Wolf Hollow

Chapter 2

The rain poured all of the night that Leah drove the highway. It had been five hours of the way when the clock struck 6 PM. It would be hours to go, which was difficult for someone to manage 13 hours total without stopping for rest.

The road would become a trance. There was a such thing as staring at the road for too long.

You became zoned and started to day dream, and eventually you would find yourself knowing everything BUT the road. You were doomed.

The sign displayed 'Best Rates Motel' in bold letters, lit up in the dark. Except some of the lights were out and if you took that into account, it displayed 'Bst ate motl'.

However, another sign, without lights, displayed the name perfectly fine. They were in Maryland at this point.

Leah checked them in for a one night stay. The lady working slowly slapped down the key. She was definitely tired.

Why work the night shift if you hate it? Leah thought. It's not like she had much room to say anything, but she wouldn't do it in the first place.

The motel was the usual normal, as it should be.
It consisted of 2 queen beds, clean towels in the bathroom, a microwave, coffee machine, mini sized shampoo and soap, telephone, small dining chairs with a small table, you get the idea.

One of the pros in Darren's opinion was an indoor pool and hot tub. Darren couldn't decide between getting in the hot tub or going straight to bed.

"Mind if I go to the hot tub?" Darren asked.

"Take Ruthie with you," Leah said. "And be back soon. You know how I worry."

Darren had already taken off and Ruthie jogged behind to catch up.

Ruthie shouted. "Slow down!"

Anyone in the motel other than them were most likely asleep. She had the audacity to shout.

By now, Darren was running faster. Ruthie ran behind as Darren reached the stairs and jumped down when he got to the third stair.

It was like a game of cat and mouse. Tom and Jerry.

He saw the sign that said 'Pool and Hot Tub' and flung the door open. Ruthie followed behind.

A gang of college boys were in the Hot Tub already. One of the boys stopped Darren after he opened the door.

This late, of course these would be the only type of people awake. Why were college students at a motel at 7 AM?

"Hey guys, look," The guy said. "Someone decided to come the same time."

"So what?" Darren was flustered. He felt embarrassed, thinking he and his sister would be the only ones here.

"We're trying to relax," The guy came closer. "By the way you were running, you want trouble."

'The way you were running.'
He saw them running. Obviously he did.

"Why be a dick about it?" Darren asked.

By now, the other guys turned their heads to stare. Ruthie stood behind her brother, worried. Something was about to go down.

He pushed Darren against the door.

"Fight him, Robert, fight him!" Someone hollered.

The guy, Robert, tried to punch Darren but he dodged it. Instead, Darren's adrenaline kicked in. He felt anger and rage.

In the moment, he could see his father. Yes, he was imagining that Robert was his father. He would get his anger out on him.

Darren uppercut a hard, forceful, raged punch into Robert's cheekbones that sent him wobbling down to the wet floor.

"You gonna take that?" A blonde guy roared.

Robert touched his face. "Yes. Let's scram."

On command, as if he was their leader, the guys removed themselves from the bubbling Hot Tub.

Darren stared as they walked away with Robert in front.

"Nice punch." An asian boy said on his way out.

"You know what," Darren said. "I'm tired."

Darren and Ruthie walked back up to the room, without even thinking anymore of the Hot Tub.

All of that for nothing.

Darren took a shower and settled into bed. One that he didn't have to share. Ruthie shared a bed with Leah.

It was the best nights sleep he had in a while, which felt wrong to think after he had punched a man to his fall in the same night.

It was 2 PM, time for lunch by now. They stopped at a random restaurant called 'Shake Hut' for burgers, fries, and milkshakes. They were satisfied with their food. The road was busy now.

Darren watched the window as busy roads led to corn fields, listening to music on his cassette tape. He finally saw a sign that read:

WELCOME
TO
WOLF HOLLOW
Est. 1801

Darren's mother Leah hadn't told him it would be a farm house in a stupid old town.

Leah stopped at the real estate office. Kent Goldman, the agent from the phone, greeted them. He was sharply dressed, in a black suit.

"I'm Kent Goldman, if you didn't know already."

Yea, Darren thought. We already knew.

He took to the driver side of Leah's car while she sat in the passenger seat. Darren and Ruthie in the backseat. Darren tuned them out.

"There's no wolves by the way," He chuckled. "Not since the pioneers. Other animals though, they lurk at night but they don't bother humans."

He's talking like we care. Darren thought.

The car turned into a gravel road. It's a two-story farmhouse. It looked rusted and chipped.

The paint on the door and window frames was stripping off. The yard stretched back to a old rail fence. Everything about the house was old. The barn ahead was chipping paint.

Darren wanted to blurt out Gross but he would keep his nasty thoughts to himself.

Kent could feel the disgusted looks on their faces.

"Your neighbor, Albert," Kent pointed. "he's over there. He's been here a long while. He'll watch out for youse guys. No worries."

Darren could make it out. Albert's house did look worse than this one they would be in.

They went up the porch and entered the house. The kitchen was huge with flowered print wallpaper and wood linoleum.

In the center of the room, a metal table with six chairs and a red plaid cloth table cover over it.

On the left, a narrow stairwell leading to upstairs and a door to the basement. On the right, the hallway to the living room, and a door to the bathroom.

Opposite, a window over the sink where you could see the barn. Forward, the back door to the shed.

No dishwasher. Yep, it's old as crap.

"Come, I'll show you the rest." Kent said.

There's only one bedroom and one bathroom on the first floor. Up the stairs, three bedrooms and one bathroom.

Kent showed them the first bathroom and the downstairs master bedroom.

In the living room, a massive piano, book shelf, and old furniture. A sour smell lingered.

While Kent continued touring Leah and Ruthie around and showing them upstairs, Darren went to check out the basement.