The crooked alley led through two neat rows of cottages with white-washed walls, which stood facing each other. Streetlamps with rusty, brass handles dotted the way, some so old that they served no purpose at all. Yet, they were left undisturbed by the aged—a feeble attempt to preserve their fading memory of a fairy-tale like countryside village that Vidalia had ceased to be.Vidalia, a small village in the Eastern countryside of New England had been a dream vacation getaway, frequented by nature-loving tourists who had come down each summer in unbelievably large numbers.
Not anymore, though. With changing times came a fresh batch of “modern” residents who turned the cheery village into a seat of crime; Vidalia wasn’t safe anymore. Gone were the days when it could lure many a wide-eyed traveller with the fascinating, old-world simplicity it had retained for so long.
In the present, brutal murders and ambitious dacoities had bred fear and mistrust among the villagers, who now resorted to padlocking their doors with the coming of darkness. Even the most adventurous knew better than to step out after sunset.
Just like any other night, the streets were fairly deserted, save one individual. He was a tall, lean man with deep-set eyes, the fingers of his left hand curled around a silver bell, which rang shrilly at fixed intervals.
He turned a corner then paused hesitantly. His brows knitted together as he strained to see in the faint moonlight.
The cottages cast eerily elongated shadows on the road. A short distance ahead, he could make out a sturdy wooden fence—the lone demarcation between the village and the sprawling, wild countryside that stretched beyond.
The man stood still, considering. He rang the bell testily, his eyes observing. All of a sudden, he started and took a step back. He had sensed a spirit, lurking just beyond his vision, in the opaque darkness.
A few moments lapsed.
Mouthing a silent prayer, the man shut his eyes, took a deep breath and gulped. Normally, he would not be out at a time like this.
Tonight was different.
