keys hit the ground with a loud jingling noise. She bent down and picked up her keys, then stood back up, looking toward the strange man. The keys almost fell from her hands again. The man and his wolf were gone.
Brenna looked around the car park. She couldn’t understand where the striking man had disappeared to. Even more unsettled now, she unlocked the car and slid inside. She took one last look for the mysterious man as she turned the key. She could still feel the man’s dark eyes watching her as though he was still there as she pulled out of the parking lot.
The sun was low in the sky as Brenna sped past a sign welcoming her to Oakwood. She was looking forward to exploring the forest and cottage she’d inherited, but the cottage had no power and it would be too dark to see anything, so she decided to check into a motel for the night. And besides, the thought of spending a dark night with a bed that was probably littered with creepy crawling bugs made her shiver.
She pulled into the Shady Oak Motel and chose a park close to the office. Gripping her handbag tightly under her arm, she made her way into the small office and looked around. The room was empty except for a large logbook and a bell sitting on a white counter located in front of a doorway, reminding her a little too much of the Bates Motel. Brenna smiled, she’d seen those ring for service bells in over a hundred movies and had always wanted to test one out. She dinged the bell and stood patiently waiting for service. A short, middle-aged man appeared from the doorway, pulling up his trousers as though they were too big. He stood behind the counter and looked up at Brenna. What little hair he had left on his pate was grey, and he wore wide-rimmed glasses that looked big enough to be used for TV screens.
“Can I help you, miss?” He pushed his glasses up just as they slid down his nose.
“Sure, I’d like a room please.”
“Any room in particular? We have spa baths in some.”
“Anything is fine.” Brenna smiled at the man and fished around in her bag for her purse. The man disappeared into the doorway behind him and came back holding a small key. “How much for the night?” she asked.
“Hundy for the night.”
“That’s cheap.” Brenna paid the man and recorded her name in the logbook. He handed her the key to room six.
“Name’s Clark by the way.”
“Nice to meet you, Clark.”
Brenna collected her things from the car and made her way to room six. She had to walk up some stairs and across a balcony. Once inside, she dropped her luggage on the ground and sat Maggie’s box on a dresser. The room was small but cozy with a double bed and thick green curtains. A small television sat across from the bed, as did a pay per view box. Brenna frowned. She had to pay for the room - and the entertainment. Oh well, the room was unusually cheap. Hopefully, that didn’t mean she would contract some hideous skin condition from using the shower. She sat on the edge of the bed and bounced up and down a little. Comfortable enough. Happy with the results, she lay down on her back and laced her fingers behind her head. Her eyelids grew heavy and she was on the cusp of sleep when she heard a faint chanting coming from outside.
Curious, she jumped off the bed and pulled the curtain across and peered outside. The chanting sounded as though it was right outside her window but there was nobody in sight. Brenna felt chills run down her spine. The chanting was loud and steady and soulful. She couldn’t help but feel gloomy even though she couldn’t hear the actual words of the chant.
The chanting faded away leaving the motel room quiet apart from the occasional car driving by. Brenna sat up straight on the bouncy bed. She no longer felt tired and decided to order a meal, after remembering seeing a sign advertising room service outside of the office. She looked around the room and found an old dust-covered menu on the window. Brenna blew off of the dust and skimmed over the options.
Her stomach rumbled at the thought of a large slab of steak and chunky chips, but considering the impact on her thighs, she opted for a cooked