Page 5 of Calling Quarters

It wasn't glamorous, but it would do.

I set my suitcase down on the bed and headed into the bathroom for a quick shower, eager to scrub the past two days of travel from my skin.

As I settled in, I swore I could hear distant shouts coming from somewhere within the hotel. They were blood-curling; filled with anguish and desperation. Silence took over the space just as quickly and I told myself I’d imagined it.

Chapter 4

Storie

The center of town was not at all what I expected it to be for such a small, secluded place. A white gazebo served as the centerpiece, surrounded by flowers of various species and colors. The roads that curved around it were paved with white cobblestone, and the sidewalks looked to be newer and in pristine condition. Not a single thing was out of place. It was so unlike the polluted cities I grew up in.

The buildings were set against each other in varying sizes and styles, fighting to showcase their own individuality through the layer of matte black paint they were covered in. Copper awnings hung above every door, the color popping out amongst the uniformed black and white.

It was beautiful. The contrast made everything look a little more magical.

There were people mulling all around, too caught up in their own worlds to notice me gazing at the architecture and style of their home like a true out-of-towner. The coffee shop on the corner seemed to be the most popular spot with a constant flow of people going in and out. I decided to try that first, noting the rest of the stores as I passed them.

The whimsical patterns and styles showcased in the display window of the clothing boutique caught my attention. Next to it was an art gallery that wasn't open, and Granger's Pharmacy was the largest, taking up the space of three storefronts. I noticed Tabitha and Blaire's last name on the sign and made a mental note. They seemed to have their hands in everything.

The tavern on the opposite corner was closed, but I was willing to bet based on the worn tables and chairs sitting on their patio that they rivaled the coffee shop's popularity at night.

The library stood alone near the coffee shop. While it didn't take up much of the street the way the pharmacy had, it towered over the others. It had to have been at least five stories high. The sign on the door was flipped to CLOSED and the hours weren't posted anywhere, but I knew that would be my best bet for finding information. Surely, it held some answers about the history of the Graves family and why my parents left. Maybe some birth records or newspaper articles that could point me in the general direction I should be looking in.

When I stepped into The Grind, I was hit with the familiar nutty aroma and instantly felt at home. The walls were painted bright orange with large yellow and red swirls, imitating a flowering rose. My barista was quick, and the coffee was better than I expected it to be.

The guy from yesterday was leaning against a tree in front of the shop with three others as I left. I almost didn't notice him, too focused on where I'd head next, but his eyes were locked on me with a predatory glare this time, as if he had been waiting for me.

The other three shifted their gaze my way, each one looking scarier than the last. Their appearances were almost otherworldly. All of their features were more pronounced, their colors more electric than anyone else around.

Their beauty looked menacing.

Unapproachable.

People avoided looking at them as they passed, opting to look down at the ground or straight ahead, just as Tabitha and Blaire had done the day before.

I felt a few passerby eyes land on me in response to the undivided attention I'd received from the four strange-looking men. I scowled in response, irritated at the spectacle they were drawing toward me. That only seemed to please the first one as a smile crept across his face.

I turned my back to them and walked in the opposite direction, away from town square. I decided I would just have to explore a little later, when my embarrassment faded, and people forgot about the weird exchange that just happened.

Those guys were clearly unhinged and a sick feeling in my gut told me I needed to stay away.

Aunt Ash told me to trust my intuition because it was always right. I never knew what she meant by that. Was I supposed to go with the first initial thought that entered my head about a person or thing? To believe the little seeds of doubt or excitement that planted their way into my thoughts as time went on?

I'd always thought it was another nonsensical piece of advice she'd tried to bestow upon me. That she was crazy.

Now, I knew exactly what she was talking about. Intuition was a strange, unexplainable feeling—almost like a voice in your head or a tug on your heart—where you justknow. There's no science or logic behind it. It justis.

“Oh, hey,” Blaire called out as I passed the hotel office.

I turned back and smiled my greeting, hoping she didn't have anything else to say. I wanted to be alone.

There was nothing negative or menacing about her. In fact, I felt calm and secure in her presence. She was safe. But apparently, I could only take Beacon Grove and its odd inhabitants in small doses.

“I just finished up a shift,” she explained, closing the distance between us. Disappointment sank into my stomach at her next words. “I thought maybe I could show you around. I've got nothing else to do.”

I looked back in the direction of the town, trying to form some sort of excuse to decline. “I actually just came from there. I was going to head inside and grab a snack,” I lied.

I still haven't even had time to grab groceries.

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