《Clockwork Veil》 Chapter 1: Welcome To Ashford Bay Zoe felt like she was trapped on a fixed path with no escape. Much like the road she currently traveled on. Straight with no visible turn offs and swallowed by rolling fog. She flicked on her headlights, slowing down to avoid drifting off the edge of the road. This wasn¡¯t the way she imagined she¡¯d spend her time after graduating from M.I.C.A. The Magnus Institute for Conjuration and Academics. Learning magic was more than just a dream. It was her passion, and she was good at it. Now that name just haunted her thoughts like some unwelcome shadow that seemed to loom over her wherever she went. It was part of the reason she¡¯d packed her stuff up and started this little ¡°road trip.¡± Her eyes drifted to the picture wedged into the rearview mirror. Her parents were smiling in that way they used to, so full of life. Now it was just a painful reminder of what she¡¯d lost. Zoe sighed. What was she doing out here? Running from her responsibilities? Going on some life journey where she finds all the answers? The song she¡¯d been listening to on repeat suddenly skipped, which made her frown. Her brows furrowed. That shouldn¡¯t have been possible with today¡¯s technology. The music continued to play undisturbed so she was about to dismiss it as her imagination when without warning the music fades and was replaced by a burst of static. No it wasn¡¯t just noise. There was a voice lurking just beneath the crackling static. So faint that it was almost inaudible, but it was unmistakably human. Before she could process it, the car¡¯s engine shuddered and died, and left her in total darkness. The headlights flickered out leaving a veil of fog to obstruct her view. ¡°Oh come on,¡± she muttered, her frustration mounting. A figure emerged from the fog. Its outline was distorted and its posture was almost too perfect. Almost statuesque. If it hadn¡¯t moved she wouldn¡¯t have believed it was even human. Zoe gasped, her heart racing. In a panic, she jerked the wheel to the right. The car¡¯s tires screeched in protest as it veered off the road. It came to an abrupt stop inches away from a weathered sign that read: ¡°Welcome to Ashford Bay¡± Zoe gripped the steering wheel as her heart pounded. Stunned and in shock. It took several moments before she regained enough composure to move. Slowly, she reached for the handle and pushed the door open. The fog seeped around the door to envelop her. It was thick and suffocating, as if it had a mind of its own. She forced herself to take slow deliberate breaths to slow her racing heart and thoughts. She could barely see past her own car. ¡°Hello?¡± She called out with an unsteady voice. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t see you! The fog¡­ it just¡­¡± Her voice trailed off as her words were lost in the silence. Her stomach twisted. No response. Her eyes, green with flecks of gold, darted around seeking any sign of life. This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. There was no movement at all. The air carried an unnatural chill which caused her to shiver and pull her jacket tighter around herself. It also carried a strange aroma. She wasn¡¯t used to the salty air of the east coast. They didn¡¯t have that in Kansas. It was strange how she noticed that despite her nerves being on edge. It almost made her laugh at how absurd it was. Almost. A sound cut through the silence and dragged her out of her thoughts. It was a slow scraping noise of something against the pavement. It was deliberate and close. Too close. It sent a strange sensation down the back of her neck. She hesitated. A part of her mind tried to convince her if she didn¡¯t turn around then it would be nothing. Just a figment of her imagination. The rational part of her mind won out as she spun around, eyes darting through the fog. A figure stood in the distance. Its body was half-lost in the haze. It was too far away to have caused that sound which didn¡¯t do her nerves any favors. ¡°Hello?¡± She called out and took a hesitant step forward. The sudden crackle of static bursting to life washed the silence away as the radio sprang to life. Static bled through the speakers making her jump. A cheerful voice, a stark contrast to her current situation, cut through the white noise. Without thinking she turned to look at her car. ¡°And now, a town favorite! Let¡¯s all sing along to¡­ ¡°Smiling Faces, and Brighter Days!