Duskwood: If It's Not Fine, Then It's Not The End.

Chapter One

I awoke with a start as the train lurched below me. I blinked at the warm sunlight beaming down on me through the window pane. It took me a few seconds to remember where I was, and where I was heading. The memory of this made me smile; I was finally on my way to Duskwood.

A month had passed since one of the worst nights of my life. The night that the life of the MWAF, our Richy, ended. The night that Jake escaped. The last night I ever heard from him…
It was lucky enough that Hannah had glimpsed him escaping, for as soon as I saw the explosion I was sure I had lost him forever. And yet, a month has passed, and I have heard nothing from him. I sighed, as I do a lot these days, my heart aching. My Jake, the man I love. There was no doubt in my mind that I would wait for him, as long as it took. I knew he would need time to make himself safe again, away from his pursuers. Sometimes I wonder if he ever will be again…

"Still, onto happier thoughts" I said to myself, determined to enjoy my time in Duskwood meeting the people who had become so important to me. With that thought, a reminder sprang in my mind and I took out my phone to message Jessy.

MC: "Hey, on the train still, should be with you in about 15 mins or so."

Less than 10 seconds passed before my phone began to buzz in my hands.

Jessy: "Eeeee! Can't wait 😁"

I smiled and gazed back out the window. The journey, or the part that I had been awake for, had been a pleasant one. It turned out that Duskwood was only about 4 hours from where I was currently living, so one bus and a train later and I was nearly there. Jessy was going to meet me at the station and take me to the motel to check in. She had offered me her place, as had Cleo….and Phil. However, I didn't want to put them out. Plus, I quite like my own company. Having a group of friends was still a fairly new concept to me. A concept, however, that I was growing accustomed to.

The sunlight dipped slightly behind a mass of trees as the train began to slow. "Duskwood's forest" I thought to myself. The beginning and end of everything. As my mind drifted back to the memories of everything that had happened, my phone buzzed on the small table in front of me. I reached for it, my heart pumping a little faster - and then dropping as equally quickly. It wasn't him.

Dan: "Yo, Jessy said you're nearly here 😁 when you've settled in we're all chilling by the lake so come join."

I smiled. Although Dan had initially seemed interested in me in more than a friend way, our relationship had morphed into one of brother and sister. He was finally up on his feet again too, although Cleo had told me this in confidence - apparently he wanted to surprise me with this news today.

The train continued to slow until it pulled to a jerky stop at the platform. I gathered my belongings and made my way out along with the few other passengers. Duskwood did seem to be a quaint, quiet place. I watched as the train departed and took in a deep breath. Musky air filled with the scents of pine and wood filled my lungs, a much more pleasant aroma than the city pollution I was used to.

As I began making my way towards the exit sign, I heard a rush of footsteps approaching me, and suddenly the exit sign was now vertical. Ah, I'm on the ground.

"Omg omg I'm so sorry are you okay? I'm so sorry I wanted to surprise you, not injure you!"

I knew that voice. Looking up, I saw a familiar face looking at me with blue eyes filled with concern, framed by her red hair. Jessy. I grinned up at her.

"Well, what a welcome" I chuckled, as she helped me up off the floor.
"I'm so sorry MC! Omg I still can't believe you're here, you're really here!"

We stood there for a moment, grinning at each other, before she threw herself on me in a hug that almost caused me to topple over again.

"Hey, Jessy" I said softly, hugging my friend back.
"You're really here" she mumbled back into my shoulder. As she drew back I could almost see tears welling up in her eyes, and she let out a small sniff. I was about to check on her when her expression was suddenly replaced with the grin again.

"Come on, my car's outside, let's go get you sorted and checked in, everyone else is dying to see you!"
Before I could respond she'd grabbed my arm and started dragging me out of the station. "For someone so small she is surprisingly strong" I thought to myself. We walked to the small car park outside of the front of the station and Jessy led me to her car. A shiny white Fiat 500 with fluffy dice hanging from the mirror. "A very fitting car for Jessy" I smiled to myself.

The journey from the station to the motel was less than five minutes, but it was still enough time for Jessy to show me 7 songs from her playlist that I "absolutely had to hear". Although we were very different in our tastes and personalities, this girl had become my best friend.

"Is that really all you've brought?" Jessy asked skeptically as we parked at the motel and I gathered my belongings (a duffel bag and a rucksack) from her boot. "you're not planning on leaving too soon, are you?" She quizzed. I chuckled "No Jessy, don't worry, I just travel light - everything I need is in here". She shrugged "well, we may have to go shopping before tomorrow night then" she replied. "Tomorrow night?" I asked, but she merely winked and took off to the motel reception. I made a mental note to ask her about the plans she had in-store for me again later.

The motel itself was a tad run down, the neon sign outside actually only flashed "otel" currently. The reception was styled in a dated way, with a light brown damask patterned wallpaper peeling at certain edges. The floor was carpeted in what I assumed was once a bright red carpet, but was now a more pale salmon colour. Still, the lady behind the stained wooden desk in front of me looked happy enough.

"Welcome dear" she smiled, "Jessy has been ever so excited for your arrival". She was an elderly, bespectacled lady with laughter lines and a warm smile. "This must be Mrs. Walter, the motel owner" I thought to myself as I smiled back at her and reached out to shake her hand. We made small talk as she attempted to work out how to check me in on the "confounded computer system", with Jessy leaning over the counter to help her.
Lily, who usually worked at the motel, was away at the moment with her parents and Hannah. They had gone away to the South of France to recuperate as a family after everything that had happened.

A few sighs and tuts at the computer later and I was all ready to go. "Room 11, dear" she smiled at me again and handed me a rusty old key with a small keyring depicting the number 11 attached to it, "just down the corridor and on your right".

We set off past reception and through a creaky wooden door to the corridor. My room was, as told, at the very end on the right. The room itself was a much more decent size than I was expecting. Immediately on my left was the small ensuite which enclosed a toilet, sink and walk in shower. The main room consisted of an iron framed double bed adorned with paisley patterned sheets. There were two mismatched bedside tables at either side with a stained glass lamp on one of them. Directly in front of the bed was a small TV attached to the floral wallpapered wall. The window was on the furthest wall from me, and a small circular wooden table and two chairs sat beneath it.

"It's not much, but I can promise it's comfortable - unless you've changed your mind and would rather stay with me?" Jessy pipped, a note of hope in her voice. I smiled back at her. "Thanks, Jessy, but I'll be absolutely fine here." We hugged again and she left to run a few errands, and we agreed she would pick me up in 20 minutes to go and meet the others.

As the door closed behind her I led down on the bed, which creaked at my weight, and sighed. I was finally here. I was in Duskwood, and about to spend time with all of the people most important to me. Well, nearly all.
I absent-mindedly checked my phone and went to my chat with Jake. Still offline. Still radio silence. I sighed and closed my eyes. "Please be safe, Jake" I thought to myself "wherever you are, I love you".

A/N: Hey guys! Hope you like the first chapter :) I'm aiming to release one a week minimum, but I'll update quicker if I'm able to! Xx