She took a moment to fully assess the situation. She probably looked absolutely insane , stumbling into the run down building in the middle of the night, on Halloween no less. She vaguely recalled the old tales her grandmother had warned her of, this place was supposed to be haunted and she wasnât entirely sure how she wound up here. As weird as it was for her to be here it was strange that anyone was here at all.
She licked her lips as they began to run dry with fear. Subtly looking around in attempts to identify exits that wouldnât require her to turn her back or go through the bulk of the building. She inhaled shakily picturing a soft glow calming her from her toes up to the tips of her head. âWilliam? Nice to meet youâ she smiled trying to push the words out. âUm I can find my way home if you can show me the way out of hereâ she gestured around the echoing building.
She purposefully dismissed the intrigue around who she was or where she came from, she didnât need any help looking crazy as it was. âI was locked in a cottage for twenty four years because of places like this and people like youâ. She chewed at her lip nervously, praying she wasnât as transparent as she felt.
The woman in front of him seemed uneasy, nervous even. And William disliked that, in his business - the business of artifacts and magical remains - it was never a good sign when people were uneasy. And he had a protectful vein somewhere in his body, so he did not like to see anyone in this situation, no matter the setting. But he decided to give her the shadow of a doubt, ignoring the circumstances in which they had met - This place, this night. Maybe she was just as spooked as he was about being in Hollow Goal. Maybe she had grown up on the same ghost stories. After all this entire town was aware of its history.Â
âThe way out of here?â, she was lost. That was the reason for her frantic actions, it made sense. Heâd be scared, too, being lost in such a building. âThe fastest way is up the stairs and back to the parking lot on the main streetâ, he mentioned with his thumb over his shoulder, âI just took that route, so itâs back up there.â William stepped aside so she could pass him, knowing fully well that being close to a stranger in such a situation might only make things worse. He tried to be nice, he really did.Â
But something in the way she looked... the fact that he had never seen her before, in all the years he lived in this town, it made him more than curious. And she had ignored his last remark, as if she was hiding something... âAre you sure you donât want me to accompany you a part of the way? Itâs already quite late. Or I could call someone to pick you up, if youâd prefer that?â