Backwards Into Hell

Part One: The Lodge

Saturday 23rd October

After my brash first meeting with Harriet, I took a long look around the dining room.

It was tiny. There was barely enough room to fit the long, oblong table that filled it (all the guests at the Lodge sat together, perhaps on account of the small number). It was decorated similarly to the lobby with dark paintings that hung on the walls and a stuffed bookcase in the corner scattered with elephant statues.

I examined my options closely. The seat I chose would likely become the one I'd have for the whole trip so, after a moment's debate, I took one near the centre of the table, facing the window and away from the door.

As soon as my backside hit the cushion, the other guests filtered in one by one. Lottie and Abe were first, sitting together but next to me. Then came the rest of them: David and his son, Lily, and Delilah. Counting Darren, Anais, and Harriet, that was nine people. Nine pages.

I smiled at David as he sat across from me. He didn't notice. He was too focused on moving the highchair from the edge of the room and strapping his son into it. He was a strange child, I noted, so blue-eyed it was almost creepy—and so quiet. He seemed old enough to at least be mumbling by now but instead was contented to watch us from afar with his icy eyes.

I hadn't expected one of them to be so young.

What kind of monster could kill a child?

'Oh, he is a picture, isn't he?' Lottie cooed.

David reddened slightly. 'He has his moments.'

'Mine was never so well behaved—she always had something to say, didn't she?'

Abe nodded dutifully and before Lottie could embark on another tale, Anais emerged from the kitchen with a small notebook in hand. It was Sunday, so there were just two choices—roast chicken, or, for the vegetarians, a nut roast. Everyone but Lily ordered the chicken.

After that, Anais disappeared and Darren arrived, bottle of cheap wine in hand, to finish his welcome talk.

'Good evening, everyone,' he said brightly.

'Evening,' we droned back, showcasing the usual British enthusiasm.

'I wanted to welcome you all to The Lodge and, unfortunately—' he rolled his eyes— 'lay out some ground rules.'

A few guests chuckled and he began his spiel, pouring drinks for each of us.

'No smoking or drinking in the rooms. Curfew is at twelve but the kitchen is only open until ten. The en-suites and the lobby toilets are the only bathrooms we have—and if you could please be careful not to put anything down them that isn't toilet paper because the waterworks can be a little temperamental.

'Breakfast and Dinner are provided but you'll have to fend for yourselves at lunch, and towels can be found in your bathrooms but if you need any extra there's a basket on the second floor.'

Then Darren let a silence sit for a second, checking for questions. There weren't any.

'Good. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to find us. Now...' Darren slowed his words and took on a cheeky grin. 'I like to start every week with a few introductions... perhaps a fun fact?'

His eyes fixed on Lottie and I groaned internally, searching for something interesting to say as she started us off.

It turned out Lottie and Abe were retired bakers, Delilah was a language student, Lily 'wasn't really doing anything at the moment but liked to paint', and David was ex-military. That worried me. With his thick muscles and stout form, he was a threat.