The Woman in The Mountains

Part 1

3 days earlier...

"We're almost there, Rachel," Josh shouts over his shoulder. Several feet behind him, Rachel gasps for breath, beads of sweat dripping down her forehead. She carefully descends the mountain, grabbing onto any boulder or tree root she can to avoid falling.

Rachel pauses briefly, kneeling between two boulders, resting her aching quads. She cranes her neck to gaze at the sight ahead of her. A cluster of towering pine trees bow together in conversation, obstructing her view, but at the base of the mountain, she can make out the outline of a small, rectangular building. What is that? She wonders, squinting at the little building in the distance. 

"Well, at least there are some signs of life here," Rachel whispers to herself, nearly breathless but extremely relieved. She chugs the rest of her water bottle, continuing her descent. "Wait for me, Josh!" she calls out. Wow, I really should've utilized my gym membership when I had the chance, Rachel thinks to herself as her quads complain once again. 

"I see a building up there," Rachel says once she catches up to Josh, pointing straight ahead. "Maybe we should check it out?"

Josh looks to where Rachel is pointing, a frown on his face. "Hmm, I don't know about that, Rachel. Don't you think it looks a bit... well, sketchy?"

"A little," Rachel agrees, with a slight shrug of her shoulders. "It is in the middle of nowhere. But I mean, we're both exhausted and probably miles away from our car and any other hotel anyways. It's not like we're trapped in a horror movie or a thriller novel or anything. So we'll be fine."

Josh nods, considering this. "Fair point," he replies. 

The couple continues walking for a few more minutes until they reach the base of the mountain, where the mysterious brick building sits quietly, patiently awaiting their arrival. A bright red neon sign reads Clifton's Motel.

"This place looks abandoned," Josh comments. "Rachel, are you sure? I mean, I'm sure if we continued walking-"

"Yes, I'm sure," Rachel interrupts. "We've done enough hiking for the day, and I'm ready to relax. We both have extra clothing, so in case we decide to stay for a few nights, at least we're prepared." Rachel points toward their backpacks. She grabs Josh's hand, offering him a shaky smile. "Let's go," she says, leading them right into Clifton's Motel. 

The entrance is so low that Josh and Rachel need to duck down in order to fit inside. The lobby area is vacant, filled only with the soft buzzing sound of the overhead fluorescent lighting. A desktop computer sits on the desk in front of them along with a silver bell. Behind the desk is a door that opens up to a small kitchen and dining room. With only a brief moment of hesitation, Rachel leans forward to ring the bell for assistance. 

As if she had expected them all along, a short, older woman leaps up from behind the desk, making the couple jump back in surprise. Rachel clasps a hand over her chest, her heart racing. "Holy shit, you scared me," she mutters under her breath.

The woman behind the desk is short and stout, with shoulder-length silver hair and wrinkles around her eyes and mouth that deepen whenever she smiles. She's wearing an apron over a knee-length dress and a name tag that reads Mary.

"Hello there," she says, offering a warm smile. "I'm Mary Clifton, the owner of this hotel. Checking in? How many nights are you two staying?"

"I'm Josh Anderson, and this is my wife, Rachel." He gestures towards Rachel, who offers a tight smile and an awkward wave of the hand. "We don't really have a reservation, to be honest. Is that alright?"

Mary waves off his concern. "Don't worry about it, Mr. Anderson. I have plenty of rooms available. There's only one other couple staying here right now," she tells them. "So, how many nights?"