Chapter VII: Old Bedtime Stories

Victoria wasn't able to shake off the paranoia last night; and had, yet another, bad night of sleep. She blinked her sleepy eyes, as she pulled up to the hotel. She gulped coffee from her travel mug, trying to fully wake up.

Vincent walked out with a local paper in his hand and a big grin. "Damn morning people," she grumbled to herself.

He opened the car door, and got in. He grabbed her other travel mug asking, "Is that for me?"

She wearily said, "Yup." She pulled out of the hotel's driveway, and made her way towards the strip mall.

"Thanks! I can't possibly drink the shit water they try to call 'coffee' and serve at hotels."

She grumbled."Hrmph."

"Well, I can see you are in your normal bright and cheery morning mood."

She sighed, and stopped at an intersection. A funeral procession crossed in front of them. Vincent fervently flipped through the pages of his newspaper.

"Aha!" he exclaimed, making her jump. "Kim Boggs!"

Not knowing who he was talking about, she asked, "What?"

"The funeral," he motioned up, like it was obvious, towards the line of cars with little purple flags.

"Oh...You and your obits."

"Hey! I am a creature of habit," he stated as the procession ended, and they continued on.

"What's with your obsession with death anyways?"

"I dunno. I always thought I was on death's door as a child. My problem was that I had a huge overactive imagination and no outlet for it."

"It's a good thing you own several coffee shops now, and have open mic nights. You have a place, and an audience to recite poetry to."

"Life is good," he smiled. He looked around at the town and stated, "It's very....fifties isn't it?"

"Yeah, very Stepford. Why couldn't you just put the new store in a college town? I would have taken eccentric outspoken college kids any day, over all the small minded gossips that live here."

"You know that college kids have no money. Besides, this place needs something like this here."

She pulled up to the storefront and parked. "Here we are."

As they walked up to the store, he pulled out a couple of key rings. He gave one to her, and used the other to open the shop.

They went inside, and he crossed his arms over his chest; taking in the painting job. "They did a great job! The place looks good..."

He changed his focus to Victoria, clapped his hands, and said "Well, lets get started."

They walked over to the large towering boxes. She had her fill of boxes, and wished that it could be unpacked, and set up already. With a sigh, she resigned herself to more unpacking. They both dug into the boxes, and started the long task of setting up the new shop.

The process took a few days. Every day was much like the day before it. Victoria's new house was basically just a place where she slept and showered.

Vincent had already hired a couple of people for the cafe. Earlier in the day, they had their last two interviews for the final position. The first one quoted bible scripture, and told Victoria she knew what house she lived in. She had told her that she shouldn't be tempted by curiosity to go to the 'dark castle' behind her house. Her grandmother had told her it was an evil place that spawned demons with long silver claws. After she left, they had a good laugh. She hoped that everyone in the town wasn't as crazy.

The second girl was a young teenager named Lydia. She was short, thin, and had black hair. She had a quiet disposition, yet was very nice. Victoria liked her instantly. She also got bonus points for sympathy; it was her grandmother that had passed away a few days earlier. She would only be able to work weekends because of school, but they decided to hire her on the spot. They had already planned on training another girl, Veronica, that evening and asked Lydia to stay to be trained as well.

They were currently working on making a mocha when Lydia asked Victoria if she was the one who had just bought the house on the hill. When Victoria confirmed she said, "You know, everyone thinks that mansion is haunted."

"Yeah, so I've noticed."

Veronica chimed in, "It is haunted. People died there."

Victoria looked at Lydia and asked, "What do you think?"

"Well...my Grandmother used to tell me bedtime stories about it. She said that there was an inventor who lived there, and made all kinds of robots and inventions, but he was lonely. So, one day he made a gentle man that had a brain and a heart. She said that she liked him, that he was kind, but he just didn't belong here. There was some kind of trouble, and he left. And then there was an accident... a boy died up there, and she had to fake his death so that the townspeople would leave him alone. Ever since then, he stayed hidden in his house. She said he was responsible for the snow; that he made it from carving ice. I guess his hands were made out of scissors, or something."

