Chapter 1
Prologue:
It was my first day in the little whole in the wall town. I swear I just closed my eyes and put a finger on a map to figure out where I wanted to move to. Don’t ask me why I moved in the first place. Maybe to get away? Maybe to finally do something for myself since I graduated. I spent the last three years doing things for everybody but myself, just guessing where life will take…..until today. I was not aware how my choices would drastically change my life. And everything I’ve known to be true.
Bris POV: My car was packed to the brim. It was so full that I had to be careful around the corners in fear of being impaled by my lamp. Everything was squeezed in like Tetris, but that meant not opening my side doors, As if I did I’m pretty sure I would have been underneath a pile of my junk. I wasn’t aware of how much stuff I owned until trying to shove it all into my small Honda Fit. I noticed the gas gauge getting lower and I knew I still had a couple hours to drive to get to my destination. Upcoming was a small town called Quest. Interesting name for such a shit hole I think to myself. There was one gas station and McDonald’s and the creepiest motel I’ve ever seen in my life. I honestly was expecting to see ghosts fly out of the boarded up windows. And of course there was a graveyard right next-door to the motel. No thank you I thought. Good thing it was only 4 o’clock But I wanted to fill up here just in case a girl driving by herself can’t be too prepared When it came to driving country roads in the evening. Now where is my wallet I thought to myself? My brow was furrowed, And I couldn’t help but hear my mothers voice in my head saying “if you keep making that face you’ll have permanent wrinkles in your forehead like me” with a laugh. This brought tears to my eyes that threatened to pour down over my cheeks. Smarten up, Brielle Marie. I said to myself and shook my head. I run inside, grab a bottle of water, some beef jerky and prepay my gas ignoring the stairs from the Young pimply teenager behind the register. I don’t know what he’s looking at I’m really nothing special I’m about 56 with shoulder length blond hair, Green eyes most of the time unless I’m angry they tend to turn gray. I’ve got a fair skin and freckles in the summer. I don’t wear a lot of make up because it’s hard to put on and I just don’t care that much. Dashing outside I take a deep breath in smelling the sweet summer air. I run over to the car and fill it up feeling a mix of emotions. Here I was, 20 years old and moving to a town where I know not a single person. I didn’t even have a job lined up. But I was determined and what town doesn’t have a bar I’ve been working in bar since I was 16. I had experience I was reliable. Worst case, I hook myself out, I laugh to myself. Who am I kidding I had one boyfriend in high school he try to get hansey once and I set him straight. I wasn’t ready. My last boyfriend and I got pretty serious. In six months I had fallen head over heels for him lost my virginity to him. It wasn’t a bad relationship it just didn’t feel right. It’s like something was missing he was almost perfect kind had a good job but I found myself always overthinking us in the quiet moments. Like I said something was missing. I start driving admiring the scenery it was beautiful out here. Rolling Hills almost desert like but no big cactus unfortunately. I munch on the beef jerky which my favourite car snack, listening to some old country and singing along to all my favourite songs. The sun was starting to set as I pulled into the town of Fortbelle. It was bigger than Quest with a population of about 10,000. This included the surrounding areas which consisted of rolling Hills and a big river that flows right through the entire town. I find the first motel and I pull in again trying to find my wallet which has a tendency to get lost along with my cell phone and my keys from time to time. It’s starting to get a bit colder as night neared. I walk into the Seaside Inn and a friendly redhead girl is at the front counter.
“Good evening and welcome to the Seaside inn she said. My name is Cassie is there anything I can help you with today? “
I smile telling her I need a room for three days.
Oh only three days what are you doing in town? Cassie said
“I actually just need a hotel room until I can find a basement suite or anything to live in as today is my first day living here.” I tell her
“Oh you’re here because you’re boyfriend is here right?” She says
I laugh and say “Actually no I’m recently single just wanted a change I guess.”
She looks at me confused with narrowed eyes her demeanour changing instantly. There’s a pause and I don’t know how to react to it so I fill the space.
“So about that room I say..”
“Oh sorry, of course here it is.” she says as she hands me a key.
I look down I’m in room 203. “Do you also have a newspaper I ask?”
I’ve already searched through Kijiji and I haven’t found a basement suite that matches my budget.. which is basically nothing.
She hands me a paper and smiles under tight lips. She almost looks concerned. I thank her and go find my room. It’s a long hallway that smells slightly of cigarettes like it had been smoked in for years and people have tried to get the smell out with no luck. It’s probably seeped into the carpets which look old. The carpets are a wine color, with faded floral wallpaper. “I guess you get what you pay for” I think. Finally finding my room I open up. To my surprise the room actually isn’t that bad it looks like they’ve repainted a cream colour on the walls the floor is the wine color old carpet but at least this room does not smell like cigarette smoke. I plug my phone in and lay down on the bed. I say take out my phone and text my mom that I’ve made it. She’s probably worried sick about me. Almost instantly I get a text back from her that says “hey lovey, glad you made it safe. How were the roads? Will you go job hunting tomorrow? I miss you already.” I smile but I’m too tired from the travelling to break down. I’m glad that My ex Geoff has not texted me. The last I had seen of him I was packing up and leaving and he was crying begging me to stay. I felt horrible but the fact of the matter is I knew it wasn’t going anywhere. I decided to take a steaming hot shower and get ready for my big day tomorrow. The second I crawl into bed my head hits the pillow I’m asleep.
