew to an end. 'Anywhere but here' was a phrase he thought of as he looked at her, itching beneath the surface to tend to unseen tasks. She drew in a breath and turned back to face him.

"Well, it that's all…I hope you enjoy your stay, Mister Robertson"

And with that, she promptly left. Nicholas quickly found himself sitting silently in this foreign space, and proceeded to throw himself on the cushiony bed that squished beneath him like a marshmallow. He sighed as he stared up at the ceiling, taking a moment to himself before he unpacked his belongings.

Nicholas slid the final drawer of clothes shut with a satisfying thump of accomplishment, falling back onto his bed free of the task of unpacking. The night had arrived silently, as if someone had flicked a switch in the night sky. The fire, which he had previously struggled to construct (though succeeded triumphantly after many, many failed attempts) crackled and snapped, giving a cosy ambience to the once cold and deafeningly silent room. Muffled thuds from outside caught his attention, and he shuffled towards his window to inspect. Down below, in the snow that shined and blinked in the animated light of his fire, was a figure. They wore thick, grey woolly clothing that covered them from head to toe, and it was only when they pulled down their woollen mask to exhale a puff of warm air that it became known to him that it was the woman from earlier. She held an axe high above her head after propping a log atop an old stump, and swinging down to effortlessly chop the wood. Like clockwork, she tossed the firewood into a pile beside her, under a small shelter from the hailing snow that plagued the outside.

Something. A noise? Not one that he could hear. But nothing he could see either. The light of the inn only penetrated so far into the pitch black darkness of the night. It was abyssal, like ink. Impenetrable. She stopped chopping wood, and turned to face the impossibly dark surroundings. The woman seemed to stare into the darkness for an eternity, staring at something unknown to Nicholas. It was like a dream, such a random event yet happening before his very eyes. Then, out of nowhere from an invisible cue, she walked away, out of view from his window and concluding the bizarre event.

Left without an answer to the many questions raised from what he'd just watched, Nicholas returned to his bed confused. His mind raced, even in the miniscule sleep he was able to get, it was simply too…weird…for his mind to forget. What did she look at? Rather, what caught her attention? Too many questions left unanswered, crammed into his mental filing cabinet already overflowing with mysteries raised simply by this town existing. Reemhill. The thought of the name itself made his hair stand on end…