The sun was at its peak sending merciless rays on the land and people beneath. The land of Rainard had always been known for its extremely sunny weather. It was particularly true for the ever-busy town of Myre located at the border to Fairehart the land of Vampires.
Olive wiped off the brow of sweat on her forehead as she picked up the pail of water and headed to the inn-house. She walked slowly, careful not to spill the water or trip on her dress.
The inn wasn't located far from the town well and it was her last trip for the day so Olive walked slower this time admiring the flowers that grew on the field beside the walk path. She was back at the inn and through the back door in no time.
"You should have let me do it. After all, this isn't the work for a dainty gal like yourself." The cook James smiled at her as she filled the barrel and dropped the pail in the storage room.
She acknowledged his presence with a nod but made nothing of his remark before going to see to her other duties. James being used to her aloof nature went back to stirring the broth.
The inn though not the busiest in town was always active by that time of day. It was mostly frequented by men who liked to chat loudly amongst themselves, drown their sorrows with teeming mugs of strong ale, and meet with damsels of easy virtue who did not mind spending the night with them for a few copper coins.
Olive hated the loud laughter that shook the foundation of the entire inn, the smell of booze that hung over the rooms, and the faces of people she had grown tired of but had to smile politely to as she took their orders and served their meals.
"Lost in thought again are we?" Susan joked. She had bright hazel brown eyes that gazed into someone else's as if she could see into their souls. Her full pink lips curved upwards when she smiled or arched downwards when she frowned which she rarely did.
Her chestnut brown hair was braided to the side bringing out the comeliness of her facial features.
Olive said nothing and walked out on her. She never bothered to reply to Susan's remarks or that of anyone else. The most she could do was nod in acknowledgement of their presence.
She went off to the back of the inn where dirty dishes, beddings, and other cooking utensils were washed. She was to wash the dishes– a job she preferred to serving the drunk and irritating customers.
She filled a bucket with water and lathered the dishes before proceeding to rinse the soap off in a separate bucket and then cleaning them with a washcloth. She finished up quickly and set the dry dishes in a large bowl about to take them to the storeroom.
"Olive!" Mrs Wells called out from her office in an unpleasant tone. Olive left the dishes to attend to her needs at once. Mrs Well was a large woman in her late fifties. She had a pair of smallish, sharp but mean-looking eyes, an aquiline nose, and thin lips that rarely smiled.
She was the owner of the inn and saw to its day-to-day activities. Having lost her husband to a rogue-vampire attack some years back she devoted her whole time to the inn. It had been her husband's dream and she wanted it to live on. Sadly she had no child to pass it on to when she died.
"Ma'am." Olive curtsied as she stood in front of her.
"I need you to go to town and get fresh supplies. Jeffrey would accompany you in the carriage." She spoke with poise and elegance not glancing up from the pile of coins she was sorting. She thrust a list and a bag of coins at Olive who caught it and went to work at once.
On her way out she met Susan pacing around the door. She was about to walk past but was stopped by Susan who seemed like she could faint at any moment.
"Olive." she called out, her voice barely above a whisper.
"Mm." She grunted, giving her a look to go on.
"I know you have been sent to town for more supplies but may we switch jobs? I have been ordered to clean the room for The Regulars but I cannot do it. I am afraid.
It's awfully dark in there. I feel like I could get lost or worse..." She paused and when she made sure no one was listening she moved an inch closer to Olive, lowering the tone of her voice.
"You know there have been rumours..., um around the inn, in town and also in the neighbouring towns about mysterious cloaked figures that abduct women and children at night.
I know this may seem absurd but I suspect that the Regulars might be behind it. Whenever they appear cases of missing persons are reported, most of them are never found.
I don't want to be next, it'll kill my poor mother and oh my darling fiance, I don't know what he would do if anything happens to me. I just can't do it. I'm too frightened. You're not scared of anything, please help me." Susan pleaded, grabbing hold of Olive's wrist but Olive withdrew her hands from hers.
"Alright. I shall switch jobs with you if it would ease your mind." She sighed.
"You have my heartfelt thanks." Susan breathed out a sigh of relief, colour finally returned to her ashen face.
Olive gave her the list and coin purse and went to get cleaning supplies.
The Regulars were a set of persons who frequented the inn every four months. They arrived close to midnight, wore long black cloaks that obscured most of their faces, and had an eerie presence around them.
Olive didn't like them and neither did anyone in the inn except Mrs Wells who enjoyed the heavy bags of coins they paid her with.
She shook those thoughts aside as she arrived at the entrance to the murky rooms that didn't seem in need of any cleaning as they were rarely ever used.
The rooms were located on the far end of the inn where no one dared stray to. All the windows had been tightly shut and were hidden behind thick velvet curtains preventing the tiniest bit of daylight from seeping through.
With a poorly-lit lantern in her hand and cleaning materials beside her, Olive stepped in. She set to work dusting, sweeping, and scrubbing the large rooms allocated to the regulars, which were always left untouched until their visit.
The room had a strange aura around it. It reeked strongly of gloom. It was as if the darkness had a mind of its own and moved to wholly envelop her.
The hairs on her body stood on end. Her muscles tensed up. She found it difficult to breathe, like there was this force impeding the flow of air to her body. She tried to run from it but there was nowhere to go. The mass of darkness was everywhere.
In her anxious state, she knocked over the soapy water from the pail, slipped on it, and fell on the hard wooden floor. As she sprang to her feet, all of a sudden the darkness seemed to leave and she was free to go on with her cleaning.
She was done in no time. She gathered her cleaning materials and quietly exited the somewhat stuffy room. She turned in the lock and held on to the key until Susan arrived to return it to Mrs Wells
As she took the dishes back to the inn she couldn't stop sneezing making it difficult to balance the bowl in her hands. She experienced a sudden wave of dizziness and almost fell but for Susan who arrived just in time and held her.
"Let me help...Goodness! What happened to your eyes, they're pitch black?" Susan shrieked letting go of her and taking a step back.
Olive ignored her and managed to place the dishes in the storeroom.
"You do not seem well Olive. I think you should go home and get some rest." Susan suggested in her annoying but caring manner.
Olive nodded instead of arguing. Something did feel strange. She hadn't felt this way, ever.
She gathered her things and left the inn early. When she was sure no one was watching she made her way into the thick forest some distance away from the inn.
She walked with unsteady feet. Though it was getting dark she still found her way around the tall trees and sharp shrubs.
Deep in the forest was a small cave hidden by a waterfall. That was where she was headed. She heard the sounds of the water splashing against the rocks underneath as the waterfall came into view.
She stepped into the waterfall letting it wash over her. It calmed her raging nerves and soaked her dress causing the thin fabric to stick to her like a second skin.
She could sense footsteps inside the cave, her cave. She gathered her dress and marched into the cave ready to give the intruder a piece of her mind.
Before her was a young man dressed in an expensive-looking long-sleeved shirt and black breeches. His golden-brown hair fell at his sides revealing a messy but charming appearance.
His inquisitive blue eyes met with her furious ones. He inhaled taking in the air around him.
"What are you?" He started in awe.