Here is another new story from me. Not sure how often I will update, this is mostly just a pet project to see if I can write a good mystery.
Mystery at Sennen Manor
It Was a Dark and Stormy Night
Yugi squinted in a desperate attempt to see out the windshield of his car. It was dark and it had been raining for the last five hours. He sighed and turned on the dome light in order to see the map in his lap.
'Well, if I'm not lost then the town should be coming up.' The small man's frown deepened a little at the sight of his gas gauge. It was almost on 'E' 'I need gas to. I hope I have enough to make it to town…' Yugi had no desire to spend the night on this creepy road in his car.
He groaned at the first sight of lightning that was quickly followed by the crack of thunder. Yugi was reminded of all those cheesy horror films and 'hidden object' games, where the protagonist is driving along on a stormy night and finds themselves caught up in some murder mystery that ends up threatening their own lives as they try to solve it. 'I really need to lay off the video games, I think its starting to affect my brain...'
Yugi wasn't sure if he should be worried or relieved when he finally passed a sign that read: 'Welcome to Domino! Population: 236'
He had known this town was small, but he had no idea it was THAT tiny. Yugi had just come from Tokyo, a much larger city then this place which was more like a wide spot in the road then a town.
The young man was relieved that the first building he came across was an inn. It was almost ten and he was tired from driving all day. It would be good to rest for the night before he continued his journey, and maybe get a meal or two as well.
He pulled in and parked. Yugi was quickly trying to think of a way to get out of the car, grab his suitcase, and get into the inn with out becoming soaked to the bone.
Yugi eventually came to the conclusion that no matter what he did, he was going to get wet. He quickly put on the hoodie he had thrown in the back seat earlier and pulled the hood over his head. This was the best he could do with what he had, hopefully the added layer and head cover would protect him from catching pneumonia, or freezing to death.
He took in a sharp breath of chilling air when he opened the door. It was colder then he thought, but he pushed the cold from his mind and quickly grabbed his suitcase from the back seat and ran to the inn. The rain was bitterly cold and the hoodie was soaked by the time he made it to the cover of the porch.
Yugi's small body shook as he opened the door and slipped into the warm, dry air of Domino Inn.
The inn was cozy and bright. An elderly woman sat behind the counter, apparently about to close up, but she gave him a warm smile and motioned for him to come closer. "Well hello there, young traveler. Welcome to the best inn in Domino village! Actually, it's the only inn in the village… But that makes it the best!"
Yugi grinned at her peppy attitude and pulled his suitcase over to the counter. "Hello, I'm looking for a room. Are there any available?"
"Of course! We don't have many people come through here." She reached under the counter and puller out an old bronze key. "Hear you are. It's thirty dollars a night, forty if you want breakfast brought to your room in the morning."
Yugi pulled out his old and battered wallet, remembering that he need to get a new one, and handed the woman a ten and two fives.
She quickly put the money in a safety box and came out from behind the counter. "Good, good. Follow me to your room." Yugi nodded and followed her up the stairs to the right of the counter.
His room was the third door on the left. "Hear you are, dear." She said as she opened the door for him. "The bar down stairs is still open, if you want something to eat. Breakfast is served from six till nine and lunch isn't ready until eleven. If you have any questions please don't hesitate to ask." Yugi nodded once more at the old woman as she scurried down the stairs.
Yugi gave a quick glance around the room. It wasn't anything to sneeze at, just a small bed, a dresser, and a door that Yugi assumed led to a bathroom, but it was better then sleeping in a car. He quickly pulled the suitcase onto the bad and began rummaging around in it, trying to find the rain coat he knew he had packed. Yugi stopped in his search when he spotted the manila envelope that had started his insane three-day drive to this dinky little town for no more a reason then to satisfy his curiosity.
He sighed and sat next to his luggage and opened the envelope. He already knew the contents, but he just had to look at them one more time, just to make sure that they were indeed real.
Yugi had received this strange envelope just a week after his twenty-first birthday. It was strange for multiple reasons. First was that the date was from exactly five hundred years ago from his twenty-first birthday, but was still addressed to him. Second was the letter he had found inside:
'My Dearest Yugi, Happy birthday! Turning twenty-one must be exciting, no? I would love for this letter to be about your special day, but alas, that cannot be. In the very least, you can consider this an exceptionally early birthday present! And yes, I do realize that you will not read this for about another five hundred years, but that cannot be helped. I am sending you this letter as a proposal for your assistance. I am afraid that it would be to risky to detail exactly why I need you in this letter, you never know how nosy people can be. If you would be so kind as to come to Sennen Manor, in Domino Village, I promise everything will be explained to you and you will be rewarded handsomely for your efforts. I have enclosed a key to the manor and a map to help you find it. I would very much appreciate it if you would come as soon as possible. I am afraid things are already going array and I only wish you could be here now. I know I can do nothing but wait, but five hundred year is such a long time and I can already feel my strength waning. Please hurry, Yugi, you are our only hope! Sincerely, A. Y. Sennen'
Yugi made a face at the old letter. The paper was yellowed and the words faded. The map was just as bad. It was a map of the area around Domino, but it was extremely out of date and many of the marked roads weren't even there anymore.
