Spirit Lake Ep. 1.23

Julie sat in the Hub. The bar was closed, and looked rather depressing with it’s lack of rowdy customers.

Roxanne stood at the bar, a cloth in one hand, a cigarette in the other.

"What brought you to Spirit Lake?" Julie stood, moving to a sit closer to the only other person there.

"Needed a break from city life. This was the first town I could find that didn’t scare the hell out of me, and actually had work available." She put the cigarette out in an ashtray under the bar.

"Can I bum one of those off of you?"

Roxanne pulled out her pack and handed a cigarette to Julie, then lit it for her.

"Your cousin know you smoke?"

"I think he’ll forgive me for this one." Julie took a drag. "Things have been kind of crazy lately."

"So he’s been saying." Roxanne lit up another cigarette.

For a few moments neither woman spoke, just enjoying the cloud of smoke forming around them in the dark bar.

"Where’s Roy at any ways?" Roxanne broke the silence first. She placed the ashtray on the bar top.

"Probably with Paul."

"Paul?"

"His... well, I guess his boyfriend now. It’s kind of complicated." Julie suddenly regretted her words. She watched Roxanne’s face closely, waiting for the response to register. "You knew, right? That he was gay?"

Roxanne nodded, laughing.

"Don’t worry honey, I’m no bigot."

Julie sighed.

They fell into silence again, but it was short lived by the sound of Roy rushing into through the front doors.

"Julie, you’re here. Good. We have to talk." He sat next to her. His eyes glanced at the women’s cigarettes. "That is so tempting right now."

Roxanne put the pack on the bar, and walked towards the back shelf, checking for empty bottles.

"So, what’s got you all up in arms?" Julie turned her chair towards her cousin.

"This." Paul put her father’s journal on the bar. "Paul and I have been reading it. God, Julie, your dad was in to some weird stuff. Did you know he was stealing your brother’s blood? He talks about sneaking into his room at night, poking him with needles. I mean, Charles Kramer was insane!"

Julie looked at Roxanne, who did a very good job of pretending that she was minding her own business.

"It say why he was doing it?" Julie picked up the journal, flipping through its worn pages.

"Not yet. We aren’t done with it. That’s not all." He reached over the bar and grabbed a beer, taking a long swig. "There’s this nurse at the hospital. I got this really weird feeling from her. Like she wanted to hurt me, or Paul."

"Homophobe?" Roxanne looked over at them.

"No." Roy placed his beer on the table, and began talking to both women. "It wasn’t that. It was something else. She just had this darkness around her. It was weird."

Roxanne walked over towards them, leaning on the bar, her eyes wide with interest.

"You can read auras?"

"I don’t think so." He looked at Julie. "Have you seen anything like that? Or felt anything like that?"

"I haven’t been in town much, so no. At home I have, but I mean, that old house is just one big, bad dark aura."

"You know, I’ve kind of felt that. I mean, just a little. This town, there’s something dark here." Roxanne took a sip of Roy’s beer.

"I thought you said this town didn’t scare you?" Julie gave Roxanne an odd look. She wasn’t a big fan of the new age movement, and all this talk of auras was starting bother her.

"It doesn’t. Every town has a feel, and this one... it’s kind of cold. Like, there isn’t much life here. There are people, but... it’s hard to explain."

Julie understood perfectly. Spirit Lake was one giant soul trap, and it hurt like hell to get out of it. The fate was worse if you stuck around though. What Carla had told her was proof enough.

Just as she thought of her name, Carla walked through the front doors. Doctor Williams was right behind her. They both walked straight to the back of the bar, and Carla slammed a piece of paper down.

"Boy do I have a lot to fill you guys in on." She looked at William, then at each person sitting before her.

"Whose with Paul?" Roy’s eyes wrinkled with worry.

"A friend of mine. Don’t worry, Nurse Fitch won’t get anywhere near him." William placed his had gently on Roy’s shoulder.

"I don’t know. I don’t want to leave him alone." Roy started to get up.

"You can leave after you’ve heard what I’ve found, okay?" Carla handed Julie the article.

Julie listened as Carla and William began telling them about the Black Rose Society.