chapter 8

The desk lady looks fairly normal. Pale ivory skin stretched in all the wrong places. Her smile reviles pearl white teeth that shine like moonlight. Not teeth but fangs, sharp as daggers. I know imidiatly what she is. A vampire. 

"Well?" 

She's becoming impatient by my silent gaping at her. Vampires are the most common type of Unexplainable. Never have I talked to one. 

"There was a note saying that I should go here?" 

"Right. Please wait here until you're called." 

I bite my lip and look around. Across several chairs a scaly creature lays. Ghostly figures pass through the halls. Unexplainables come and go sparing me no less then a couple of glasses. 

Not long and a hairy guy comes and calls me into the hall. We pass multiple doors all different from each other. Whispers are heard all around us. Loud music from other rooms drown them into undistinguishable gibberish. 

The motel is smaller then I thought it was. Only a few moments and we are at the end of the hall. A single door stands there. It looks the same as the front door. 

The hairy man on which I can't find much Unexplainable features opens the door not bothering to knock. 

We enter a room full of papers and notebooks. They are neatly organised on shelves that reach a ceiling which is at least 3 meters high. In the middle of the room is a desk with a computer. 

A women sits behind it. Long straight white hair covers some of her face. A crooked nose peeks out of it. Her face has that Unexplainable beauty. But unlike most I've seen it seems... ungenuine. Like the way a face that went under plastic surgery looks. 

She wears clothing of all sorts of colours and textures. Inspired clearly by Rococo it seems so pretty and detailed that it becomes ugly. 

"You're here to find information about Unexplainables right?" 

Her voice sounds like stepping onto an old floor. Creaky and ancient. 

"Yes" 

"Why don't you sit down dear."

Her pale blue eyes tell me it's not a question. A chair, as plain as can be is in front of the desk. I sit down. 

"Now I am willing to give you the information-"

"Great. Is it in like a book or something?"

The woman looks offended at me cutting into her speech. Clearing her throat she still sounds very hoarse. 

"I'm afraid it's not that simple." 

Of course it's not. She studies me and croaks out.

"An exchange of sorts is what I am offering" 

The greed of some people... 

"Is money what you want?" 

Absolutely shocked by the suggestion she rolls her eyes. 

"Not quite. More of an act of service." 

"What do you mean?" 

She pinches her nose sighs then looks at me as if she is going to explain a very basic concept to a toddler. 

"You're an Unexplainable-" 

"I know" 

She doesn't need to tell me that. 

"Don't interrupted me while I'm speaking. We are hunted, killed. As Unexplainables sticking together makes our chances of surviving higher." 

Sticking together? Spending more time then needed with these people is not something I want. 

"That's what you want from me? To spend time in this freak club?" 

That strikes a nerve. The temperature rises by at least 10 degrees. I've never seen magic. It crackles in the air like electricity fury evident. 

You can feel it with all 5 senses. Like knives pricking your skin, raw chili peppers on your tongue. The smell of something burning as sparks fly in the air making crackling sounds. A 6th sense is awakened and you feel her anger. The woman apparently a witch is absolutely pissed. 

"HOW DARE YOU?! I offered you a safe space. A place where you wouldn't be in danger all of the time. And you called it a freak club. A FREAK CLUB?!" 

The oxygen in the room is starting to run out. I gag. No longer is her face that of a model. Canyons form on her face revealing a more true age. A Hag like one from a fairy tale sits in front of me. Her clothing loses its colour looking more like rags. 

"With the flick of my finger I could make your heart stop beating your body catch fire-" 

The hairy man puts a hand on her shoulder and whispers I to her ear. She bites her cheek inward and sighs. 

"I suppose you are young... Maybe killing you would be a bit too much. How about this: a simple mission like I would give any other youngster and then we'll figure out the rest." 

From calm to rage to forced understanding she is an emotional rollercoster. That guy sure calmed her down fast. Maybe that's some sort of Unexplainable ability? 

"Mission? What is this a spy movie."

Again the Hag looks on the verge of committing murder. Maybe I should stop testing the limits. For my own safety. 

"You're going to be a look out. If cops or anyone suspicious comes you'll yell in warning." 

Honestly not what I was expecting. Sounds a bit dangerous. 

"And then you'll tell me about Unexplainables?" 

She thinks for a moment and in a slightly lighter tone answer's. 

"Yes" 

I don't like how she has the upper hand on me. A powerful witch that the information I want and is sending me to do what she wants. 

"Can't you just tell me what you know now and then I can find a way to pay you back?" 

A snake like grin wraps around her face. 

"Your not in a position to pick and choose." 

"How do I know you won't do anything funny?

It's a leap of faith dear. It's not like you have many options anyway." 

"...I- fine. I'll do this stupid look out thing." 

A crooked smile appears on the witches face her crows feet even more evident. She extends a slender boney hand. 

"Do we have a deal?" 

I shake her hand. 

"Yeah" 

A tingling zap goes between our hands and the witch leans back in her chair. 

"Your quite okay in doing business when you're not being a brat."

Frowning I open my mouth to speak but she continues talking. 

"Are we done?"

"To an extend yes. You may leave." 

Standing up I lose some of my balance and stager. The handle of the door is warm as the one in the entrance. It swings open. The Hag calls out to me. 

"What? Not going to say goodbye?" 

I take a deep breath push my hair out of my face and get these words out: 

"See you. When's the look out thing?"

Chuckling she whispers just enough for me to hear it. Is she trying to be mysterious? 

"Tomorrow 11pm. Come to this motel." 

The halls look a bit stranger, the walls more crooked. I don't have time to study them as I hurry out. 

The desk lady looks at me with sympathy. Her weak smile and glowing eyes is the last thing I see from this motel. 

I let go of the breath I'm holding hoping it was over with. But no the Unexplainables that greeted me before are still here. Tail swinging side to side he approaches me. 

"Oi did ya meet the Hag?" 

It's the one that asked me to put my sunglasses off. I wish I could kill with a single glance like that witch. Even though I can't I still try my best. 

He takes in my murderous glances and trys to give me a softer more incouraging look. With he's natural features it doesn't work very well. 

"We'll be spending time together more... probably so we should try to get along no?" 

"No." 

Scoffing a crooked grin spreads on his face similar to the hag's. Do all Unexplainables smile the same?

"You never knew you were an Unexplainable did ya?" 

"Does it matter?" 

Scratching his neck he puts on a thinking face. It looks ridiculous. 

"Kind of? Didn't ya hear bout how monstrous and terrible we are?"

A dry laugh escapes his throat. 

"Aren't they true though?" 

That struck a nerve. The second one today. He didn't send sparks of anger flying like the witch instead he seemed to shrink back. 

"I mean like uhh you know it's not our fault if we need human flesh to survive?" 

"But don't some eat it because it tastes good?" 

Pinching the skin on his arm he clearly feels backed into a corner. 

"Doesn't everyone deserve to be happy?"

The stress makes his voice go higher, becoming more squeaky. I answer without thinking. It felt obvious, straight forward. 

"No."

Nothing is free in this world. We have to work up to it and hope it counts. I used to try my best in school to get my moms attention, and my worst. None really worked. I never really felt like I deserved it. The same goes for happiness. 

Blinks a few times, tail swishes up and down shakes his head and with a quivered voice blurts out: 

"I whole heartedly disagree with you"

He then runs of to his friends who are sitting on the steps drinking what seems to be the cheapest bear I've ever seen. A third of them don't seem of age but I guess the law doesn't apply to them. 

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