Ugh, I know. I haven't been so good at updating this story. SORRY! I've gotten really sidetracked these last couple of weeks. Yeah, you know all about that. So, here it is. Thanks for your review, Rogue1206. I can't believe that people really care about this story. It's really gotten my mind back on the subject. The truth is I've been suffering from a little writer's block and . . . yadda yadda ya, there I go again. Sheesh. Well, enough chit-chat. To the story!
Disclaimer: Eat my megabytes. I don't own these characters.
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Chapter 8 – Unexpected Twists
The many hours that past by meant nothing to Rogue, except perhaps the subtle thought in the back of her mind that she was drawing closer and closer to her destination. Both literally and figuratively.
Or, at least, she hoped she was.
It was evening by the time her flight reached New York. The only thing that surprised her was the commotion and activity around her, inside and outside the airport. It was certainly more exciting than what she had been used to most of her life. Rogue couldn't help but chuckle at thinking that compared to this, everyone else back at home seemed like "dead beats."
It took her many tries to catch a taxi. She stepped out a little onto the lane and waved to the passing drivers. No luck. She tried over and over again, and no one stopped.
All right, that's it, she thought finally. As another cab was about to pass her by, she very discreetly lifted her hand. The cab came to a sudden stop. The driver nearly flew forward onto the dashboard, just saved by his seatbelt.
Rogue quickly rushed over to the cab. "Thanks fer stoppin', sir."
The driver looked at her confused. She didn't need to read his mind to know what he was thinking. "Well . . . uh . . . you're welcome. Uh, need any help with your luggage, m'am?"
"No thanks, sir. Ah got it covered." It was only then the driver realized that Rogue really didn't have any luggage except for her knapsack. Without another word she climbed into the backseat.
"So, where to?"
Rogue froze for a moment. Uh-oh. Didn't think about that. Where SHOULD I go? She quickly searched her memory. Where did the other vampires go? The ones that also visited New York. Well, they did go to the city. Duh. But it couldn't be too fancy. She was running low on cash. Some place cheap but still near the action. Or maybe some common marker where she could find her way from. Some place that those other vampires had mentioned.
C'mon, Rogue. Think. THINK. They must've said something! Suddenly, two words ran in her mind.
"Uh, could ya take me to . . . Times Square?"
"Sure, miss. Any place in particular?"
"No. Ah'll just try to fahnd mah way from there."
"Well, alright, miss. If you say so."
The driver pressed his foot on the pedal, at the two of them were off.
Before long, they were heading into the city. Rogue could feel everything around her throbbing with life. From deep beneath the ground to the tops of the tallest skyscrapers, human activity and human life could be detected. It was almost overwhelming for Rogue. She wasn't used to this. Yes, it wasn't as if vampires never or didn't know how to party and have fun. Sure, they had that. But this was different. When humans were in this quantity performing so much activity, outside emotions flowed into her. She was of the dead, from the dead, and with the dead. And no amount of partying could ever change that.
Life forces were pumping and pulsing around her, almost against her, like when you're in a large crowd and the other people are constantly shoving against you and pushing you around. It was suffocating.
As she felt all of this, a memory flashed back in her mind.
"Here's a tip: if you ever decide to go to New York, never go to Times Square. With all the people and the lights and the music – it's just unbearable! You can barely breathe!"
Now Rogue remembered. One of Betsy's cousins had visited the community when Rogue was in the fifth grade. She too had been to New York City and loved to talk about it with Betsy. And with whomever happened to be around.
Oh great. NOW I remember.
"Well, miss, this is Times Square. Shall I just drop you off here?"
"No!" cried Rogue, almost panting. "Keep going. Take me to the quietest place in the city."
"Miss, it's a very large city. You have to tell me where you want to go." The driver tried to be very patient with his passenger.
"Ah'm sorry sir. It's just . . . Ah don't really know this place very well."
"Then take a map." He reached into his glove compartment and pulled out a fold-up map.
Rogue was greatly surprised. "Really? Doncha need it?"
"Nah. I know this place pretty well. Besides, I've got plenty of copies. You better be quick, though. I'll pull over for a moment but the cops won't let me stay long."
As the driver pulled over, Rogue quickly scanned the map. Geez, how was she supposed to figure this out?
Her eyes searched quickly and desperately for an answer. Lines and squiggles marked up the map, making it very difficult to read it.
