Chapter Text
The night was darker than most and the light of the amber road lights gleamed off of the still wet asphalt. Trees on either side of the road had become nothing more than a sea of darkness that swayed in the soft breeze that came from the east, passing through the snowy mountains. Fog was beginning to move in from the woods towards the small town, tentacles of air hugging the veins that weaved through the quiet houses. Winter had just started to set in, and the air was just chilly enough to condense if you breathed out the hot air from your lungs.
The stranger came in the middle of the night. Riding a quiet motorcycle at a very illegal speed, the black-clad stranger was the only person on the road at that hour. The people of the small town knew better than to be out at night, but the stranger, who had never been to the town, had only heard of the innate dangers that could be brought to those that left their homes after the sun went down.
Not many strangers came to the town and not many residents left. The town was as stagnant as it had been when its founders had built it to hide away in the forest. The folk lived a modest life, keeping to themselves as much as they could, but knowing everything that happened in their community. In some sense, it was a typical small town.
Taking a sharp turn off of the highway, the stranger drove into the only motel in the town. The sign exuded a fluorescent message that said: “Vacancies Available!” in bright blue and red lights. After parking and locking the bike, the stranger entered the lobby of the motel, not removing their helmet, but simply walking up to the bored-looking receptionist.
“One room.” The stranger said in a quiet, muffled voice.
The receptionist looked at the stranger, taking in their appearance. “How long?” The receptionist asked, the key in his hand. The stranger drew a small wad of bills from the pocket of their black leather jacket and wordlessly gave it to the receptionist. “Indefinitely.” The receptionist gave the stranger a small smile and handed them the key. “Welcome to Beacon Hills.”