He snorted. If this so called 'A. Y. Sennen' knew where he lived before his great-grandparents were even born, why couldn't he had made a more accurate map! Yugi had spent almost six hours trying to find the road, Sakura Lane, from the map, only to find that the original one had been moved about fifty miles north of its original position on the map for some reason that he didn't care about. He had ended up having to ask for directions multiple times from the farmers in the surrounding countryside in order to find this blasted town.
Yugi sighed and rubbed his stomach. He hadn't eaten since he had stopped at a diner earlier this afternoon and was now starving. 'Didn't that old lady say something about the bar still being open? I hope they serve more the alcohol.' Yugi thought as he changed into more comfortable clothes. 'Maybe that old lady knows Sennen Manor is. I think I would rather get directions from the locals that a five hundred year old map!'
He decided to bring the map with him, but leave the letter in the suitcase. No one needed to know the reason for wanting to go there, he didn't even know why himself.
When Yugi came to the bottom of the stairs the old woman was already waiting, she must have heard his descent.
"Is everything alright with your room?"
Yugi smiled at her. "Yes, everything is great. Did you say that the bar was open?"
She gave him a scrutinizing look. "That I did, but you look a little to young to be drinking…"
Yugi rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. Geez, how he hated being so short. "I actually turned twenty one last week, but I'm not interested in the booze. I was wondering if you served food?"
She smiled with approval. "Why yes we do! We have hamburgers and hot dogs available, as well as water and soft drinks!"
He nodded with a smile. "And I was also wondering if I you knew the surrounding area well?"
"I believe I do. I grew up here, as did my parents. Why?"
"Good! I'm looking for Sennen Manor. Could you perhaps tell me how to get there, I'm afraid that my map is quite outdated…"
The old woman looked at him with surprise. "Now why would you want to go there?"
"Umm… P… Personal business…"
Her eyes narrowed. "Now you listen here, young man. That place is dangerous! Everyone who as ever gone to that house as never come back! This town has seen it's fair share of treasure seekers and enthusiasts, they say the manor holds enough treasures to make a man rich for ten life times, but not one of them have returned. Even children have disappeared! Everyone in the town is certain that the place is haunted. Eerie things happen around the manor at night and the moon doesn't shine on it. Some have even heard the howls of vicious animals around there."
Yugi gulped. He hadn't known all of that. "O.. oh. I uh… I didn't know about all of that…"
She gave a curt nod. As if satisfied with her ability to scare him, but then she narrowed her eyes once more. "Now how did you hear about the manor with out hearing about the legends? You're a bit to young to be one of those treasure seekers."
"Oh, well I uh… I found this map in my uh… uncles attic after he… um… died… yeah um… he was always into things like that…" Yugi fidgeted. He was a horrible liar, he just hoped she believed him.
"Oh? Is that so? Where is this map?"
Yugi laid the map on the counter and showed it to the old woman.
"Just a moment, need my glasses." She mumbled and began fishing around under the counter for them. She quickly put them on and examined the map. "Oh my." She said. "This is very old! How ever did your uncle keep it in such good condition?"
"Oh, well he had it in a frame…"
"I see. It must have taken you forever to reach the town with this old thing!"
"Yeah, I got lost a lot. That's why I was asking for directions…"
She hmphed and handed the paper back to him. "Well I am sorry, but you will have no help from me! I have seen to many young people disappear when looking for this place and I refuse to help in another!"
"Oh, well that's ok. Um… Thank you for your hospitality." Yugi said and turned towards the entrance to bar, even though he could still feel her watching him.
The bar was small and dimly lit, but at least the music was blaring. There were only a few people there. Yugi figured they were travelers, like him.
The man tending the place was a stereotypical bartender. Big and burly with a beard fit for a mountain man.
The bartender gave him a scrutinizing look. "The names Frank. What can I get ya', Sonny?"
Yugi inwardly groaned. This guy thought he was a kid as well. Why did everyone have to think he was twelve! "The lady at the front counter told me you serve hamburgers."
The bartender nodded. "Anything to drink?" He said that last word with emphasis.
Yugi just gave him a smile. "Cola, please."
Frank was taken aback at first but soon recovered and rushed of to get the order. Yugi sighed. He knew what that man had been thinking. That he was some little kid and was going to try and convince him to sell him booze. Yugi had had alcohol once, and that was in high school because he had been curious as to what all the fuss was about. Needless to say, the stuff had been so disgusting he had never tried it again
He thoughts slowly drifted to what that old lady had said. Yugi had never really believed in ghosts or anything like that, despite the fact that his grandfather had been an archeologist and had told him countless stories of Egyptian curses and entire groups of people going missing while on a dig.
When the bartender returned with his food Yugi ate in silence. Although he was tempted to ask the bartender about the manor, he was sure the man would react similar to the old lady. Perhaps he would ask him tomorrow at breakfast…
-oOOo-
Hello everyone! Now I got the inspiration for this from playing way to many Hidden Object games….