Nightwalker

Six

Riordan

Blake Marshall is the worst driver in the history of drivers.

I would rather let a blind horse drive us across a badly maintained road than let Martie drive ever again. 

After a couple of minutes of searching for a decent medium, we came across a highly rated one on the other side of town. 

Living in the town of Solaris had its pros and cons. Solaris wasn't highly populated but was spaced out with quite a bit of vegetation--which I thoroughly enjoyed--but, it was a tourist magnet mainly because of our infamous disappearing diner. 

Some tourists say they've been served at a local diner in Solaris called Patchback's Hobby, while some residents of Solaris say that Patchbacks doesn't even exist. Some say they've visited Patchbacks one week, and the next week, Patchbacks seemed to have disappeared or never existed in Solaris at all.

Personally, I've never been, and Patchback's doesn't come up on any maps, both physical or digital. 

Martie and Thor said both their parents have been to Patchback's Hobby, but both of them are just as clueless as me when it comes to the exact location.

Patchback's was supposed to be close to medium's house according to Thor. He doesn't know where, but apparently it's far east of Solaris, where we were.

''I think we're about three minutes away. It should be one of these houses up ahead.''

After a thirty-minute drive, we arrived in a neighborhood that seemed well off. My house had sparse families of babies breath in our front garden, while these houses had well-maintained rose gardens and perfectly mowed green lawns. 

It looked like a neighborhood straight out of a real estate catalog.

''Solaris Bloom Estate.'' Thor reads the sign as Martie slows around a corner.

''I would sell my left titty to live here,'' Martie says before gasping, ''Guys, I think that's it! 444 Solaris Bloom Boulevard.'' 

The house was incredibly noticeable amongst the others. The black volted gates to the house seemed well equipped to shock you to death if you tried breaking and entering.

 ''You'd think the rest of the houses would follow the whole safety protocol trend they have going on.'' Thor scoffs.

Martie approaches the gate with her car and winds the window down. ''There seems to be a buzzer system.''

''444.''

''What?'' Martie turns to me.

''The code is 444.''

''Ahhh I see what you did there--you knew that because of your freaky psychic powers!''

''No, actually, it was an informed guess. 444 is her house number.''

''Oh.''

Martie reaches out the window and punches the numbers in. ''It's missing a digit.''

''Try 0 at the end,'' I suggest.

Martie punches the numbers in, resulting in a low beep and an answer from the intercom.

''Who's there?''

Martie looks at me to take responsibility for answering, so I wind my window down. 

''My name's Rior-'' Before I finished my introduction, the intercom call cut off and the gates opened.

Well, that was easy.

Martie parks in the driveway, which had an expensive black Jeep parked off to the left, as if they were anticipating our arrival.