¡± Zoe froze. That¡­ wasn¡¯t the song she had been playing. She hoped the radio just reset when the power shut off. A fleeting sense of hope began to take root. Hope that this entire situation was almost behind her. She turned to look back at the figure. It was gone. Vanished within the fog. Her pulse hammered in her ears. The song started to play. The melody was bright and inviting. Almost too inviting. ¡°Smiling faces, brighter days,¡± ¡°The sun will shine, the dark will fade,¡± ¡°Come on home, don¡¯t be afraid¡­.¡± Soft clapping echoed in the background. It was offbeat. The laughter that followed didn¡¯t seem natural at all. It was too synchronized. A distorted chorus of joy that felt¡­ wrong. Rehearsed even. Suddenly the melody began to falter. The clapping¡­ the laughter¡­ all of it deteriorated into an incoherent hiss of static. There was a brief moment of clarity as the final verse emerged. ¡°You belong¡­ you¡¯ve always stayed¡­¡± Then everything went quiet. An oppressive silence hung in the air as the radio shut off. The lights slowly faded to darkness. Zoe¡¯s breath came fast and shallow. ¡°What the actual fuck,¡± she whispered. She spun around without thinking and threw herself back into the car, locked the doors, and fumbled getting the key into the ignition. She tried to crank the engine. Nothing happened. The hope that began to take root withered and died in that moment. Zoe gritted her teeth and slammed her fist against the wheel. ¡°Then how the hell was the radio playing,¡± she hissed. Panic began to creep in. Then, as if mocking her, the sign in front of the car emerged from within the mist. It loomed high over her. ¡°Welcome to Ashford Bay.¡± She exhaled, forcing herself to calm down. She suppressed the urge to just abandon her car and sprint down the road and away from this town. However, the fact she nearly ran someone over made her reconsider. The last thing she wanted was to become someone¡¯s hood ornament. With a sigh of finality she looked up at the sign. ¡°I better not get murdered,¡± she muttered under her breath. Chapter 2: Vacancy The sound of the door closing echoed in the still night, which made her wince. She stepped away from the car and began to walk into town. She cast a quick glance back, watching her car become obscured in the dense fog. Stranded. Abandoned. It felt like she just lost her only sanctuary. She couldn¡¯t linger on those feelings. With a soft chant she raised her hand. The spell disturbed the aether in the air and drew it into the center of her palm where a spark of light took form. She¡¯d be damned if she walked in the dark. Conjuring small effects like that was second nature to her. The town was unnervingly quiet. No voices, rustling of leaves, not even a cricket. Only the persistent hum of the street lamps broke the silence. When she stepped into their light she felt relieved. Zoe shook her hand, dispersing the aether to break her spell. The streets were empty, as expected for a town this size so late at night. In the distance a small neon glow caught her attention. Zoe quickened her pace. Maybe escaping this fog would ease the tightness in her chest. When she approached the parking lot of the motel, she wasn¡¯t surprised to find it nearly vacant. A black sedan was parked near the entrance. Its sleek appearance was a stark contrast to the weathered motel. A flickering neon ¡°Vacancy¡± buzzed in the window. Zoe couldn¡¯t help but smirk. ¡°Surprise surprise.¡± The fog made the light seem eerily bright. When she reached for the door a subtle shift in the air made her freeze. Almost like someone walked past her. A chill caressed the back of her neck. Her breath caught in her throat. Zoe rushed inside and slammed the door shut. She felt relief at the sound of the lock sliding into place. She stepped back, keeping her focus on the door. Zoe remained still and listened. The buzzing of the vacancy sign was deafening. The neon light cast an eerie glow in the fog outside. She froze, afraid to move. Was it just in her head? She shifted to the side to get a wider view. Nothing. No movement. Only the relentless buzzing of the sign. Zoe held her breath. It was maddening. Zoe spun around when someone called out behind her. ¡°Good evening.¡± Her hand went to her side as she prepared to draw in aether. A well dressed man stood behind the desk. He stared at her with an unwavering smile. She glanced back but saw nothing beyond the glass door. ¡°I just,¡± she pointed towards the door. ¡°Yes?¡± The Clerk stared at her unblinking. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. The oddity of the situation caused her to lower her hand. He tilted his head to the side. ¡°Welcome to the Ashford Motel.