Aɳɠҽʅιƈ Hυɳƚɾҽʂʂ σϝ Bʅσσԃ αɳԃ Sƚҽҽʅ

Chapter 21: Moonside Lake

[Seven Years Ago]

They've been on the road for two hours now...

In that time span, the sunset has all but disappeared. Replaced by the all-encompassing darkness of night, a full moon has over the land. Shining brightly on the road ahead of them, compensating for the daylight lost.

'Approximately, two hours, fifteen minutes, and seven seconds.' She says in her head, staring out the window. 'Give or take...'

Maria continued to count the time, its duration only increasing the longer they remain in motion. Softly sighing, she pans her head to her father. Seeing the man wide awake, not an ounce of fatigue on his face as he hums a catchy tune to the radio playing in the background.

'Another one of his damn talk shows,' Maria listens more intently, jazz music more apparent and the voice more clear to her ears. 'Jeez, dad. You're so old...'

"Good afternoon! And thank you for tuning in to tonight's broadcast!" The voice greets openly. "For those who are burning the midnight oil, whether it be late work shifts or just the natural night owl..."

'What an annoying voice,' Maria can't help but roll her eyes. 'How can he even listen to this guy...'

"I welcome you all to the one and only source of entertainment on this sorry planet! This is your host, Alastor-!"

The signal cuts out abruptly, making Maria raise her eyebrow. Starting to drive through a very dense forest, feeling the car vibrate against the gravel of a poorly paved path.

"I'm not getting any service," Maria realizes, looking at her phone. "Where are we, dad?"

"Nearing my workshop," Gherman simply answers, turning on the headlights of his impala. "This forest is like a maze, easy for someone to get lost in. Its massive scale scrambles communications, cutting anyone off from the outside world."

"What kind of work requires this much secrecy?" Maria asks, starting to get an uneasy feeling in her gut. "Are you in danger, dad?"

"...Always," Gherman replies, deciding to be honest with his daughter. She's mature enough to understand the world by now. "My inventions are heavily sought after, and there exist those foolish enough to steal from me. So it's necessary to take these sorts of precautions..."

"They must be something special," Maria comments, crossing her arms expectantly. "If people are willing to do all that."

Her father chuckles at the statement, the car leaving the treeline and out into an open field.

Where a fenced-off building lies, countless graves surround its iron spear points like morbid decor. And a warm orange glow shines through its windows, signs of a cozy fireplace already set.

Maria gasps silently, widening her eyes in astonishment to it all before her. This place, isolated from the rest of the world... from her family, is the home of her father...

A workshop, built for a hunter. The first hunter that Maria has ever known, Gherman.

"I'll let you be the judge of that," Gherman smirks, parking just outside the fenced gate and shutting off the engine. "We're here, Mary."

Sticking close, she follows her father as they head inside. Shutting the iron barriers behind them, Gherman gestures for Maria to go up ahead.

Stuffing his hands inside his trousers, he simply watches his daughter tread up the half-spiral stairs. Softly smiling at Maria's hesitancy, too scared to just open the closed double doors in front of her. And yet, she remains too curious to let them be.