Hi guys -- thank you so much, I really appreciate you all for reading and for your comments and likes. Time has been a little tight so please forgive me for skipping on personalized thank yous, but please know that I am very grateful to each and every one of you for checking out the story and for your feedback. Chapter Nine is below for those who are interested, and sorry for delay!
previous chapters:
ch 1 - ch 2 - ch 3 - ch 4 - ch 5 - ch 6 - ch 7 - ch 8Chapter NineMaan sighed and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. Cars were backed up for at least half of a mile in the wooded area they had entered. To make the evening even more frustrating, rain was falling.
"I wonder what this is about?" Zoya inquired, pushing her hair behind her ears and shifting forward in her seat to see through the windshield.
Before Maan could even hazard a guess, a man wearing a raincoat and carrying a lantern approached their vehicle, motioning for Maan to roll down his window.
"Yes?" said Maan warily, as the window slid down between the two men.
"Sir," the man shouted over the rain, "this road is now blocked. Some large trees have fallen due to the storm."
"Oh no," Zoya breathed. "Now what?"
"There is a hotel nearby," the man suggested, lifting his lantern higher and illuminating his face. He had sharp, pointed features, and a thin line of a mouth. He almost reminded Maan of a vampire. If Maan weren't a full-grown man, he would've felt a pang of fear. "I encourage you to stay there until this is sorted out," the man went on. "It's a big building just a mile east. You won't be able to miss it."
Maan glanced back at Zoya. "I guess this is the best option." There was no way he was going to drive all the way back to Adi's house at this hour.
Zoya nodded uneasily. "Looks like it."
---
"What kind of place is this?" Pinky asked, her voice shaking slightly, as the group stood under the awning of a large, decrepit building to which the man had directed them. The wooden exterior was deeply scarred, and thick ivy climbed up and around much of the edifice. Howling wind was causing the windows to rattle in their frames.
Rather than a "hotel," it resembled a haunted house.
"Uncle Maan," Anjana whimpered, tugging on Maan's hand. "I'm scared." She pointed to a gargoyle statue sitting right in front of the double doors, its stone features menacing.
"It's okay, baby," said Maan, lifting his niece up into his arms. "We just need to stay here for the night because it's dark and raining. We'll get to the resort soon." He motioned with his chin for everyone to follow him inside.
"Uh . . . ." Adi rubbed the back of his neck. "You know, I gotta say, Maan, this place doesn't look very . . . inviting."
Maan sighed. He was exhausted from the many miles he had driven. "Let's just go inside," he said authoritatively. "We don't have any other option." With that, he opened the doors with one hand and entered, the rest of the group reluctantly filing in after him. They found themselves in what could only be the lobby area, except that it was most uninviting. The lights were dim and a fine layer of dust covered most of the furniture, which looked antique. Maan could see several cobwebs cluttering the high ceilings. He clutched Anjana tighter in his embrace.
"Maan," Zoya spoke up, her voice now filled with worry. "Maybe we should turn back?" She placed her hand on Anjana's arm. "I don't know if this is safe for her . . . ."
Maan, struck by Zoya's obvious warmth and concern for his little niece, took a moment to clear his head. "I --"
"Well, well, well, look what the wind blew in." The group turned to face a tall, older woman, whose silver hair was pulled back into a severe bun. It seemed as if she had appeared out of nowhere. She was clad in black lace, and her lips were painted blood red.
Maan silently slipped Anjana into Zoya's arms as he extended a hand for the woman to shake. "Hello. We were caught up in the storm outside and had to take a detour. We'd like to book rooms here for the night."
Ignoring Maan's outstretched hand, the woman smirked. Her eyes flashed and, for a moment, she looked almost evil. "Are you sure?"
"Uh . . . ." Maan could feel goosebumps rise on his arms, a sensation which was most unfamiliar to him. "Yes?"
"Excellent," the woman said, patting one of her pockets and pulling out several keys. "Simply follow me."
Maan exchanged a look with Zoya as he took Anjana back into his arms.
What was in store for everyone that evening?
---
"Shh, sweetheart, it's all right," said Maan soothingly to Anjana, who had begun to cry after stepping into their small, rather stuffy room -- more statues of gargoyles were propped up at the foot of each bed. What kind of hotel had monsters as part of their decor? Maan was too exhausted to wonder.
"Everything all right in here?" came a gentle voice from the hallway. Maan turned to see Zoya, who had gotten the room next door. "I could hear Anjana crying. The walls are thin around here."
Maan looked up tiredly. "Do you mind trying to calm her down?" he asked. "I'm going to check around to see if they have any vending machines. I think chocolate will do the trick."
Zoya chuckled as she kneeled down to wrap Anjana in a hug. "Vending machines in this place?"
"I know," said Maan. "Wild thinking, but it's worth a shot. She loves chocolate."
"You're going to spoil your children rotten, aren't you?" said Zoya, her eyes twinkling as she rubbed Anjana's back.
Maan shrugged and felt a smile form on his face. "Yeah, probably." He was still smiling as he exited the room and stepped into the poorly lit and narrow hallway. It was only when he approached the rickety elevators that his smile fell. That his heart twisted at the figure before him, who was looking around apprehensively at her surroundings.
Maan blinked once, twice, three times. "Geet?" he sputtered.
---
Many thanks again for reading, very appreciated!
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