The town seemed as if it’d been asleep for hours — days, even — but a lone bed & breakfast still had its front light on. The plan was for it to be a one-night stay. They’d get up at dawn, perhaps grab a cup of coffee if it was offered, and be on their way.

She woke up before him. With a long day ahead, it was best to let him sleep a bit longer. She grabbed a sweatshirt and headed out for a walk. It was the first exercise she’d had in days, and it felt good to get out even if it was in such a sleepy old town.

Cool air came in off the mountains, making her thankful for the sweatshirt as she steered herself toward what must have been Main Street.

Something was off.

No one was in the street, but a sinister air filled the silence. As she walked, she realized there were more than a few faces staring back at her from behind beat-up, rotted-out window frames, the paint long ago peeled away.

Now self-conscious, she tried to act normal as she picked up the pace and redirected her course back to the b&b. Priority number one just became getting away from whatever secrets lurked beneath the surface in this sleepy old town.