"Is there some kahnd of mode of transportation Ah can use to get to the outskirts of town?"
"Yeah, the bus. I'll take you to the closest stop."
Rogue quickly put the map in her pocket and watched anxiously as the driver pulled back out into the street. The feeling of suffocation continued to follow her all the way to their next stop. The driver soon pulled up to the curb again. "Here you go."
Rogue furrowed her brow in confusion. "Where's the bus stop?"
"Down there." The driver nodded his head to some kind of stairway going into the ground. "Just go down there and follow the signs that say "Bus Station." You should try to get on the Out-of-Town buses. That'll get you where you wanna be."
"Well, thanks very much." Rogue stepped out of the cab and began to walk to the stairs. Suddenly, the driver whistled. "Hey miss!"
She turned around. The man was leaning out the window a little and holding out his hand. Not exactly sure what he was wanted, she went back over.
"Yeah?"
"You forgot to pay."
Rogue was left in mild shock. She had to pay?
"Oh. Sorry. How much?"
The driver indicated the digital decimal on his little screen, displaying the due amount. The price made Rogue gulp. She was really starting to run low on money. She reluctantly gave up the correct amount, then quickly took off down to the subway.
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What followed that event was of no real importance. To Rogue, it was mostly a blur of confusion and disorientation. The crowds were thick, though not quite as thick as the ones above ground. The overall atmosphere was still difficult for her to deal with, but she managed. She was finally on a bus out of the city. And now that she was away from all the big city crowds and energy, she felt more lost than ever.
Well, so much for that plan. What am I gonna do now?
Her eye caught a simple map of the bus's route. It touched several towns, which all fortunately seemed to be in close proximity.
"Next stop, Westchester. Then we have South County and Bayville as the last two stops," announced the bus driver.
Rogue sighed. She had no control over what was going on. She had a plan of what she would do, and now everything was going nuts. Her insides boiled with frustration. This lack of control was defeating the purpose of her mission.
Or was it?
The more Rogue thought about it, the more it was beginning to make sense. Maybe I've been approaching this all wrong. Maybe all of this getting knocked around is part of my journey. Maybe I didn't even realize what I needed to be able to find myself. And maybe there's some other force that does.
Her drifting immediately stopped. Some outer force? What force? Like fate? Destiny? God? No, she had to put that thought out of mind. Just the mere thought of God was forbidden among vampires. They were meant to serve Satan and Satan alone. Unfaithfulness only provoked his anger, after all he had done for them. He gave them their gifts. He deserved their gratitude.
Well, at least that was what most of the elders thought.
The kids were not so uptight with their beliefs. Some even doubted that Satan really existed, that he was just some imaginary figure that guided vampires in their ways. Some questioned, in the greatest secrecy, whether Satan was in fact the right one. Was God really so bad? Sure, the fear of being swallowed by the burning rays of light, a vampire's most terrible fear, was a way to scare you into sticking with the Devil. Besides, the elders severely punished any who dared to question the authority or authenticity of the Devil. Still, things had begun to lighten up a little bit.
There were even rumors that if this doubt of Him continued, a terrible war was certain to come. But those were mostly the people with questionable credentials.
Well, whatever force was leading her around like this, Rogue knew that she needed to remain flexible. She couldn't see where this would all lead to. She just had to let things take their course.
Her thoughts were suddenly interrupted. "Bayville, last stop. Everybody off."
Exhausted with still much walking left to do, Rogue wearily picked up her back pack and stepped down from the bus. She stood on the curb and watched the vehicle drive away. Then she looked around her.
First impression: well, certainly more peaceful than the city. The downtown area still resembled a more toned down version of Times Square, with much less fancy lighting and loud noises. There were still interesting things to explore once she found a place to stay. It was almost midnight and Rogue had no idea where to go next. In a half-trance, she dragged herself down the street, passing a couple of clothing stores, a toy store, a diner, an arcade, and a bar-billiard hall. Then she came upon a little general store that was still open, with only a boy about her age, maybe a little younger, behind the counter inside. The door knocked into a small bell as she opened it, making her more alert.
The clerk seemed to be longing for closing time, appearing to be quite tired as well. Still, he made an effort to be friendly.
"Guten Abend, fräulein. How may I help you?"
