Scott pulled the hood of his jacket tighter around his head as he stepped out of the taxi. The air was sharp and cool, carrying with it the faint scent of damp earth and the musty aroma of a distant bonfire. The dim lights of the roadside motel flickered against the darkness, their pale yellow glow casting jagged shadows across the cracked asphalt of the parking lot.
The driver rolled down his window and gave Scott a once-over. "You sure this is the place, kid?" he asked, his voice gruff but not unkind.
Scott nodded, his expression resolute. "Yeah. Thanks."
"Suit yourself." The driver shrugged, pocketed the cash Scott handed him, and drove off, leaving Scott standing alone in the glow of the motel's neon sign.
It buzzed faintly, the letters spelling out "Valley View Motel." Though it was anything but picturesque, the name added a certain charm to its otherwise dilapidated appearance.
