The White Witch

Rafe decided to follow in his father’s footsteps. He’s on his latest journey to a town named Mournestead. Population 4,000.

While driving through the town he notices a store where he can buy a few things. He parked his car across the road and got out. After making sure the car was locked he walked across the street. He was quick to notice people giving him weird looks. He definitely didn’t belong here.

He wore darkened jeans with a dark grey t-shirt and black combat boots. His tanned skin glistened in the sun, his ash blonde hair is reaching the top of his shoulders while framing his facial features.

I guess outsiders don’t come here much, he thought to himself and went into the store.

After walking around for 20 minutes he paid for his items and walked back to his car. He placed a bag in the passenger seat and buckled his seatbelt then drove of to the local motel.

A sort ride later he finds a parking spot. He lets out a sigh while looking at the somewhat run down motel. It looks like it hasn’t changed since the 50s. It wasn’t as modern as other buildings he’d passed by.

He reluctantly gets out of the car and heads to the reception area where he found an older looking gentleman sitting behind a tall, wooden, desk reading a newspaper.

Before saying anything his attention falls on the article placed on the front page, a teenage girl has been reported missing a few miles from the town. Engrossed in reading a hand popped in front of his face, blocking his view of the newspaper. He blinked a few times and looked up.

“Hello, are you alright sir?” The old man asked while folding the newspaper and placing it down on the counter.

“Sorry about that haha, I’m doing fine thank you.” He awkwardly rubbed the back of his neck.

“Don’t worry about it, how may I help you today?” He fixed his thick rimmed, bifocal, glasses while looking at Rafe.

“I booked a room about 2 days ago, under the name Rafe.” The man pulled out a book he used for booking.

“I’ll have to check my book.” Rafe nods his head.

“Ah there you are Mr. James. You will be staying in room 14.” He turns around and grabs the room key from the wall and hands it to Rafe.

“Thank you Mr.?” He inquired for his name.

“Oh where are my manners, my name is Mr. Carvello, but you may call me Leon.” They shake hands.

“Thanks again Leon. I’m going to head to my room now. Have a great day.” He walks away.

After retrieving his things from the car and once inside the small room, the faint smell of cigarettes invaded his nose, the room smelled musty, like it hadn’t been cleaned in a few years. He could see dust covering the bedside tables.”

“No wonder it was cheap. Just look at this place.” He said out loud to himself.

He opened up the window that is hidden behind an ugly, green, curtain and the one in the bathroom to allow fresh air inside. He placed his things on the bed and sat down looking around the rough looking room.

Is this where the killer comes in? He thought to himself.

Coming to this place has been at the top of his list of places to visit. From the information he has gathered about the so called mystery, it’s not a monster but a girl who the locals call The White Witch. They call her this due to her long white hair and pale complexion.

They say she lives somewhere in the vast forest, protecting the land and wildlife. Hikers have managed to take pictures but when looking at them, she always seems to be blurred out. It’s like when people claim Big Foot is real, but it turns out to be a man in a suit pranking people.

After sitting for a while he looked at his watch and it’s 6:30PM. He decides to take out a bottle of water and chicken sandwich to eat while looking over the details he had collected on The White Witch.

“Are you truly real?” He questioned while looked at the blurred images.

Witnesses who have apparently seen her recall that she is mesmerizing and when she looks at you, it’s as if she’s looking into your soul.

4 more hours passed by, Rafe stood up and stretched his body after sitting for so long. He contemplated on taking a shower after seeing how gross it looked but he couldn’t always count on his deodorant to help him.

Once done with the shower he dried his body and hair then grabbed his dark blue pajama bottoms and slid into them.

Tomorrow he will need to find someone who can give him more information that he doesn’t already have, before he eventually goes into the forest. While he thinks about this his eyes begin to feel heavy and he drifts off to sleep.

The Next Morning

Throwing his hand the to bedside table, Rafe picks up his phone and unplugs the charger and turns off his 8:30AM alarm then places it back down.

“Ugh my body is a stiff as a board. Beds like this make me miss my own.” He grumbled out loud as he forced himself to remove the covers and sit up.

