Cursed

7. Belle to the Rescue

7. Belle to the Rescue

It had started to rain while we were driving but by the time we pulled into the parking garage at the old bed and breakfast it was pouring. Dad however, was determined to do his work today so that we would have time for our photo shoot tomorrow.

We payed at the desk in the lobby and pulled our bags up the stairs, no elevator of course. Instead of the keycards I was used to being given at places like these in California, we were each given our own rusty little key.

I dug into our big suitcase that held all of our clothes and found Dad's raincoat. I handed it to him as he lugged his equipment bag back out the small door. When he was gone, Saundra suggested that we grab an early lunch in the cozy restaurant nearby. I couldn't say no to a free lunch.

We ate mostly in silence. Saundra tried her hand at small talk but it didn't go too well. I wasn't in the mood to give her much more than one word answers. We returned to our room and she insisted on playing a few rounds of cards before saying she needed to work on the website.

That's where Saundra and Dad fit perfectly together. He is absolutely miserable at advertising his work but Saundra created a whole website with examples of what he does. She also sends his work to advertisement companies and does all this other technical stuff to make sure he is always working on something that is going to bring in the dough.

I was sitting on my bed and reading for a bit in the myth book when a loud groan of thunder shook the windows that were evenly spaced around the room. I looked outside and saw that it had gotten dark. A glance at my phone told me that it wasn't that late, only nine, but he should have been back by now. There wasn't much he could shoot in the dark anyways so where was he? I glanced at Saundra who was clacking away at her laptop unaware. I stepped out into the hallway so as not to alarm her.

I speed dialed my dad's number and waited for the dialing tone to ring. It didn't. What reason did I have to think that there would be any reception in this blasted middle of nowhere? I went back into our room and picked up the old-fashioned phone that sat on a little table near one of the two queen-sized beds along with a lamp. I dialed his number, much less optimistic this time. The call went straight to voicemail.
I sighed. There is no reason to get worked up, I'm sure he's fine. If I don't have reception in town how can I expect him to have any in the middle of the forest? Evernight Forest. Just the thought of the myth, however ridiculous it was, kept me on edge. I watched the clock for exactly five minutes before stomping into my boots hurriedly and almost running out the door.

When I was two flights down, I thought about maybe going back up to let Saundra know I was going out. She seemed so engrossed in her work, I wasn't sure if she had even noticed I had left. I decided against it, my growing worry overwhelming me.

As soon as I opened the door out of the lobby, I was shocked by the bitter cold of wind and rain slapping my face. Shoot, my jacket. But I quickly forgot about it when a sharp crack of lightning lit the angry sky, followed only seconds later by a loud roar of thunder.
I ran straight for the edge of the forest and started up the first trail I saw.

“Dad,” I called out, “Dad!” I ran and ran and cursed as branches caught on my jeans. The wind blew my hair in every direction but most of the rain was blocked by the dense greenery. It still plopped onto my head in large drops that slid off the shaking leaves and branches but at least it didn't sting my face as it had out in the open.

I came to a split in the trail and chose the left one, remembering it carefully. When I came to a three-way split, I took left again, and on the next split I took a right. I called for my dad again and again but got no answer other than the howl of the wind and the patter of rain. I decided to turn back. Maybe he had gone to get us some dinner and I had gotten all worked up for nothing.