A VERY DARK tale (#Wattys2016)

Chapter 31

By now New York City was just a memory. My entire existence was concentrated on the road that led from Baton Rouge to Shreveport. Several times a feeling of déjà vu washed over me, but I couldn't stop it. My head was half in the past and a half in the present renewing the memories of my trip to Louisiana.

When we landed at the airport, instead of buying a car, Spencer had rented a minivan to keep a light profile. I had six more days to go to figure out my next move, but when things were so uncertain, I couldn't help wishing to prolong the time I bargained for with Volnus.

The only thing I knew for sure, was that I needed to find the connection between the vision I've had, and the need to find my goddaughter Grace. However, if there were a chance to find her, I'd do it no matter what. Even if I had to turn the entire state inside out.

"You know where we're going, right?" Spencer clarified.

"Uhm," I nodded lazily, too caught up in my thoughts. "Just follow the directions this thingy is giving you." I pointed to the screen of a small device that had a map on it.

"Oh, that's right," he beamed at me. "You haven't seen a Navigator yet. To be honest, it is the same map, just electronic."

"Uhum," I replied. "I figured as much."

"But do you know the directions to the place? Or approximate location?"

"It's a small town not far from Shreveport. Once we find the town, the house will be easier to locate," I explained.

Although, everything was so different. Not just the roads. The outline of the cities, people, and environment, were different. I only feared that there was no house, no little town in the neighborhood of Shreveport, and no goddaughter to meet. Half of the forest and the fields that used to spread for miles and miles by the country roads were gone.

In forty minute we pulled the car to the nearest gas station to get some gas. Maybe I could be useful and ask around the locals. It wouldn't hurt, for sure. Wordlessly I jumped out, heading to the office. Shreveport was only twenty minutes away from here, and I sensed that we were getting close to the place of my destination.

As I entered the threshold, I spotted an old man sitting on the chair, behind the front desk, watching a golf channel.

"Are you local?" I asked not waiting for him to greet me.

"As local as it can get. In my entire life, I was only in two places. Shreveport and New Orleans. And later I've visited about forty years ago when my boss asked me to drive his niece back home."

"I'm looking for a little town around here. Back in the days, it had only two streets, a bar, and a post office."

"And what a youngster like you know about 'back in the days' time?" he chuckled in a thick smoked through voice.

"If I say that I'm older than you, would you believe me?" I smirked, playing along.

"Only when hell freezes over," he grinned showing a row of his crooked yellow teeth.

"So, do you know where to find that place?"

"I sure do. Back in the days, it was only placed around here where you could buy alcohol. All the peers of the worst sort of humanity used to go there to catch a swing, have their nose broken, and court for some fine girls that didn't mind being courted for. Just follow the road one mile up north, then when you'll see a cross road, turn right. In about four more miles you'll see a trailer house. After that house turn left and in two more miles you'll enter the town."