Just an Ordinary Day in the Life of an Ordinary Girl
The car has already seen a lot of asphalt before one of you speaks again. Until now Zack had been staring out of the window as if the cornfields, which seemed to endlessly stretch out along the highway, offered a fascinating view to the one who paid attention.
Suddenly, though, he looks at you and says, out of the blue, "You're not mad at me, are you?"
The distraction is welcome, because for the past twenty minutes the road had been begging you to fall asleep, but this question wasn't exactly what you'd expected. "Mad at you?" you say in surprise and risk taking your eyes off the road for two seconds to see if he's being serious. Zack looks serious enough, though, judging from the mild frown and the big blue eyes that are looking right back at you.
"Why should I be mad at you?" you ask and fix your eyes on the road again.
"For dropping all this into your lap so suddenly," Zack says. "I appreciate you coming with me. For a moment there I was afraid you'd burst into laughter after hearing me out. I wouldn't have blamed you if you did, though."
For a moment you don't know what to say. You could hardly tell him the truth about why you so easily decided to believe his story and accompany him on his... quest?
You like him, though you don't even like to admit it to yourself. There's something intriguing about him. Instead of that you say, "Well, if you are speaking the truth, that means I'm in danger and I don't feel like dying yet."
Zack seems satisfied with your answer and focuses his attention on the road. After a short silent moment he points to a road sign in the distance and says, "Look, I think we just found the place."
You squint your eyes and see that Zack is right. The next exit leads to Elmrow.
You leave the highway and follow the signs to Elmrow. The landscape is steadily changing. The vast and flat countryside makes room for more vegetation. The overall colour of the landscape changes from a brown-yellow from the cornfields that stretched out along the highway, to some green and brown shades from trees and grass that have not yet fully regained their strength and colour in this early spring.
Soon you have reached the outskirts of the village. You decrease your speed to have a good look around when you take the sandy road that seems to lead into the village. The streets, if that's the right name for the sandy and irregular roads you cross, seem to be deserted.
You drive on for a little while, then turn to your passenger and ask, "So, now what?"
"I'd put my money on Wellshire Manor. That's the mansion where Thomas used to live. I think we'll recognize it when we see it."
"Okay," you say and keep following the road. A cloud shifts before the sun and it seems darker outside, although it isn't even noon yet. There are not a lot of people around, and the ones who are look at you in a strange way when you drive by.
Eventually you see the mansion. Or rather the ruins of what used to be a mansion. From the look of it it must have suffered greatly under the fire of which Zack had spoken, and clearly it was never rebuilt.
You and Zack exchange a look and you instinctively know you've reached your destination.
You discretely park the car under a few trees, to not draw too much attention. You both step out of the car.
"So, any ideas?" you ask Zack, but the guy shrugs, then thinks for a few seconds and says, "We can go up to the house and look for anything that might be connected to the curse. Or we can ask around a bit, see if anyone in this town knows something. What do you think?"
You think for a moment and then say, ...
Suddenly, though, he looks at you and says, out of the blue, "You're not mad at me, are you?"
The distraction is welcome, because for the past twenty minutes the road had been begging you to fall asleep, but this question wasn't exactly what you'd expected. "Mad at you?" you say in surprise and risk taking your eyes off the road for two seconds to see if he's being serious. Zack looks serious enough, though, judging from the mild frown and the big blue eyes that are looking right back at you.
"Why should I be mad at you?" you ask and fix your eyes on the road again.
"For dropping all this into your lap so suddenly," Zack says. "I appreciate you coming with me. For a moment there I was afraid you'd burst into laughter after hearing me out. I wouldn't have blamed you if you did, though."
For a moment you don't know what to say. You could hardly tell him the truth about why you so easily decided to believe his story and accompany him on his... quest?
You like him, though you don't even like to admit it to yourself. There's something intriguing about him. Instead of that you say, "Well, if you are speaking the truth, that means I'm in danger and I don't feel like dying yet."
Zack seems satisfied with your answer and focuses his attention on the road. After a short silent moment he points to a road sign in the distance and says, "Look, I think we just found the place."
You squint your eyes and see that Zack is right. The next exit leads to Elmrow.
You leave the highway and follow the signs to Elmrow. The landscape is steadily changing. The vast and flat countryside makes room for more vegetation. The overall colour of the landscape changes from a brown-yellow from the cornfields that stretched out along the highway, to some green and brown shades from trees and grass that have not yet fully regained their strength and colour in this early spring.
Soon you have reached the outskirts of the village. You decrease your speed to have a good look around when you take the sandy road that seems to lead into the village. The streets, if that's the right name for the sandy and irregular roads you cross, seem to be deserted.
You drive on for a little while, then turn to your passenger and ask, "So, now what?"
"I'd put my money on Wellshire Manor. That's the mansion where Thomas used to live. I think we'll recognize it when we see it."
"Okay," you say and keep following the road. A cloud shifts before the sun and it seems darker outside, although it isn't even noon yet. There are not a lot of people around, and the ones who are look at you in a strange way when you drive by.
Eventually you see the mansion. Or rather the ruins of what used to be a mansion. From the look of it it must have suffered greatly under the fire of which Zack had spoken, and clearly it was never rebuilt.
You and Zack exchange a look and you instinctively know you've reached your destination.
You discretely park the car under a few trees, to not draw too much attention. You both step out of the car.
"So, any ideas?" you ask Zack, but the guy shrugs, then thinks for a few seconds and says, "We can go up to the house and look for anything that might be connected to the curse. Or we can ask around a bit, see if anyone in this town knows something. What do you think?"
You think for a moment and then say, ...