The bright sun of Arizona was hitting me hard through the glass of the windshield. A single drop of sweat was shedding down my face as I was trying to stay focus on the road, I was moving my hand away from the stirring wheel only to readjust my sunglasses on my nose. 'I wish I had a convertible car.' The heat was hardly bearable. 'I am just a few miles away, i could take a stop'.
I parked my car in a little gas station. I was totally in the middle of nowhere, if there was a psychopath in the station he could clearly kill me and no one would be able to hear me shout.
I unfold the sun visor in order to look at myself in the little mirror. I put some red lipstick and adjusted my hair. I got out of the car. It was kinda windy. I could see my ginger hair floating in front of my eyes. The place seemed deserted. It was those kind of old fashioned station where you don't put the gas yourself in your car. « Hello ? I'd like to refuel my car... » Nobody.
I decided to try my luck in the little store next to the pumps. There was no customers, and an odour of rotten fruits filled the air. I reached the counter and saw a man slumped on it. 'Is he... dead ?' I touched his arm. « Sir ? Sir ? ». Zero reaction, goddamn... I decided to shake him a little. « Sir ? Are you okay ? »
« Wh-What ! Stay back woman ! » He suddenly woke up. He had dry saliva all around his mouth. He was dressed with a yellow shirt with his name written in red on it. Despite his clothes being really dirty, I could distinguish his name. 'Gil'.
« Sorry... I didn't mean to scare you... I just want to refuel my car... »
« Oh gosh... Alright... Er... » He rubbed his eyes, and yawned while stretching so I could see his hairy belly. « Follow me then. »
We went outside, and Gil began to fuel my car. He still looked very sleepy, and he was really slow. He was kind of the cliché of the redneck. « So where are you heading like that woman ? » he asked with a flabby voice. He had a strong texan accent that got on my nerves.
« I am going to Pennylane, I found a house with a cheap rent. »
When he heard the name of the city his face tighten, and he became more dynamic.
« Pennylane ? You are sure ? »
« Yes why ? »
« W-Well... Because it hasn't be a trendy location lately. Strange things began to happen... »
« What sort of weird things ? » He had stung my curiosity.
« I don't want to scare you woman, but I wouldn't go there if I were you. This is not a pleasant place to stay. »
« But why ? »
« It's the citizen they are... weird... »
« Pfff...nonsense... »
« Do as you pleased, but you won't say that I didn't warn you. Your car is ready. »
I narrowed my head to look in my wallet. « How much do I... owe you ? »
When I put my head back up there was nobody. 'Oh please spare me with the old ghost cliché...'
« 60 bucks. » He was just behind me and whispered in my neck, it startled me.
« Don't do that ! Gosh ! Here take your money. »
I got back in my car. I saw Gil waving in the retro.
« Take care woman... »
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After about 2 hours of drive, I finally reached Pennylane. It was a small town between two cliffs, there was two main axes and 4 main neighborhoods. The town center, where there was all the shops, café, bars, and all, in the east there was a residential district where most of people lived, there was also in the North there was a district where some soldier lived. And finally there was the district where I would live, the high hills, the district where the wealthy people lived. I didn't know much things about Pennylane, but it attracted me because it made me think of the song by the Beatles.
I was really glad to get to live there, because the house that I found had a really cheap rent. I will live in a sort of bungalow with two dudes, but hey 300$ a month, it is a deal. Furthermore, I get to take a fresh start because I didn't know anybody out here. It an opportunity to me !
I parked my car at the entrance of the small house. The least that we could say is that it was austere. All the walls were white, there was just some grey bricks down the walls. All the window were black, and all the curtains were pulled, so nobody could see inside the house. Everything was full foot. 'At least it's clean...'
I rang the bell, and a tall guy, about 6' feet, came to open the door. He had jet black hair, he wore an opened black shirt and denim shorts with flip flops. He had green/blue eyes and had a scar on his left eyebrow. He was smoking a cigarette and he looked at me from head to toes.
« Hello, can I help you ? »
He sounded really annoyed.
« Hey, I am Katherine, the new roommate. »
He raised on eyebrow.
« Huh ? One minute please. »
He get into the house, leaving the door open and shout
« Arthur ! Will ya come here ya piece of shit ? »
A few seconds after, another guy made his entrance, he was really smaller, just a bit taller than me. He had blond curly hair. He had blue eyes and a turned up nose. He looked a bit like a rodent. He was very skinny, and he had big dark circles around his eyes. He wore glasses.
« What do you want ? »
« Do you know anything about a new roommate ? »
« Oh yes, it's me who put the ad. We were struggling with the rent so, yeah, third roommate. »
« And you didn't think that you could ask me ? »
Arthur completely ignored the other guy and came to shake my hand.
« Hi, you must be Katherine, my name is Arthur and the scumbag over there is Dean. »
« Nice to meet you, you can call me Kath. »
« Do you need help to move your stuff in ?
« No that's okay, I only have one bag. »
Dean stared at me with a black gaze and then went back inside the house. I looked at him while he left with a bit of sadness in my eyes...
« You have to excuse him, he's just an asshole when he doesn't know people. Don't take it personally. »
« Oh don't worry, I am a tough piece of cake ! »
Arthur smiled lightly, and then he invited me to follow him so he could show me my room.
YOU ARE READING
Pennylane
Mystery / ThrillerDean and Arthur have to take another roomate because their rent is too much for their income. Meanwhile the city of Pennylane is becoming weirder and weirder.
