I don’t bother with any cleanup; no one is coming to look for him. Edwards’ body will rot in this chair for all eternity until someone finally discovers his bones many years down the road.
Edward Slithers evaded prison for the crimes he committed, but he couldn’t escape death.
I’m standing out front of Luna’s apartment door, knocking at six sharp. She answers the door a moment later, her big, doe brown eyes greeting me warmly. “Good morning, angel,” I say, handing her a small bouquet.
“For me?” Luna asks innocently. I nod, stepping into her apartment. She smiles, turns, and walks to her kitchen, opens the cabinet under the sink, and pulls out a vase. Luna fills the vase with water from the sink, then places the flowers in it and fluffs them to her liking. “Beautiful. Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Are you all packed?” God, she looks so good. She’s got on a black miniskirt, a matching long-sleeve shirt, and black-and-white checkered Vans. Luna is the embodiment of my teenage wet dream, and I’m controlling myself reasonably well, because all I want to do is take her over her kitchen island right now.
Luna nods eagerly. “I am. I didn’t sleep very well, though. Too excited.”
I close the distance between us, backing her against a wall. “Then I guess we should get going. Unless you want to stay here allweekend?”
Luna giggles, throwing her arms around my neck. “No way. You have to surprise me now.”
“Then let's go,” I say, giving her my best cheeky smile, reaching behind her, and opening the door. Luna smiles, untangling from me, grabs her bag by the door, and heads for the stairs.
I’m taking Luna to Salem for the weekend. I figured that because she went to the ‘gathering’ the other day, she would want to see it. I reserved our stay at The Merchant, a bed-and-breakfast in the heart of town. I also took the liberty of hacking into the email system and sending all the other guests who planned to stay there this weekend an email saying the bed-and-breakfast had a water pipe burst in the ceiling, which ruined the rooms, and offering them the option to rebook for another weekend. They took the bait, so now Luna and I have the house to ourselves the entire weekend.
Everything about this weekend has to be perfect for Luna.
Luna
We stopped off at a diner just outside the city for breakfast. It was a tiny mom-and-pop place that served a delicious all-American breakfast. I am full and content, looking out the window as we get back on the highway. “Do I get to know where we are going yet?” I ask, looking back at Dante, who looks every bit of the word, manly, in the driver's seat. He picked me up in a fancy BMW, and I can’t say that that doesn’t turn me on, because all I can think about is him fucking me in the back seat.
Dante smirks, a huff of air coming out of his nose. “No, not yet, angel. We will be there soon. Sit back and enjoy the ride.” I smile, sit back in my seat, and look out the window.
Dante takes the next exit off the highway, and we head through the coastal side of Massachusetts. The sandy beaches and families fishing at the shoreline remind me of when I was a kid; the last family vacation we took before they died was to a small beach town like this one. I don’t remember where my parents took me, but I remember the scent of salty sea air was so overwhelming that it annoyed my mother and made my father laugh. I’m sure they would have loved where I chose to live, my apartment, and how independent I’ve grown, but boy, do I miss them and wish they could see how happy I am now.
I shake the sad thoughts away and blink back the tears that threaten to fall. Today is supposed to be a good day, and I won’t ruin it with my miserable brain that loves to remind me that my parents are dead at the most inconvenient times.
We have been driving for about an hour when Dante says, “Look out your window, read the sign.”
I sit up in my seat, and my eyes lock with a welcome sign that reads, ‘You are now entering Salem’. “Shut up! No way! I’vewanted to visit since I was a kid when I watched Hocus Pocus for the first time!” I squeal, and Dante is beaming. “Wait! It’s October! Oh my gosh! I get to see Salem in October!”
“I figured you’d be interested in going since you told me about the gathering you went to at Pyre. I’m glad my intuition was correct.”
“You have no idea how excited I am!” Any sad thought I had vanished, and now I’m vibrating with anticipation.
“We are staying at a place called The Merchant, it’s in the heart of the town, and within walking distance from most of the itineraries I have planned for us,” he says, giving me a wink. “And here we are now.” Dante pulls into a narrow alleyway between two red-brick buildings, parking under a green canopy.
I open my door, and I’m greeted by an older gentleman with a warm smile, “Hello, I’m Thomas Darling, the owner of The Merchant. Welcome to my bed and breakfast.”
“Hi, my name is Luna,” I say, shaking his hand.
Dante rounds the car, “Dante,” he says, shaking Thomas’s hand.
“You two are my only guests this weekend. It was fully booked, but we had a few last-minute rebookings. Odd for this time of year, but lucky for you two! The festival has great food options, and many of the attractions are worth the small entry fees.” Thomas waves us toward the lime-green door. “Please enter through here at the back door; the front door always stays locked. You have free rein to pick any room upstairs, and the kitchen fridge is stocked. I’ll be staying here in the backyard in the in-law suite, if you need anything. Please feel at home during your stay, and I hope your stay with us is excellent.”
“Thank you, Thomas,” Dante says, and Thomas nods, leaving us to unpack the car. Dante turns to me, “Go upstairs and pick out a room for us. I’ll bring up the bags.”
“Okay,” I say, as Dante leans in, kissing the top of my head, and turns to get our bags. I enter the Queen Anne-style house, and I’m greeted by beautiful Victorian decor. The downstairs has a gothic feel, leaning into the whole ‘witchy’ vibes with dark walls and macabre-looking furniture.
I find the stairs near the front door, in the grand foyer. The dark cedar steps lead up to a landing with four rooms. I walk down the small hallway and find a beautifully decorated room, light blue in all its shades, carried throughout. I peer back to see the other rooms, but this one is calling to me. It has a fireplace at the foot of the bed and the best lighting from all the windows.
It’ll be nice waking up here in the morning. It’s a change from my dark, grungy city apartment that I love.
“Is this the one?”