Victoria gasped when 'scissors' were mentioned. Everyone's attention averted to her. She fumbled for an excuse, "I...um...burned myself on this damn steamer...ow."

Vincent, who was sitting at one of the little tables, looked up from his paper to yell, "Put some ice on it!"

"Thanks Vincent. Ever the helpful one." She went through the motions to keep the pretense up. As she held a dripping glob of ice on her hand she asked Lydia if she had ever gone up there.

Lydia replied, "No, I don't really believe any of that. They were just stories to get me to sleep. I would believe it being haunted by ghosts, over some leftover human-like invention."

Veronica voiced her opinion. "My grandmother says that he was real. She even saw him at school. Some boy in her class brought him in to Show & Tell. She said that she was lucky he didn't kill her, like he did that other boy."

Victoria didn't know what to make of the stories. She wondered if there was any truth to any of it. The 'scissors for hands' part really struck a chord. It would explain all the noises she had been hearing. Although, a human looking robot that was old enough that these girls' grandmothers knew him was a little bit beyond belief.

After the girls left, Victoria and Vincent stayed to give the cafe the finishing touches. As she hung a decorative moon clock on the wall, Vincent brought in several large framed pictures. He started to hang them on the nails in the wall, and she gasped.

"Those are my photographs! Vincent! You asked for a CD of my work so you could make some prints for your house."

"You are far too talented to have your work grace only my house."

She grinned, and her cheeks turned a little pink. "Thanks," she mumbled, never being able to take a compliment.

He turned to look at her, and said, "You know, Vee, I really hope you can find a nice guy here. Have a real relationship. You really deserve some happiness."

She raised her eyebrows, and gave him half a smile. "Nah, I most likely will just end up being an old hag with a hundred cats. I have already given up on nice guys. I just don't think they exist."

"I'm being serious here, you-"

"Stop it! I know you have the best intentions; it's just I don't want to get into this tonight. Geez, you're worse than my mother."

He chuckled, and glanced up at the newly hung clock. "Holy shit! It's almost midnight. Lets get out of here."

"Sounds good to me."

They gathered their belongings, locked up, and got in her car. While they drove to the hotel, she noticed Vincent yawning, and rubbing his eyes. He looked beat, and she didn't even feel tired at all.

She said, "You know, I think I've had about five coffee drinks while training the girls."

"You don't actually have to drink the test runs, you know."

"And let them go to waste? I think not," she said as she turned up the White Stripes, and started drumming on the steering wheel.

He laughed, "I'm not nearly as much of a night owl as you. I can't wait to get to sleep."

"You're in luck. We're here," she said as she pulled over to let him out.

As he was getting out he said, "Listen, take tomorrow off. I want you well rested for the grand opening."

She agreed to it, waved goodbye, then drove home. On the drive, her mind raced. She couldn't stop thinking of that castle, or the legends behind it. She paused at the main gate to the castle's driveway, and looked up the hill at it. It intrigued her so much. I wonder just what is up there? I doubt there is some ancient robot living there, but...there is something about that house...I feel so drawn to it. Maybe it is just the stories, but that place definitely has a vibe to it. I can't quite place it...but I know that I need to go up there.

A new song started, and pulled her from her thoughts. She continued down her street, until she reached her own driveway. When she parked and got out of her car, she realized just how bright the full moon was tonight. It made everything glow with a dull bluish light; it looked like it was just before dawn, rather than midnight.

She walked inside, and knew there was no way she could sleep. She said hi to Poe, and walked around her house, already bored. Vincent's earlier statement haunted her. She kept hearing 'you're going to be lonely here' over and over in her mind. She sighed and wondered what she could do to fight off that feeling.

She walked toward her sink full of dirty dishes and grumbled. She glanced up at the back door, and through its window. The castle looked like something out of a movie. She smiled, knowing exactly what to do with her excess energy. She grabbed her camera bag and tripod, then walked out the door. One of her favorite Patsy Cline songs got stuck in her head. She started to sing it as she walked through the trees after midnight; approaching the stone wall.