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“That’s…fine?” I glance Tessa’s way.
“Yes, that’s fine,” she says, confirming she’s up for a night in the forest with the cryptids. But I’m not really surprised. We both seem to have been bitten by the adventure bug.
Which reminds me as I pull out my ID and credit card…
“Do you have Wi-Fi, Mrs. Meyer?” I ask. “We wanted to do some research tonight on our next stop.”
“Call me Merry,” she says warmly, “everyone else does. And yes, I do. Network and password will be in your welcome brochure. It can get a little slow when everyone’s on at once, streaming their TV shows before bed, though. So, if you have important things to do, I’d advise getting it done first thing, before everyone’s back from dinner.”
“So, there are other guests?” Tessa asks with a soft laugh. “We were a little confused by the empty parking lot.”
“Oh, my yes, booked solid now that you three are here,” Merry says, her tone growing a touch more ominous as she adds, “Except bungalow seven. Don’t go anywhere near bungalow seven.”
“Why not?” I ask, as she passes over a brochure and an old-fashioned motel key attached to a carved wooden bird. “What happens in bungalow seven?”
She frowns. “Nothing happens, honey. It just has a hole in the roof I didn’t catch until it was too late. Now there’s mold in the walls. Gonna have to gut the entire thing and rebuild from scratch.” Her frown morphs into another wide grin. “But I love renovating. Can’t wait to give the Cinderella suite a whole new look. You’re in the Beauty and the Beast bungalow. If I’d had my druthers, I’d put a sweet couple like you in the Sleeping Beauty suite with all the pretty flowers on the wall, but I already have an older guy in there. From Seattle.” She lowers her voice to hiss, “He’s not very friendly so stay away from bungalow five, too, if you don’t want to get yelled at. Any questions?”
I glance back at Tessa, who shakes her head, before turning to Merry. “No, I don’t think so. Thanks so much.”
“You’re welcome, but be sure to move that camper off to the side of the lot, will you, doll? That’s the best way to be sure there’s room for everyone else to park.”
I nod. “Of course.”
Tessa waves as we step toward the door. “Thank you. Have a good night and good luck with your pickles.”
Merry cackles. “And good luck with yours!”
Outside, Tessa turns to me with a bemused grin, whispering, “What do you think she meant by that? Surely not…” She glances down at my waist, her cheeks flushing as she laughs again.
“Oh, I wouldn’t put it past her. She’s a character.” I hold up the key. “You want to go check out the room while I move the camper? Then, if the space seems safe, we can unload our things?”
“Good plan,” she says, frowning.
“What’s up?’ I ask.
She shakes her head. “Nothing. I wanted to Google something but I’m not getting service. I’ll log into the Wi-Fi once we get to the room.” She nods to Freya. “Come on, cutie. Let’s go see our room for the night.”
I head back to the camper, the ominous feeling from when we first pulled into the lot returning as I load into the driver’s seat and move the vehicle to the edge of the asphalt, as directed.
It’s just so…quiet. And so dark.
The sun only set a few minutes ago, but it’s already nearly black under the trees. I have to turn on the flashlight on my phone to follow the path to bungalow nine. The temperature drops beneath the fir branches, as well, making me wish I’d grabbed our winter coats. If Tessa decides she wants to stay, I’ll run back and grab those and the camping flashlights before we go fetch the bags.
But that’s a big “if” at this point. If the inside of our cabin is as faded and run-down as the outside, Tessa might prefer the relative luxury of the camper, even without running water.
I let myself in, calling out, “Hello?” as I swing through the door, stepping into…one of the cutest spaces I’ve ever seen.
I laugh as I turn in a slow circle, taking in the small sitting room and large fireplace, decorated to look like an old French castle. There’s also a small “dungeon” under the stairs, complete with bars and toys in bins—a great place for kids to play or…for ferrets to explore. Freya is already pawing through a bin of wooden blocks, chattering happily to herself.
“Looks like Freya approves of the new digs.” I move through the sitting room to an equally cute and cozy kitchenette, complete with a breakfast nook beneath a window overlooking the murky forest. “This is nice, right?”
Tessa, perched on the edge of the bench beneath the window, looks up from her phone, her face pale.
“What?” I ask, my stomach tightening again. “What’s wrong? Did you find a dead mouse in the bathroom?”
“No.” She gulps as she turns her screen my way. “It’s a Tommyknocker. That’s what they look like.”
I grunt, taking in a small, dwarf-like creature from a fantasy novel with green skin and a hint of a muzzle where its nose should be. “Creepy. But at least they’re small. I think we could take a few of them in a fight.”
