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“Honey...Kaiya,” grinned Ben gently shaking awake, “We're here...”

“Huh?” gasped Kaiya snorting as she jolted awake, when she heard her husband chuckle, Kaiya playfully shoved his shoulder.

“We should be pulling up at the bed and breakfast in about ten minutes.” chuckled Ben flipping on the turning signal

Kaiya gazed out the window as they drove past a lake, a smile touched her lips when she saw the beach. The brochure promoting the town of Juaqwin promised beautiful hiking trails, a small beach with a large clear lake; the photos of the town looked picturesque with quaint stores and diner. Kaiya re-read the brochure “A town that has rich history, quaint stores with handmade goods and an abundance of beautiful hiking trails to get lost in...”

“I can't wait,” sighed Kaiya squeezing her husbands hand, “all I want to do for the next few hours is lay on that beach.”

Ben waggled his eyebrows as he eagerly agreed, “I can't wait for some beach time too...” squeezing her knee, causing Kaiya to laugh, she squealed excitedly, “There it is!” pointing at the sign announcing the charming Victorian styled B&B. Ben pulled their SUV into a parking lot. Ben's eyes roved over the empty parking lot, 'We can't be the only ones here...'

“It looks like we'll have the B&B to ourselves for a little while.” murmured Kaiya shrugging, “It's kind of odd though isn't it...that we're the only ones here?”

Ben remained quiet for a few minutes carrying their bags as they walked to the front of the building. He stopped and looked around, his eyes roamed over the gravel and frowned; he thought perhaps the other guests have left for the day, though were no other tire tracks besides theirs.

“They could've gone out for the day,” suggested Ben trudging up the stairs, “It's a long walk to town...I heard old places like this they rake the gravel to keep it tidy.”

Kaiya opened the door, following Ben inside, pushing aside the uncomfortable sensation that was crawling through her veins. An involuntary gasp escaped her lips as she looked around; the inside was gorgeous! The floors and banister were made of dark cherry wood, a long staircase, on the left led the way to the guest rooms, an elegant dark red floral rug ran up the stairs. 'I feel like we travelled back in time,' Kaiya thought as her eyes continued to drink in every detail, 'floral furniture, heavy crystal lamps...even a bell to signal the arrival of guests...from what I can see, it's been well preserved.'

The sound of the bell pulled Kaiya out of her thoughts, as they waited in silence; the Grandfather clock diligently ticked the minutes by: 1 minute, 2 minutes...5 minutes went by silently. Ben was about to ring the bell again when they heard slow, heavy footsteps above them. The footsteps descended the stairs one step at a time, Kaiya glanced over at Ben who shrugged his shoulders. Finally, an older woman with white hair pulled into a severe chignon came into view; sharp dark eyes lined with heavy kohl focused on them instantly. Her dark red lipsticked lips pursed together with disapproval as she leaned on her handsome ivory cane. Kaiya couldn't help but stare at the woman who wore a black velvet dress that looked as though it was a hundred years old; white lace decorated the high collar and sleeves. There was something about this woman, Kaiya couldn't quite put her finger on.

“It's rude to stare girl,” snapped the woman as she walked around the front desk, “how may I help you?”

Kaiya blushed with embarrassment; Ben cleared his throat, asking, “Are there any rooms available?”

“Hmmm, we might have one available,” stated the woman her voice dripping with disdain, “how long are we to be...blessed with your presence?”

The question threw Ben off, as he stuttered, “I-I think we are planning on a week before we continue our road trip.”

The older woman stared at them for a few moments before a sinister grin exposed yellowed teeth, “Very well Sir.”

She turned briefly and picked up a heavy iron key, sliding it across the desk; the sound of the metal scraping on wood seemed to fill the room. Next, she handed Ben a pen to sign the guest book. Slowly, she walked back to the stairs and gestured for them to follow her with a quick flick of her hand.

“I guess the other guests are out enjoying the beautiful weather.” said Kaiya trying to fill the uncomfortable silence

“There are no other guests here,” stated the woman annoyed by the attempt at conversation

Soon they were standing outside of their room, the woman waited for Ben to unlock the heavy oak door before speaking again, her voice filled with a warning...or threat Kaiya couldn't tell.

“We do not get many tourists here in Juaqwin and no guests here at the Inn,” stated the woman her eyes watching them closely, “Do not lose that key, it is the only one to the room. I only serve Dinner...if you choose to go out, be sure you are back before eight o'clock sharp, as that is the time I lock the doors.”

Before they could respond, she continued, “I do not like clutter or noise, so be quiet and clean; if you need anything, I am only available from eleven o'clock until noon. My maid will be serving you dinner as I do not enjoy the company of others. My name is Mrs. Harrison...I suggest you keep the window curtains closed at all times.”

