The Monsters of the Mind

Epilogue Version 2: Daylight

The chill settled into the room like frost forming on the window panes - even though I had wrapped up in a heavy sweater due to the cold that was slowly crawling in off the oceanside in my new home town.

The man who sat before me fiddled with the pages of paper I had brought in, grey eyes scanning the pages as they sparked with interest.

"When my wife told me about you, I wasn't sure what to expect," he turned his attention back to me, a smile slowly spreading across his features, "but I can clearly see why she is invested in my company publishing your works. This seems quite promising."

"Thank you, Mr. Cesari," I responded.

"And you have graduated from university in Liverpool as well, I see," the man continued, "but, not interested in office work?"

"That's why I write," I answered honestly, "Some stories just need to be told, as a way to learn from the past or to escape the present - or maybe even learn about what could happen in the future."

"Well, you certainly show a lot of interest in what you write about," Mr. Cesari chuckled, closing the folder, "I'll take it up with my publishers and see what we can do. However, I'm curious, is this story based on real events?"

"Some were real."

"The talking ghosts weren't real, but the deaths are, I take it?"

I bit my lip before nodding, "Yes sir."

"Alright then," he stood from behind his desk, holding out his hand, "I'll get in touch with my workers and we'll see where this road takes us."

"I appreciate everything you've done for me, Mr. Cesari," I took his hand giving it a solid shake, "I do hope that the others are as impressed as you are."

The chuckle the publisher gave out stabbed at my heart - it reminded me too much of Harvey, "Don't you worry about a thing now, Miss Martin. I can't see them saying 'no,' and even if they did, I'll publish the book myself - and not just as a thanks for what you've done to help my wife. I'll be forever in your debt for that."

"I just did as any sensible person would've done, Mr. Cesari," I answered honestly.

"Perhaps, but there seems to be a shortage of those kinds of people these days. It does make me wonder though - what kind of person would treat another individual with such kindness before turning around and attacking them? What kind of person does that?"

'Oh, wouldn't we know the answer to that?' my mind replied.

***

The doors to the hotel opened automatically, allowing me entry as two more people left.

"Miss Martin!" the receptionist smiled as I entered, the young woman smiling brightly like the sun outside, "Welcome back!"

"Thank you, Mabel," I smiled, setting my plastic bag of take out on the counter, "James still here?"

"He is," Mabel indicated toward one of two lifts, "He needed to leave a bit early, the rest of us got it under control for the remainder of the day."

I nodded, picking up my bags and heading over to the lift and preparing for the climb up to the top floor. 

Two years ago, James decided that he wanted to leave Sea View and start fresh - I couldn't agree more. The old Sea View Hotel had far too much baggage for either of us to try and rebuild it - nevermind the truth of matter that the locals still believed the place to be haunted.

It just so happened, quite coincidentally, that the same night I had my final battle with Hugo Punch was also the same night that the old hotel caught fire again. This time, however, was much worse - the fire had started somewhere deep underground, no doubt from the room Harvey's possessed item was in, and had slowly spread from there all the way up to the third floor. James and I watched from the sidelines as the once beautifully dark building burnt to the ground - the fire out of control beyond what could be salvageable.