He rubbed his hands across his tired face.

“Shower time I guess, then I’ll make my way to the diner I passed yesterday.”

He stood up from the bed and slid down his pants and boxers before turning the shower on. Thankfully even though this place is gross the water is great.

Once the water was a suitable temperature he stepped inside and cleaned his toned body and hair.

20 minutes later he emerged from the shower and dried his body and hair then looked through his clothes for something to wear. A simple look will be nice he thought. A pair of jeans, green short sleeved t-shirt and black boots.

After he was done he made sure he had everything he needed in his bag and left the room. He decided to walk as the diner isn’t to far from the motel.

Just like yesterday the residents he walked passed gave him weird looks to the point it began to make him feel a little uneasy and anxious. He reached the diner after 10 minutes and went inside.

From his first glance of the place, Rafe could tell they hadn’t renovated the interior for quite some time, but he didn’t mind, he liked the rustic aesthetic.

The door closed behind him making the small bell above the door ding, this made customers dotted around the diner stop their actions and look at him, he looked away feeling a rush of anxiety again. He moved towards a corner booth and sat down.

A few minutes passed and a waitress made her way over to him, it took some time as she is older than the other waitress who looks like she’s in her 20s, she’s sitting down at the counter playing on her phone. The poor woman looked as if she’s in her late 60s. But who is he to judge?

When she arrived at his table, she gave him a warm smile and spoke.

“Good morning sir, I see we have a new face in town, my name is Joyce, what do you feel like today?” She took out a small, blue, note pad and pink fluffy pen that made Rafe smile.

“Hello Joyce, may I have a ham and cheese omelette, 2 waffles, bacon.” She smiled and wrote down his order on the notepad.

“Wow that’s a lot of food right there young man, are you sure that you can eat all of that?” She let out a soft laugh.

“You should see me at home, I eat a lot more than what I ordered haha. I’m a massive foodie, don’t worry.” He rubbed his stomach making her laugh.

“Are you serious? But how? If you don’t mind me saying, you’re very toned, how are you not overweight?” She had a genuine look of shock on her face.

“I work out a lot ma’am, and may I have a glass of orange juice please?”

“Of course you can.” She walks away while shouting the order to the chef in the kitchen. Rafe couldn’t help but laugh to himself.

While waiting for his food to arrive at his table, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. He removed it and the screen displayed a text message from his friend Noah, so he text back.

“Hey man, where the hell are you? I’m outside your place but you’re not here.”

“Sorry that’s my fault, I forgot to tell you that I’ll be away for a while, don’t worry though, I’m fine.”

“I’m glad you’re okay, but like I said, where the hell are you?”

“I’m currently sitting in a diner in a small town called Mournestead.”

“Are you following one of those stupid legends again?”

Rafe rolled his eyes, his friend never supported him when it came to his work.

“Maybe?”

“Oh my fucking god, you are. When will you stop this nonsense?”

“I can’t help it. You know how much I enjoy it. And my dad this all the time, I wanted to follow in his footsteps. What’s wrong with that?”

“You want to be like him? Bro, he’s dead because of his work. And if you keep up with this, you’ll end up just like him.”

“Wow. FUCK YOU Noah. This conversation is over. Goodbye. Don’t contact me until you’re shitty attitude has changed, oh and maybe find some empathy while you’re at it.”

With that Rafe locked his phone and put it back into his pocket.

Part of Rafe knows that Noah is right but did he have to say it the way he did?

How can he be so disrespectful? He thought to himself.

His father was someone who never gave up once he acquired a lead, but his last one led him to his death. It broke Rafe’s heart, his father, no, his hero died just like that.

As he sat there with tears threatening to fall, he quickly wiped his eyes and sat up straight as he noticed Joyce making her way over with his food.

“Wow Joyce that food looks and smells incredible, tell the chef I said thank you.” He said to her making her smile.

“I definitely will, he’s been having a rough time lately, I think your compliment with make him feel a little better.” She places the food and drink of the table and walks away.

Rafe looked at the mouth watering food and doesn’t waste anymore time and digs in.