No Rest for the Wicked

3

"Thanks for the ride." I said cheerfully to the Uber Driver. He nodded in acknowledgement before driving away. Sighing, I started walking around the used car lot, trying to find one that I liked.

"Morning, miss! How can I help you today?" A woman said, approaching me.

"Hi, well, I was hoping to buy a car... Today if possible. I just moved here from America and I need something to drive to work once I start." I said.

"Well, let's hope you find what you're looking for." The woman said, leading me around and pointing to various cars in the lot. "Is there anything in particular you are looking for?"

"Something that will hopefully last a while." I said.

"Now, I'm not objecting to business, but everything around here is relatively close. Couldn't you bike to work?" The woman asked.

"Well... I live about two hours away from my job." I said, pretending to be absurdely interested in the blue car in front of me to avoid talking about... The elephant in the room.

"Alright, well most of the cars here were sold to us by people who don't drive their cars. They don't have a lot of miles on them."

"Sounds great. If you don't mind, I'd like to check out my selection at a separate mechanic just to make sure everything is in working order." My dad always told me that if someone trying to sell me a car objected to that, it was too sketchy to take my business there.

"I wouldn't mind that. Whatever gets the sale." The woman winked and I smiled. We walked around the lot for a little while before my eyes landed on a nice looking white car. A Toyota to be specific.

"Do you mind if I test drive it?" I asked.

"Sure. I'll get the keys, but I'm obligated to be in the car with you just in case. I doubt you'd be the type to steal a car, but you can never be too careful."

"Epic."

***

~One Test Drive Later followed by one trip to the mechanic~

"I think I'll take it." I said, stepping out of the car into the lot.

"Great! If you'll follow me, I need to discuss payment options and get some signatures from you." The woman said. As instructed, I followed her inside the building. She sat behind a desk and slid some papers and a pen across to me. "I'm glad you found what you needed."

"Thanks. Now, I was hoping to pay cash for it. I have just enough leftover funds for it." I said, reading the papers.

"If you don't mind my asking, leftover from what?"

"Home renovations. Cost several thousand to do. I'll be paying that loan off for a while. I'll be working as a clerk at the local pharmacy." I laughed.

"No homes around here that I know of needed thousands worth of renovations. Do you live in the next town over?"

"No. No one lives around me for miles."

"Why not buy a flat closer to the pharmacy?"

"Oh, I couldn't resist my house. But the distance ensured that I needed a good car."

"I'm not sure I'm understanding quite right. You don't live in the next town over, but you need a car because you live two hours away? The only thing that could possibly fit that description is Aller-" The woman paused mid-sentence. I sighed.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. It's haunted. But I doubt anything is there now except for the stuff I put in it. If you don't get scared by it, it can't affect you."