¡± His voice was awfully calm considering she just burst in here like she was running for her life. He didn¡¯t even seem phased. Her adrenaline was wearing off and exhaustion began to set in. She cast one more look towards the door before she walked up to the desk. ¡°I¡¯d like to check in.¡± She did her best to control her voice. The man slid a ledger towards her. ¡°If you wouldn¡¯t mind signing your name?¡± She picked up the pin and started to sign. Just above the blank space was another name. C. Reid. The names above it were full names but were mostly faded so she couldn¡¯t read them clearly. ¡°Whose car is that outside?¡± Zoe asked, trying to steady her nerves. The clerk didn¡¯t answer immediately, his gaze shifting to the pen in her hand as though it were a strange object. ¡°Oh, that? It¡¯s been there a while. Can¡¯t say I remember who checked in with it,¡± he replied, his tone a little too practiced, like a line he had recited a hundred times. ¡°Right,¡± Zoe muttered. She thought about the car. Left behind and abandoned. Had someone checked in before her? Why leave the car if they¡¯d left? Did it stop working like hers did? She rubbed the ink, hoping it would smear. Maybe, just maybe, it would show her she wasn¡¯t the only one here. But it didn¡¯t. With a frown, she started to write her full name but paused, a flicker of doubt crossing her mind. Instead, she mirrored the way the last name was written. Only her first initial followed by her surname. The clerk stared at it for a few moments longer than necessary. ¡°Very well, Ms Sinclair.¡± He placed a brass key on the desk, and Zoe wondered when he retrieved it. Room 206. She reached for her wallet, but the Clerk gestured for her to stop. ¡°We collect all payments when you check out.¡± Zoe¡¯s brow furrowed. ¡°I''d rather just take care of it now.¡± The Clerk smiled and offered a slight shrug. ¡°It is policy, Ms. Sinclair.¡± Zoe grabbed the key and made her way down the hall. As she walked, she glanced back and saw the clerk standing at the end of the hall, still smiling. ¡°Rest well, Ms. Sinclair.¡± She smiled stiffly, her nerves on edge, and closed the door behind her, locking every bolt. ¡°That was odd,¡± she muttered. Exhaustion finally hit her full force, and she couldn¡¯t suppress a yawn. She turned to look at the room. A single bed. No television. Great. A mirror on the far wall caught her eye. She didn¡¯t want to see how much of a mess she was so she avoided it. And was that a rotary phone on the bedside table? ¡°I know the feeling,¡± she muttered under her breath. It didn¡¯t seem to belong here either. Chapter 3: Safe Room Zoe took in the room. The bed was pristine. Its blanket was smooth and the nightstand spotless. Everything looked perfect until the stale air betrayed it. The illusion shattered when she noticed the mirror had a slight tilt. Next to the phone, a shaded lamp emitted a soft hum as the light teasingly flickered but never quite went out. The ceiling fan hung motionless. Now that she was calmer she could hear a soft electric current from it. She walked over and flipped the switch. The light went out and she frantically turned it back on. ¡°Not sleepy anymore,¡± she grumbled. She flipped the next switch and the humming noise stopped. Overall it didn¡¯t look like this room had been occupied in a while. Any hope of finding someone else here was fading fast. Without the sound from the fan, she was left in eerie silence. That was unnerving. She frowned slightly and reached over to pick up the phone. Instead of a dial tone she heard static. Zoe suppressed a shudder as she pulled the receiver away from her ear. ¡°What the hell was that?¡± It reminded her of the radio in her car. Several tense moments passed as she feared she¡¯d hear something in the noise again but nothing happened. Was that normal for phones this old? No dial tone, just that damn static. She was about to hang up the phone when she paused and placed it on the desk next to the lamp. The soft sound of static, despite the risk, was better than the silence. The silence would drive her crazy, she feared. She¡¯d turn the fan back on but feared it might start a fire. She walked over to the closet. She hesitated and tried to peer through the gap between the doors. She gripped the handle for several moments before swinging the door open abruptly. Nothing. A single wire hanger swayed in the back of the closet. She was about to close the door when she noticed a small travel suitcase pressed against the right wall. Her mind raced. First the car outside, now this? She reached in and tried to pick it up. It was heavier than expected. Definitely not empty. ¡°Fuck this,¡± she muttered fighting the urge to panic. ¡°I¡¯m too tired for this.