Dark Sight

Chapter 6

The whole town tour took no longer than fifteen minutes, mostly up the one main street. JC spoke animatedly while explaining about the town's attractions, mainly the beach as well as the self-proclaimed genius school which at least half the town's children attend.

"So, you're telling me that this is a town full of geniuses?" Harper says, indignation filling her voice.

He gives Harper a smile without answering Harper's question as he comes to a stop in front of a set of tall, Gothic-looking iron gates. Vines wrap and snake their way up the brick pillars besides both gates. "Welcome to Ravenbridge academy, aka, Genius Academy." JC waves his hands towards the locked gates.

I peer through the iron bars and all I see is a brick path that winds through tall and twisted greyish trees. Through the forest-like greenery, I can just make out a dark bricked house with a couple of spires, one on both sides of the house, reaching towards the sky. It's not like any school I've ever seen. A shiver races up my spine as I stare at the distant building.

"So, why are you showing us the school?" Harper asks. "Or is this really all this town has?"

JC laughs. "Well, this is pretty much the town's highlight, but it will also likely be where your lovely production takes place."

"At the school?" I gasp. Seriously, most parents hate what Asher represents, so I can't see how they would obtain permission to film on school premises.

"Well, this is the biggest place we have in this town. It's the only place in town that will be able to hold the audience as well as all your equipment."

"Will they give us permission?" I ask.

"Dad is very influential, so there shouldn't be a problem." He gives another smile before starting to walk again. "Well, I've kept you out as long as I can. I'd better get you back before they send another search party out."

"So he did send you out to fetch us." Harper shakes her head. "Well, whatever. This way we'll at least know where exactly he's staying." I give the eerie building another glance before rushing to catch up to the two.

The corners of his lips twitch upwards as he shakes his head, his dark hair falling over his eyes. "As I said, I wanted to meet you." He extends his hand towards me. "But I guess if I don't get you back soon even my dad will send out a search party too."

Harper steps between JC and me like a protective big sister, and flashes him her own crooked grin. "Well then, lead the way."

* * *

By the time we arrive at the hotel, the crowd of protesters has thinned. Only a few gather around the glass sliding doors leading to the hotel holding signs that read 'We don't need the devil' and 'You're going to hell'. Although my favourite is the one that reads 'Go'. Yeah, way to put the effort in. I walk past the stragglers, doing my best to ignore their abusive shouts once they realised we're entering the hotel.

"Sorry about that," JC whispers. "They sort of know that the majority of the hotel is being booked by you guys."

I do my best to force out a smile, but it probably looked like a pained grimace. I only continue following slightly a step behind him as he moves across the room, towards a set of stairs at the far end of the room.

I've stayed in plenty of hotels since coming to live with Asher, but none as quaint as this place. The lobby was one big room lined with a deep red carpet. In the middle of the room sits one desk made out of polished black wood. Behind the desk were several couches positioned around a knee-high table.

To the side of the room, on the opposite side of the stairs, was a small bistro that looked like it could sit only ten or so people. The whole hotel, if you could call it a hotel, was only two floors with no guest rooms on the ground floor, so no wonder we're taking up most -- if not all -- of the hotel.

JC leads us to the top of the stairs and down a narrow hallway lined with mirrors. He stops in front of a door before taking out a bronze key attached to a wooden board with the room number '6' engraved in it.

"Geez, old-fashioned much," Harper mutters.

JC places the key in the hole and turns it without reacting to what she said. "Welcome to the most hi-tech and luxurious hotel in town." JC pushes the door open, beaming brightly as if to say he's proud of this town's amenities.

"You mean the only hotel." Harper shakes her head as she walks past him.

"Yeah, then that makes it the best." He gives a brief laugh as he steps aside and turns his attention to me. "After you."

I give him a smile before entering.

The same red carpet lines the floor. The walls are covered with a yellowy-cream coloured wallpaper with a faded kaleidoscope looking pattern repeating across it.

After passing the small corridor where a cupboard is embedded in the wall, it opens up into a country-style lounge room with a brown leather lounge and two identical looking armchairs sitting in a 'U' shape around a small coffee table of dark wood. In front of the lounge is a wide-screen TV, looking out of place in the olden style furniture of the room.

Two men sit on the lounge chair, one being Asher while I haven't seen the other one before. He wears an expensive looking suit that looks like it's freshly ironed without a crease in sight. They lean over the table where papers are sprawled out, and they speak in hushed tones, oblivious to the new people in the room.

"So we have an agreement then?" Asher leans back in the chair, taking a puff of a cigarette in his hand.

I try not to cough as the stench of smoke blends in with the overwhelming lavender scent that floats around the room.

The other man smiles and nods as he pushes himself up from the lounge. "I know the boy in the video and based on his personality I can tell you he definitely needs this exorcism. The man laughs.

"Hey, Dad." JC smiles as he approaches the man.

"Oh, JC, you're back." The man in the suit turns towards us and smiles. "And this must be Sera and Harper."