With that Mrs. Harrison turned and made her way back down the long hallway, her velvet skirts trailing behind her. Shocked, Kaiya closed the door quickly and locked it; she turned and looked at her husband, who wore the same shocked expression. They burst out into laughter, the whole situation seemed so bizarre. Ben and Kaiya looked around the room. The room was beautiful but sparse, the only furniture it contained was a heavy wooden armoir with intricate carvings, a four poster bed of the same wood; heavy red velvet curtains surrounded the bed, a vanity sat near the door. Ben opened a second door, discovering the bathroom which had a table with a wash basin and pitcher and a claw footed tub.

The dark green wall paper was embossed with a floral pattern, adding to the rooms lonely beauty. Ben pulled the bed's curtains open to reveal a heavy dark green quilt and thick pillows. Ben looked at his wife, and with a tight grin said, “Well, I guess it could be worse...”

“That was...” stammered Kaiya suddenly at a loss for words, “that was weird...Why don't they get tourists? Why do we have to keep the curtains closed? And not to judge but, her dress looked ancient and severe.”

“I don't know, but frankly,” said Ben quietly, “I think this room could use a little fresh air.”

Kaiya nodded her agreement and started to unpack, while Ben went to open windows; however, what surprised him the most was that the windows were nailed shut!

“Babe, you're not going to believe this,” scoffed Ben annoyed, “the windows are nailed shut...and I'm not seeing an a/c unit. These nails look old...this is just...ridiculous!”

Wrapping her arms around his waist, Kaiya briefly closed her eyes and suggested that they go to the town to grab lunch and then hit the beach for a few hours. Ben nodded and after they put their swimsuits on underneath their clothes, they locked their door and headed back downstairs. She slipped the key into her purse as they walked to the front door; as Kaiya turned to shut the door behind her, she noticed Mrs. Harrison watching them with an odd expression, causing Kaiya to feel unsettled. Shoving the unanswered questions to the back of her mind, she followed Ben to their vehicle.

“I hope the townspeople will be friendlier than Mrs. Harrison.” murmured Kaiya clicking her seat belt into place

Ben only grimaced in response, he didn't know what to say to that; after meeting Mrs. Harrison, Ben knew that the only thing he wanted was to pack up and leave. There was something about this town. 'Let's just get through today...we can leave in the morning if...' thought Ben confused, 'I don't know, but, something is off here.'

The couple were lost their thoughts as they drove to the town. It wasn't long until they were parked in front of the diner. Two older men, standing in front of the faded yellow diner, turned and stared at them; they watched Ben and Kaiya get out of their vehicle and walk into the diner. Kaiya slipped her hand into Ben's as they walked to an empty table; the tables had blue checkered tablecloths with small vases of white daisies decorating the middle of each table. There were few people in the restaurant: a young blonde woman sitting with a middle aged man, a couple of elderly people and a middle aged woman with a dark brown bob and thick bottle glasses. Kaiya smiled politely at the small crowd as they sat down. The other patrons stared openly at them, their expressions ranged from curiosity to what appeared to be...anger.

Just like the B&B, Ben and Kaiya waited for awhile before suddenly two menus were dropped in front of them; this was followed by a sharp, “What do you want to drink?”

Startled, Ben quickly replied, “We'll both take waters.”

The waitress stomped back to the kitchen, as a wide eyed Ben mouthed “What was that?!” to Kaiya. Kaiya opened her mouth to reply when the waitress placed the glasses of water in front of them with a loud thud.

“What to eat?”

“What do you recommend?” asked Kaiya quickly scanning the menu

Rolling her eyes, the waitress harrumphed, “The favourite is the tomato soup and sandwich.”

“That sounds great...Ben?”

“Yeah, I'll get that as well.”

Without responding, the woman left again; Ben looked around the diner and saw that the others were still staring openly at them. Ben's gaze met with one of the elderly men sitting across the room; Ben saw the man's lips tighten with what could only be described as hatred. The food arrived shortly and without a word, the young couple quickly ate; they wanted to get out of the diner as quickly as possible. 'What is with this place? You'd think no one here has ever seen a tourist before...' thought Kaiya as she gulped down the hot red liquid

After their quick meal, Ben went to the counter and paid; he grabbed Kaiya's hand as they exited. They practically ran to their vehicle and locked the doors. Kaiya looked over at Ben and saw that he looked pale and clammy. A quick glance in the side view mirror told her that she was as pale and clammy as her husband.

“How do you feel about leaving in the morning?” asked Kaiya desperately wanting to leave the town and it's unusual townspeople

“I love that idea...I-I don't feel,” stuttered Ben nervously, “uncomfortable here...I actually feel...scared.”

“You're not alone.” whispered Kaiya as they drove to the beach

A few minutes later, they were laying on a large towel soaking up the sun's warmth; for the first time since they arrived in Juaqwin, they felt calmer. The peculiar town drifted to the back of their minds. Ben checked his watch and groaned: 6:00 pm.

“We should get going,” moaned Ben sitting up, “I don't really want to sleep in the SUV tonight.”