Rogue forced herself awake as she approached the boy. He looked no more than seventeen. His hair was dark, somewhere between black and . . . royal blue. It made her wonder for a second, until she remembered his question.
"Evenin'. Ah was wonderin' if you would know any place around here where Ah could bunk fer a few days?"
"Vell, there was one motel just six blocks away, but it vas just closed due to rats some inspectors found in the toilets."
Rogue sighed. Too bad. I could've had a few friends. And a few free meals.
"I think your best bet would be vith that hotel near the edge of town. Nice and cozy and pretty cheap. Of course, there's the voods you have to look out for."
Rogue became more conscious. "Woods?"
"Ja. Most people are at least a little scared of them. Some are a lot. Heh, that's vhy the manager has to keep the price low so people are willing to stay there. Besides that, it's pretty decent. It's quite a trip if you don't have a car, though. I hope you do."
"Afraid not. Ah came on the bus."
"Vell, that's too bad." The clerk was about to walk away, then he slowly turned back to her. "Say, I have a bike in the back you can borrow for tonight."
"Oh, that's alrahght. Ah'll be fahne."
"Trust me, fräulein, you'll be safer going fifty miles an hour than trying to walk all by yourself in the dark of night." This boy seemed to be pretty sure of himself.
"If you say so. What kahnd of bike?"
"It's actually a motorcycle. Normally I von't ask a girl if she wanted to ride my bike, because most of them might take offense. But I kind of figured you'd be the bike riding type."
Rogue smiled. "Well, yer pretty good at guessing. Ah'll take yer offer."
The boy became very excited. "Vait right here!" Then he dashed off into the back.
Rogue tapped her foot as she waited for the boy to come back. Just before he entered, she thought she saw some kind of whiff of smoke. The image quickly disappeared both physically and mentally as the boy dashed back in. He lifted the board that blocked the way between the front and back of the store and urged her to go past him. "C'mon, c'mon! This way!"
Rogue hesitated a moment before passing him. He seemed awfully excited over something rather unimportant. He was acting as if he wanted to show her some kind of genius invention that he had been working on for weeks. Was he up to something? Was there some kind of more sinister plot beneath this? Still, the boy seemed innocent enough. If he so much as did anything to make her worried, she could kick his butt just fine. Hey, P.E. and Combat were two of the few classes that Rogue had one of the highest grades in.
She finally resolved to do as he requested. She felt much more awake now and ready to jump into action at a moment's notice. As she walked, the boy walked up behind her, still very eager. They passed through the back door into a dark corridor, which was fortunately quite short. Just a few yards down, there was another door that Rogue guessed led to the outside.
The boy managed to pass her, despite the narrowness of the passage, and opened the door for her. And what she saw left her in utter shock.
It was her bike.
Not just any bike. Her bike. Her bike that she left at the airport.
"Da! Just as I said!"
Rogue could hardly speak.
"Wha . . . whe . . where did you get that?"
"I just got it from the motor dealers last week. I've tested it out a few times and vorks like a charm."
Rogue turned to him, her eyes smoldering with danger and suspicion. "This bike looks exactly like mah bike."
A look of worry overcame the boy's face. "Vell – I didn't steal it, fäulein. If this is in fact your bike, then I should allow you to keep it. I suppose it was sold to the dealers that I bought it from."
Rogue didn't take her eyes off him. His explanation didn't convince her. How could her bike have been taken, sold to some dealers, then sold again to this boy in just a day? She had left her bike at the airport, all the way back in the old country. There was no way the bike would've beaten her there. Besides, the boy said he had bought it last week.
She knew he was lying.
She took a step toward him, ready to threaten him for the truth if necessary.
"Look, you can take it," said the boy quickly. "Please, take it. It's the least I can do."
"Who are you workin' fer, kid? What are you up to?"
"Nothing! It might not even be your bike. You never know."
"This is mah bike. Ah'd know it anywhere."
The boy was becoming more and more nervous. "Look, I really need to get back inside. If you vant to take a closer look, be my guest."
Rogue allowed herself one look at the bike. She didn't need a closer look. The license plate was the same as hers, ANGL-666. Hey, wouldn't the dealer have taken off that license plate and put on a new one?