"Um, yeah, hi," Harper says. "I guess I should say thanks for having us in this town. My name's Harper McLean, and I am the production assistant for Asher.

After Harper introduces herself the room falls into silence and I realise they're waiting for me.

"Yeah, um, I'm Sera," I spit out, dropping my gaze to the ground.

"I hope you have had a good exploration of this town," Asher says. "We've got a lot of work to do with this show."

I nod, about to say something else when a buzz vibrates from the same pocket where the knife is hiding. I reach in and pull out my phone. A new message from Jensen flashes on the screen.

Opening it, I read: 'Come outside, I need to speak with you.'

"Um, excuse me." I turn around and make my way towards the front door.

Before I leave the room, a voice hisses from behind me, "Where do you think you're going?"

"I'm feeling a little light-headed with the smoke and all." I point towards the cigarette still in Asher's hand. "I just need to step outside for some fresh air."

"You're not going anywhere tonight. I want you to entertain Mayor Crandle's son tonight," Asher says.

"So, you're now pimping me out," I mumble in a voice barely above a whisper.

"What was that?" Asher asks, the gravelly tone in his voice suggests he's trying his hardest not to lose his temper. At least while he had company he would not act like his usual arsehole self.

"Oh, I just said that I'll be five minutes and I promise I'll be back up." I force a smile. "You can count on me to make Mr Crandle and his son happy."

Asher clenches and unclenches his fist as he stares at me. Through gritted teeth, he says, "As long as you are." He gives me one last glance before turning back around to the mayor. "Sorry about her. She's had a long day, but I'm sure she'll love to hang out with JC tonight. It'll be good for her to hang out with kids her own age."

Without looking back, I rush from the hotel room.

I wrap my arms around myself as I take the stairs two at a time. JC seems like a nice guy, but that still doesn't make the cheap feeling I'm getting from Asher treating me like some cheap escort. Crap, I hope he only wants to hang out tonight because knowing Asher he would want me to do anything to make JC happy, which will, in turn, keep the mayor happy and lead to more money ending up in Asher's pocket.

"Hey, where are you going in such a hurry?" a voice calls out as soon as I leave the building.

I skid to a stop and turn to face Jensen. "What the hell are you doing here? If you keep pushing him, one day he will turn you over to the cops."

His lips turn down as his eyes narrow on me. "Don't worry about me. But more like, did he do something to you?"

I shake my head. "No, it's nothing like that."

"Well, I know when something is bothering you." He takes a step closer to me, his gaze locked on mine. Sandy strands of hair fall across his worry-filled green eyes.

I divert my gaze to the ground. "It's just..." I stumble over my words as I have no idea what to even tell him.

"Has something happened since you've arrived here?" I can hear the tension filling his voice. He grabs my chin with a gloved hand and forces my eyes to meet his once more.

"I don't know," I say in a soft voice. "I'm getting a weird feeling about this place. I don't like it here."

"Shit! I knew something would happen here." Jensen curls his hands into fists and turns away from me. After a moment of silence, he finally says, "That does it. I'm taking you with me. Come on." He reaches for me but I dodge with a step backwards.

"No!" I shake my head. "I'm fine here. I guess I don't like small towns much." I force a smile. "The show's not that long off. Once done, we'll be leaving anyway."

He grabs his phone out of his pocket. "That's it, I'll tell them I can't come tonight."

"Are you going somewhere?" I ask.

"It's not important. A friend of mine is nearby and wants some help on a job."

"Just go, I'll be fine here without you for one night."

"Well," he draws out the word as he fixes his gaze on me. "I guess one night won't hurt, but I want you to promise me you'll stay inside. Call me if anything does happen, and I promise I'll be back by morning."

"Okay," I say, feeling heavy rocks rattling around in my stomach for lying to him, but I think he'd do something stupid if he found out that I can't stay home tonight because I've got a damn date.

He crouches by the duffle bag sitting at his feet and rummages through it. A moment later he removes a spray can. "I know nothing'll happen in the hotel room, but this is for your protection." He tosses the can in my direction.

I fumble as I nearly drop it before I take a better stare at the can in my hand: A can of mace. "What the hell is this good for if I'm actually attacked?"

A smile breaks out on his face. "Human or supernatural, mace to the face will still hurt like hell. Then at that time, run away."

"Very funny." I throw a punch at him, and he catches my arm, the leather glove feeling rough against my skin.

"But I'm serious," he says in a soft voice. "If anything does happen, I don't care what it is, I want you to run."

"Fine," I huff as I turn around. "Well I'd better get going before Asher sends out a search party for me."

"Remember, if you do need my help call and I'll come straight back. I'm not going to be that far away, an hour at most," Jensen calls after me as I rush back to the hotel.

A shiver creeps down my spine as I think about what can go wrong tonight. I'm just going out. There's going to be a crowd. Nothing terrible will happen. Yeah right, the last time I was in a crowd I got chased through the forest by a freaking beast-boy.