Chapter 2.

EMBER’s POv.

“Ughhh!!” A slight groan leaves my mouth as I alight from the cab. A three hour journey from New York to this place is really tiring, I can’t even lie. A few days ago, I stumbled upon an interview done by one of America’s leading journalists and she mentioned this town. All my life, I never knew this existed because standing here, I can’t help but be in awe of what I am seeing. It is not that secluded from New York but it looks like a whole different world all together. Beautiful infrastructures and buildings. I also heard that the people of the town are friendly and welcoming.

When I heard about them from the interview, my artistic mind kicked in and I rushed to get permission from the higher ups to come and check it out. Believe me, I am already loving it.

“This is the last of your luggage ma’am” the cab driver says and I nod, flashing him a smile.

“Thank you so much sir” I tell him.

“You have my card, let me know anytime you need to take a tour around the city and I will take you”

“Of course”

I watch him drive off before making my way towards the gate. Earlier, I had booked a small cabin for my visit and from outside, it looks perfect and warm. Best believe, I am going to enjoy my stay here.

Pushing the gates open, I step into the cabin and I see an old lady just coming out of the house. On seeing her, a huge grin appears on my face.

“Mrs Hernandez” I beam at her.

“Ember” I hug her lightly, “you got here safe, right?”

“Of course, the town is just as you said. Very beautiful”

The smile on her face intensifies, “you haven’t seen anything yet until you take a tour. Come, I will help you settle down”

Mrs Hernandez is the caretaker of the cabin and I got talking with her when I had booked the cabin online. She is even sweeter in person than I expected.

Soon enough, I am well settled down and I take a tour round the cabin. It is warm and cozy, it has a lake by the side and a beautiful forest behind it. How come I never knew about this place all my life? Maybe I should ditch the city life and enjoy the scenery of this town forever.

After I am done with the tour of the house, I plop down on one of the couches and that’s when my phone starts to ring.

Seeing the caller ID, a huge smile appears on my face and I immediately answer.

“Hello”

“So much for calling me” her voice filters through. That’s Ava, my best friend and work buddy.

“I just got here a while back, I was trying to settle down”

“Fine, tell me. How is the town?”

“You need to see for yourself Ava, I haven’t taken a tour but I am loving it already. It’s actually so beautiful”

“Oh my gosh” she squeals in excitement, “maybe I should join you?”

“Please, you should” I tell her, “you will love it”

“Fine, I will speak to the director and see if she lets me”

“Good, let’s talk later okay?”

I am too excited to keep still, my curiosity has reached its peak and now I just wanna explore.

Dropping the call, I pull my body off the chair to my room. Taking a shower, I get dressed in a pair of shorts and a Shirt. I pull my hair into a neat bun before grabbing a small cross bag.

I grab a drink from the fridge before heading out.

I would have readily called the taxi driver but I want to explore the town on my own. I don’t know why it feels like this town has so much to offer me, it feels like I have come here for a reason. Maybe this will finally be the big break I have been waiting for. Being twenty seven with a degree in photojournalism, I work for the biggest company in New York but I want to start up a company of my own, doing photojournalism in my own way and not having to take orders from anyone. Believe me, I love my boss but I think I am better off working on my own and that’s why I have come here. Once I am able to do a beautiful documentary on this town, I will be able to make a name for myself and spiral to the top of the food chain.

With this at the back of my mind, I set out of the house.

With each step I take deeper into the city, I am left in awe. I believe after a few more years, Raven’s peak could develop into a major city in the country and I will be here to witness it all.

The inhabitants are friendly but some keep giving me a kind of look which I clearly do not understand but that’s not to worry about, it’s not like someone will jump out of a shop or a car to kill me.

Raven’s peak is not different from any other small city in the country but everything about it is awesome and beautiful. You can call it a regular- different town.

I am about to walk into a coffee shop when a car pulls up at the other side of the road and my forehead creases into a frown when I see the occupant of the car.. I know that face. Ava did a documentary on him and his company a year ago. At the age of thirty five, he has surpassed the average height of wealth and opulence in the country. With a conglomerate that is known in the country and beyond… Asher Nightshade.

What is he doing here? Does he stay in Raven’s peak? A man like him is supposed to stay in the most luxurious cities in the country but he is actually here in a humble town such as this? Did he come for a business meeting? The more I think about it, the more I can't quite explain what is happening. I never expected to meet one of America’s richest entrepreneurs here in Raven’s peak.

“Everyone ogles at him just as you are” a voice says beside me and I turn my head to see a lady who clearly looks like my age mate standing beside me, a dreamy look on her face, “he is like a god, an unreachable height. We can only stare from afar”

“Excuse me?” The frown on my face deepens, “what do you mean?”

“A human?” She scrunches her nose.

“What do you mean?” I ask her again.

“You shouldn’t actually be here, miss blonde” the lady says again and my curiosity intensifies.

“What?”

“My name is Enid, you should consider yourself lucky that you met me first”

“I have spoken to some other locals and they don’t seem like they wanna tear me in pieces”

I use this opportunity to study her and I can say there is something about her. She is dressed in a strapless top and a tattoo is on the right side of her chest. I don’t know if it’s a dog, a wolf or something but it looks dangerous and beautiful all the same, she is beautiful.

She smiles but doesn’t say anything, her attention returning to Asher again.

“You can call him the leader of the town” she tells me again, “he is just like you too. A little bit of humanity in him and the rest….

She is clearly speaking in parables and I do not even understand what she is saying.

We both watch as he gets into the car and his driver zooms off.

“You…

“Come” Enid cuts me off, “I will take you to a safe part of the city”

Not bothering to wait for my response, she turns around and walks away.

I don’t know but I find myself following her, wanting to know what she means by everything she said earlier.

“I am Ember” I tell her as I catch up with her and she smiles at me.

“Welcome to Raven’s peak, Ember”