"Look, Ah-"
She turned around, and the boy was already gone. She really wanted to kick herself for letting him get away. After deciding to let the thought go, she gave her prized possession a quick look-over, just to make sure no one had attached any bombs or tracking devices to it. No. Everything was just the same as she had left it. Well, that's what she was hoping. The helmet was even there. It was almost as if someone was taking care of it for her while she was gone. She checked the bike one more time, then climbed on, put on the helmet, and took off.
I'll find that kid tomorrow, she promised herself as she headed for the hotel. Could she even be sure there was a hotel? What if it was another lie? Well, she didn't have many other options. She would just have to take a chance.
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Rogue soon realized that the kid wasn't lying this time. Almost to her disbelief, she did in fact find the mysterious hotel at the edge of the woods. It was almost too perfect.
The thought made Rogue a bit worried. Every time somebody thinks something's too perfect, something goes wrong. And so far, that scenario has worked on me.
It was true. The perfect plan, the patient taxi driver, the nice boy. There was always some little twist that turned out bad for her. And it was really ticking her off.
For the moment, though, there was nothing else to do, except perhaps to sleep outside. She definitely preferred having a roof over her head. She approached the hotel, which had no lights on except for the one light at the entrance. The entrance was somewhat dented into the building, making the light shine only in that little area in front of the door and under the overhanging above it.
Rogue parked her bike along the side of the hotel nearest to the woods, just so any passer-byers wouldn't get any ideas about taking it. Then she walked over to the entrance. There was a column of door bells on the left wall next to the doorway. The bottom most bell was labeled 'MANAGER.' She pushed the button, and in a few moments a gray-haired man wearing dress pants, a white collared shirt and a black vest answered the door. The man opened the door. "Yes, can I help you?"
"Yeah," answered Rogue as politely as she could. "Is there a room open where Ah can stay fer a few days?"
The manager gave a sarcastic smile, which made Rogue wonder if she had in some way offended him and how she did so. "My dear, there is always room at our hotel, as I'm sure you're already aware of."
Oh yeah, that's how. She remembered what the boy clerk had said about this hotel having poor business. He wasn't lying about that either.
"Well, thank you. How much?"
"The room will be $10 for two days."
Wow, they are desperate.
"Is there a particular room that you wish to stay in?"
Rogue took a moment to think. "If it's not too much trouble, a view of the woods would be nahce."
The manager seemed quite surprised. "Well, madam, you are the first person to ever ask for a room with a view of the woods. Most people try to avoid it. Wait one moment, please." The manager escaped from her view for a minute, then returned with a room key. "Head straight up the stairs. Your room is 207."
"Thank you, sir," replied Rogue as she exchanged the cash for the key. Then she quickly ascended the stairs. The stairway was narrow and only broke into a turn at every hundredth room number. So it was a while before she had managed to reach room 207. There was a platform in front of every door so that the ground always continued up. Rogue fit the key into the doorknob and opened it.
For the first time, Rogue was met with a very pleasant surprise.
The room was like a paradise. The main part of it was a sitting area with a fireplace, a TV set, VCR, DVD player, and a fold-out sofa. To her far left she could see a separate kitchen area where she could cook and eat. There was even a ready supply of food waiting for her. Unfortunately, she wouldn't use most of it. Then, toward the back of the room just to the right, was a doorway, which Rogue assumed led to the bedroom. The floor in the den was covered with a soft red carpet, making it easy on her feet when she took off her shoes. There were even a pair of heavy dark curtains for each window, so she would be able to block out the sun during the day.
I really can't believe that these people running this place have to be so cheap for something this nice. Really, it's just sad.
But at least for her, it was convenient. She knew she would still need to find a job in order to stay longer. She was pretty sure she would be there for a while.
Fatigue returned to her only minutes after entering the room. She locked the door behind her and quickly dropped her luggage and key on the sofa. She opened the bedroom door and didn't even take a moment to look around. With her last bit of strength, she plopped down onto the large comfy bed and fell asleep.
Just as she did, a series of howls could be heard in the distance, coming from the direction of the woods.
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Mwwaahahahaha! How do you like that? Hmm? Well, REVIEW. Please. I'll try to update again very soon. Okay, maybe not very soon. Relatively soon. Well, soon enough that you could think it's soon, even though people often have different perceptions of soon and therefore the amount of time considered to be soon can be debatable and /pantpantpantpantpantdeeeeeeep breath/ okay I'll shut up. See ya soon!!! :)