Tonight is the night we die

Chapter Three

I get to the small motel of Duskwood. It looks like a normal motel. The sign is bright red, turning almost to a flashing orange. As I walk to the entrance, I look around me, walking backwards and observing the large forest dressing in front of me. It is real now. No more hiding behind a phone. " Come and get me now " I whisper to myself before turning around.

On my way there, I remembered driving in Duskwood, it was a really long time ago, I was a child. I could picture myself at the back of the car with my mom behind the wheel. I think the reason why I remember it it's because she was upset, crying silently, looking at me from time to time through the rearview mirror. But that's all I could get from my memory. 

The parking has only one car in addition to mine. I would have expected the place to be busier as the Pine Glade festival is happening tomorrow. I enter the motel and see I'm not the only client checking in. The town was so calm that I was even doubting the motel would be open. I freak out for a bit, thinking it could be Jake. Maybe he heard my conversation with Jessy and was there, waiting for me. My body shivers at that idea, quite an exciting ideas and I get a hot flush instantly. I miss the cold air from the outside as the heavy see-through door close behind me. I notice the man is old and I'm a bit disappointed to not see the man I was expecting. I walk up to the desk, next to him and he turns to me. His smile is welcoming and I return it to him. His hair is charcoal grey, a bit in a mess, in a well-organised mess I would say. His eyes are blue and a light silver beard, recently shaved, is growing back around his thin mouth. A worn-out light blue pair of jeans, a simple white T-shirt covered by a red and black plaid shirt. He was probably around 50. He looked friendly and Mrs. Walter thinks probably the same as she comes back from another room, smiling brightly at him, handing him keys. She acknowledge my presence with a smile and a nod of the head. They joke together as she writes his information in a thick black book. Not a lot of names are on the white page :

" You have two clients keeping you company tonight, the best clients you could ever dream of " The man jokes after Mrs. Walter mentions the calm and how disappointing it is to see the town so empty the day before the festival.

" It's a shame really, it's not about the money, it's about the atmosphere. What a shame. A death, a disappearance and now this poison in the river... We are just a small town where nothing ever happens, you know ? " She shrugs with a sigh. Then she shakes her head " I should not ruin the mood with all these horrible stuff, it's not very selling, isn't it ? " She laughs, looking at both of us, before looking down at her big black book. I frown my eyes as I think about what she said about the poison. I am about to ask more about if, when my phone vibrate two times in the pocket of my jean. I take it out and smile immediately when I see Jake's name on the screen and I smile even more as I read his words.

Jake : " I am sorry for my previous reaction, Gloria. I am not used at all anymore to have someone worrying about me. "

He quickly send another one right after.

Jake : " I like how it feels... "

" Only love can make us smile like this ! " I hear the man talking next to me. I look up from my phone.

" Guilty as charged " I admit, smiling even more. The man chuckles and starts playing with the ring on his finger, focusing his eyes on the abyss, like his brain was remembering a specific time of his life.

" True love is rare and so sublime when it happens. Trust an old man's advice young lady, you don't know when you could lose that love so cherish it. Please. For as long as you can. Even if it hurts, you will not regret giving it all for it. " He becomes sadder and sadder as the words come out of his mouth. He clears his throat and his big welcoming smile is back on his face. He grabs the key to his room " Well, Mrs. Walter, thank you very much. A pleasure to stay here tonight ! " He adds, taking the handle of the big bag that was at his feet. He looks at me and smiles, nodding his head and disappearing then in a long corridor. Mrs. Walter looks at him go for a while before turning her attention towards me :