¡± Now that she was coming off an adrenaline rush she felt the muscle ache set in. She rubbed her eyes and sat on the bed facing the door. It was surprisingly comfortable. Zoe kicked off her boots and removed her jacket. As she folded it she felt the room key in the pocket. It felt unusually heavy. ¡°What place even uses these old keys still?¡± She placed her folded jacket under her pillow and moved her boots under the night stand. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. She rubbed her temples and attempted to take stock of her situation. There was a dull ache just behind her right eye. ¡°Ugh.¡± She felt the need to leave but had no idea of where. Her thoughts were a whirlwind. Her car! She was stranded here without it, so she¡¯d need to find a mechanic in town. Was that even possible? She couldn¡¯t conjure anything too complicated. Definitely tools but not replacement parts. Maybe if that car was truly abandoned she could use it in an emergency? What about the name in the ledger? The memory of the Clerk¡¯s unnerving smile made the hair on her neck raise. A haze settled in her mind from the fatigue that made it difficult to focus. Zoe laid back against the mattress. It was extremely comfortable. As she contemplated her next step she dozed off. After what felt like minutes she snapped awake and sat up. Even though she felt like she barely got any sleep she actually felt refreshed. That left her unsettled. How long was she out for? She looked around but didn¡¯t even see a clock. Even her frayed nerves had settled. She rubbed the back of her neck, uneasy with how calm she felt. She felt guilty but couldn¡¯t explain why. She looked towards the door, pulling free from her thoughts. The door was locked and secure. Zoe felt relief tinged with regret. ¡°I should have put a sigil on the door.¡± The deadbolt was good and all but any door bound by a sigil would be difficult to break down. Zoe walked to the bathroom and caught her reflection in the mirror. She barely recognized herself. Her green eyes, usually sharp with gold flecks, looked hollow and dulled by fatigue. Her dark brown hair had come loose from its ponytail, framing her light olive skin which looked sallow under the flickering light. A faint scar curved through her right eyebrow, a remnant from a childhood fall. Zoe quickly washed up and walked back to the bed to slip on her boots and jacket. It was then that she noticed how eerily quiet it was. Her gaze immediately fell on the phone laying on the nightstand. She reached out slowly, picked it up, and lifted the receiver to her ear. Nothing but silence¡­ until a faint, unmistakable breath. ¡°Hello?¡± She heard the click of someone hanging up. Zoe slammed the phone down. ¡°That creepy motherfucker.¡± It had to be the Clerk. Who else could it be? Her gaze shifted to the closet. Unless someone else really had been in the room. She dismissed that thought, allowing her anger to subdue her unease. After locking the door, she made her way to the lobby. The front desk was empty. The chair was still slowly spinning as if someone had just left. Zoe figured the overnight Clerk would¡¯ve swapped out by now. ¡°Hello?¡± The sound of a clock ticking filled the silence. She looked around but no one answered. ¡°Great.¡± On one hand she was relieved about not having to deal with him first thing in the morning. On the other hand she was determined to get to the bottom of someone listening in on the phone. If she came back she¡¯d make sure to confront him. She turned toward the door and remembered she didn¡¯t pay for her room. The Clerk had refused payment until she signed out. ¡°That tracks,¡± she mutters under her breath. Looked like she¡¯d be coming back whether she liked it or not. Zoe hesitated at the door. She peered through the glass and felt relieved when she saw that it was daytime. It meant she actually slept a while despite not having any dreams. That was a small mercy in what had to be the strangest night of her life. She took a deep breath and stepped out. Nothing happened. The sun felt good on her skin. Zoe almost felt silly. Did she need more sleep than she thought? The fog mostly dispersed revealing more of the town. Her gaze locked on a sign shaped like a lantern across the street. "The Lantern Cafe" ¡°Oh thank God. Coffee,¡± she said longingly. She still felt a hint of unease, but if caffeine couldn¡¯t sort her thoughts out nothing could.