Kaiya nodded her agreement and helped gather their belongings. The drive to the B&B felt too short for their liking, not wanting to offend the Mrs. Harrison, they hurried inside and up to their bedroom. Reluctantly, they changed into nicer clothes for dinner and made the trek back down the carpeted stairs.

The maid led them into the stately dining room, they were seated next to the window; out of curiosity, Ben lifted the heavy curtain and saw that the dining room windows were nailed shut as well. He gulped loudly and let the curtain fall back into place.

A half hour later, their food was brought out; the sight of the mashed potatoes drenched with gravy, thick slices of ham and a large helping of cooked vegetables caused the couple to dig in eagerly. The hair on the back of Kaiya's neck stood up, the feeling of being watched unnerved her. Peaking from underneath her eyelashes, she saw the maid watching them closely.

“Ben,” whispered Kaiya keeping her eye on the maid, “I think we should leave tonight.”

Without a second's hesitation, Ben nodded his agreement. They finished their dinner just as dessert was brought out.

“Excuse me?”

The maid paused misstep and slowly turned to face them, her eyes held nothing but suspicion as she waited for Kaiya to speak.

“I was just wondering if...you could tell us about the towns history.”

The maid's dark eyes went blank and her face paled to a ghostly hue; she took a reluctant step towards them and quietly whispered, “I cannot.” then practically flew from the room. Ben and Kaiya sat there stunned, before either of them could speak a word, the familiar voice of Mrs. Harrison startled them.

“The town was founded in 1897,” said Mrs. Harrison her voice heavy with nostalgia, “My great, great, great grandfather Zedekiah is the town's founder; he came from England with his wife and children...Zedekiah's wife was French and so he named the town after her. He was determined to keep his family safe and so discouraged visitors after he allowed fifty families to move to his town,”

Mrs. Harrison's gaze shifted to the large family portrait that hung above the fireplace as she continued with proud, “Anyone that was not apart of the original fifty families were...taken care of. His children married well and lived their lives as expected.”

Ben and Kaiya lost their appetite as they listened to the tale of the town. 'Taken care of?' gulped Kaiya terrified as her imagination ran wild with fear

“No one from the town ever left,” explained Mrs. Harrison adding so softly they couldn't hear her, “including the visitors...it's tradition.”

“Mrs. Harrison,” said Ben quickly, sweat running down his forehead, “we've just realized that we can't stay the full week...we have to leave tonight due to a family emergency, but we will pay you for the full week.”

“When did you find out about a family emergency?” asked Mrs. Harrison a dangerous gleam shone brightly in her eyes, “There is no telephone service in town...are you lying to me?”

“Mrs. Harrison, we are grateful for your hospitality,” said Kaiya as fear caused her veins to fill with ice, “but we really have to get going.”

Ben and Kaiya tried to keep their pace steady as they left the room to go back upstairs. As soon as they closed their bedroom door, they frantically packed their belongings and raced down the carpeted stairs. Ben had the cash ready in his hand, he threw the bills and room key on the desk; the money fluttered to the floor, as the key thudded heavily against the wood.

As they shut the front door, they jumped when they saw a few of the townspeople standing near gate to the B&B; Ben and Kaiya ran to their vehicle and locked the doors the second they were inside. The vehicle sputtered and groaned, slamming his hands against the steering wheel, Ben told Kaiya to stay inside while he took a look.

Ben kept one eye on the people as he looked under the hood of the SUV; he spotted the problem and was unable to keep the bile from rising in his throat. Dinner made a quick exit from his body and into the bushes behind him. The stench of a dead raccoon was overwhelming; he quickly realized that something hadn't been right with the food. Kaiya jumped out of the vehicle but once her eyes landed on the poor mutilated animal, she was unable to keep her dinner down. Ben saw the townspeople continued to stand and watch them; 'We need to get out of here!' he thought while grabbing the creature.

“Let's go.”

Kaiya didn't need any more prompting as she jumped back into the vehicle. This time the SUV started without a hitch, Ben threw it into reverse, the tires squealed in protest; he changed gears, stomped on the gas and drove towards the townspeople that had gathered. They jumped out of the way but soon gathered on the road and ran in the same direction as the couple.

Ben saw them in the rear view mirror as he sped towards the towns edge. Kaiya saw the townspeople gathering on the sidewalks, watching them leave; within twenty minutes the sign declaring the edge of the town had arrived. Going well over the limit, they passed the sign with a sigh of relief; with another glance in the mirrors, Ben and Kaiya saw the townspeople had stopped chasing them and simply stood by the Welcome to Juaqwin sign.

“I don't think I've ever been more relieved to leave...” sighed Kaiya wiping the sweat from her forehead

“I agree...Honey, I think we should go to the hospital when we get back to the city,” stated Ben worried about the food they had eaten, “I don't what they gave us but...”

Kaiya nodded eagerly, “Ben, next we decide to go on vacation...let's go to Paris or Spain...I think we've both had our fill of secluded towns.” Ben took her hand in his and kissed the back of it as he whispered his agreement. Kaiya laid her head on his shoulder as they drove away from Juaqwin.