(This is an entry for the
Halloween Story Contest 2022
. Please vote! Thank you!)
Lightning cracked, lighting up the windswept prairie as torrential rains fell in the late autumn weather. The exhausted driver switched gears in an attempt to make it go faster. It was in vain, his ancient car was already going at full speed. He was praying to the Heavens that the engine would give out. But, prayers did little good for him. Still he drove on, the driver knew he had no other option. If he wanted to survive.
He took a sharp right, off the main highway and headed past half-harvest fields of barley and rye towards the dim distant lights. The freezing night wind and his pursues were hot on his heels. Still, he had hope. There was always hope? That thought, not even a thought--- but more of a pointless wish still persisted in his black heart but beating heart.
After all the heinous deeds he had done through the many millennia he knew for sure had a black heart. The malevolent deeds were something he regretted though. He didn't deserve a heart of any kind. It brought him nothing but pain.
At long last, he arrived at the dim lights. It was a disheveled and out of the way motel. The car had barely stopped before he threw open the door. Soaking wet, he hurried in.
To his surprise, the driver found himself in the tavern of an old hotel. "Sleep Eazy" said the neon sign outside. Or at least it had said that once. Now it read "Slp Ez".The barmaid looked at him strangely. It was a hotel and tavern. The driver wondered why she wasn't expecting customers.
Surely, this hotel got some business. Tourists perhaps or people on a holiday. The hotel was old but it wasn't THAT bad. Still, what did he know, he wasn't a mortal. As she looked him up and down, the maiden spoke sternly.
"We have bad weather tonight. You looked soaked. Why don't you go sit by the radiator and dry yourself. That way I don't have to clean up a huge mess. I'm Aldea by the way." She went around the bar and continued drying glasses. She tossed small and nervous glances at him. The driver could sense she was afraid.
Mortals often could tell something was off about him. He knew she was frightened. She had the right to be. He was also terrified. She was in greater danger than she knew, yet it wasn't her fault. He had brought this peril upon her. He'd defend her, against his enemies, who would harm her for the simple reason that he'd spoken to her. They would think he had revealed dark secrets to her.
"I'm Kieran. If you have room, I'd like to stay for the night." Kieran stated to Aldea. Aldea looked down in frustration at the dishes. They were already clean but she continued scrubbing so she didn't have to make conversation with this peculiar stranger. She wanted customers at her hotel but she hated entertaining guests.
The hotel was only a way for Aldea to make a living. Right now, it wasn't much of a living. If things kept going this way, Aldea would have to leave her hotel. Where she would go and what she would do, she didn't know nor did she want to think about it. She just studied the peculiar stranger, something was different about him.
"I can get you something to eat or drink but I'm afraid that our boarding house is closed...at least for now. Perhaps, if you returned another night, you could stay. But, my hotel is shut for now. Is there anything I can get you to drink?" questioned Aldea.
She continued looking down at the sudsy dishes. Kieran could tell that she was purposely avoiding him. Mortals often did even though he longed to be friends with them. It was what he'd sacrificed so much for after all.
"Please Aldea let me stay, I really don't need much. Let me take my boots and coat off, this fall weather is terrible. and I could even sleep here in front of the radiator. I just need shelter from the storm...and maybe a garage to put my car in incase it starts to hail. There's a fierce gale outside. I can't go any further tonight. I'll hardly be a bother at all. Let me stay here in front of the radiator, please?" begged Kieran.
He hoped he wouldn't have to use his magic on the woman. He hated using his magic on mortals. It seemed unfair. He wanted to be equal to them, not superior. This luckless woman was already so despondent.
"I wouldn't mind so much Kieran but the thing is since my father died and the new highway with its posh hotels that have air conditioning and swimming pools appeared a couple miles up the road. We haven't been doing so well. Several of the rooms have broken windows. When I was a small child I had polio. It makes it hard to get around with my leg and everything. I've been too tired to change the sheets and the smell of mold has gotten in. My motel's really not fit for customers. It's my own fault. I've been lazy. Now that I'm older the doctors say that it's post-polio-syndrome. I just get these periods of weakness especially during bad weather like this. Anyway, I shouldn't complain or tell you about my troubles. It could have been alot worse. That's the story Kieran..I really don't want to say anything else." stated Aldea.
She was astonished as the words spilled out of her mouth. She didn't know why she'd told her troubles to this peculiar man. Aldea never told anyone her life story. She was very private that way but here she was telling a complete stranger her story. Still, it had been so very long since she'd had anyone to talk to.
Kirean watched as Aldea came from around the bar. Keiran saw that she had an emaciated leg and was supporting herself with a crutch. But, Aldea's disability did nothing to hide her beauty. Aldea noticed Keiran staring and blushed a deep red. She wasn't used to people looking at her like that. But, she liked it.
.
"To warm you up. You're soaked to the bone." Aldea stated as she passed him a shot of whiskey. Kieran sipped it slowly looking at the woman. It had been too long...eons perhaps since he'd seen a human woman. Kieran always lost track of mortal time. It wasn't important to him.
While Kieran was looking at her, Aldea looked right back at him. A stranger with wild hair and broad shoulders. He was strong. A wild man, a rogue....like a highway man of old.
"You look starving, you probably haven't eaten all day. I'll get started on dinner...it's really the least I can do for you, since I have no room for you." stated Aldea as she made her way back to her small kitchen, wincing as she leaned on her crutch. Stormy October weather always made her leg pain act up. The wind and rain didn't help either.
By now, between his magic and with the help of the radiator Kieran had dried off. He heard Aldea fumbling in the kitchen. Kieran went to help her. He knew she was in both emotional and physical pain. Aldea was struggling for tea cups on the top shelf.
"Let me get those for you. It's the least I can do for you." stated Kieran. He easily reached up and got the cups.
"I could have done that myself, I can do things. I'm not a baby." Aldea yelled at him. He watched her eyes flash with anger.
