The night was not that cold, but there was a slight mist in the air, not unusual for this area. Away from the town the mist thickened to moist fog, its drifting form filling the dips in the low-lying fields. From the tops of the low hills the fog in the distance appeared to be moving slowly through the bottom of the valleys flowing like liquid, enveloping anything that stood in its path.
I was driving down the road from town, on my way home. After leaving the town behind a while ago I had entered the rolling countryside. I hadnât realized that the mist was so bad when I had started out, but as I reached the top of the hill I could see that the valley to my left was filled with a dense fog. The road I was on snaked along the top of the ridge for a few 100 meters, it then plunged into the green, tree filled valley below. As the roads surface disappeared into the first wisps of fog, a shiver ran through me. The cars pace began to quicken as the road descended, my heart in my mouth in fear, and finally I entered the fog. I felt the fear grip me OH NO! not again I thought. My body tensed my hands gripped the wheel turning my knuckles white. I pressed the accelerator to the floor, a second passed, then two, with a sigh of relief I was through it. Once more, the road ascended from the valley leaving the fog behind. When I reached the top of the hill I stopped the car, pulling onto the verge at the side of the road. I was shaking, my body covered in perspiration. After putting on the radio I sat to recover, the music soothing, taking my mind from the thoughts that entered my head. After a moment I opened the car door and got out to stretch my cramping legs. Tentatively I began to walk back up the road to look into the valley I had just emerged from. A song drifted from the stereo in the car, the same song as before, I fell to my knees, the thoughts of before filled my head. They filled it until it felt like my head was about to explode, and as the feeling of dread washed over me I screamed!
The night not so long ago had started as any other, after cashing up in my small restaurant I had set off to drive home. The night was starlit when I approached the car, a beautiful summerâs night. I was going to enjoy the drive home in our new car. The car, a small convertible sports car that we had bought a week ago, gleamed in the moonlight. I opened the door and after putting the roof down, I set off on the trip home. There was lots of ways get to my house from work, and as I was new to the area, I was always trying to find different ways to get there. On this night, as it was a lovely night for a drive I had decided to go through the countryside. The roads were clear and dry the car was running like a dream, my favorite music on the stereo, what more could I want?
There was a nearly full moon illuminating the road ahead, the stars sparkled as they do in clean air. What a wonderful night I thought, as I sat back to enjoy the ride. The road wound around the fields rising and falling with the terrain. The odd light was visible in the darkness from the few houses in the area. After about what seemed like 15 minutes, the road dropped down towards a wooded area. The smell of the damp wood entered the open car; it smelled of damp earth and decay, the smell a contrast from the dry road behind me. The night was beginning to chill in the woods; it was darker too under the canopy of trees. Something else, the road, as I looked ahead was becoming shrouded in mist, the moonlight that had lit the way before becoming ever more invisible. The mist was turning to a dense fog that was thickening and descending from the tree line on the sides of the road. I drove on, more cautiously now as the road became filled with the impenetrable fog. A jolt startled me; the car shuddered something in the road? I slowed and checked the mirrors, nothing just a bump in the road probably. I drove on even more carefully than before. Another bump this time the car began to slow, the gauges showed no sign of a problem and more strangely, the speedometer was showing the same speed. However, the movement of the car was definitely different, the sound of the engine had not changed but the car was definitely slowing down. Bloody foreign cars I thought as I came slowly to a halt. I turned over the engine, nothing, the battery was completely dead. Maybe the fog had shorted it or something, I didnât know, one thing I did know for sure, it was a long walk for help. I sat for a while deciding what to do, then got out of the car. I tried my mobile, no signal typical, the woods must be interfering with the transmission.
I was becoming accustomed to my new surroundings, the smell, the fog that surrounded me, but there was something wrong. The place was totally silent not a sound from the woods, no animals, nothing, not even the sound of the now stopped engine cooling, it was as if I was deaf. I shouted, my voice sounding loud in the mist. Things were getting spookier by the minute. I looked around me, my eyes now had become accustomed to the different light. I could now make out vague shapes in the fog to the side of the road, through some shapes that must be the trees. Vaguely I could make out a light in the distance, probably one of the scattering of houses that I had seen before. As I moved to the side and the angle changed more of the light in the distance was visible and it looked quite large. The cold air made up my mind for me and after starting the warning lights on my car and I had crossed to the side of the road near to the light, I set off up the road. After walking a few meters there was a small opening in the wooded area visible through the mist, a path leading away toward the light in the distance what the hell I thought maybe they had a phone.
The path was hard going its floor littered with leaves and debris, after about 10 minutes I was nearing the light, the mist was clearing too, the path became easier going as the path entered the grounds of the property that I was approaching. I had expected theyâre to be some kind of manor house or something set in the grounds, but no house was visible. There was a light ahead however, it was reflected from in the fog on the top of the rise, I got to the top of the path the fog had almost cleared altogether now and there was a house here. But not what I expected, the building looked like an office block but on its side, its shape triangular about 10 meters across at the base the length disappeared into the distance. There were no windows visible in it but the sides were like smoked glass. I could now see two figures moving to what looked like a door in the side this must have been the source of the light I had seen earlier. I decided to approach them. âHi I shouted, I hope Iâm not intruding but my car has broken down and I wonder if you have a phone.â As I approached them they appeared to be minding the door.
âDonât know if there is one hereâ said the smaller of the two âIâll have to ask for youâ and with that he went through the doors.
âLive round hereâ said the other one?
âNot too far away I guessâ I replied, âbut Iâve never seen this place before bit modern isnât it? how long has it been here?â
âDonât know, we are here to watch the door to keep out any strangers from the party thatâs going on in there.â
He walked steadily toward me his voice lowering, âPlace gives me the creeps especially the people at it, all woman that I have seen, they all look down there noses at you like their better than you know what I meanâ?
âI guess soâ I nodded in agreement,
I was thinking about what he had said when his partner returned from the door. He was slightly taller than the one I was talking to, but at his side was an even taller woman. She was tall, shapely, with long dark hair that cascaded over her wide shoulders. She had on a long dress, metallic in appearance and as she passed in front of the light its sheerness was apparent, she had only the smallest thong underneath, her pert breasts visible through the dress.
âHiâ I said.
âThereâs no phone hereâ she said briskly âwho are you anyway?â
I explained to her what had happened, but she seemed disinterested. She looked me up and down âyou keep yourself in shape I seeâ she interrupted âwhat do you do.â
I told her of my restaurant
âAnd that keeps you that fit!â she said half mocking.
âBefore that I was in the Airforce, on radarâsâ I told her.
She looked at me with more interest at this âyou had better come in and weâll sort things outâ she beckoned me forward
We entered the building through an automatic door that hissed closed as we passed through it. Inside the dĂŠcor was minimal, and the room brightly lit, the atmosphere was cooler than the outside probably air-conditioned. There were about 50 people in the large room; the gathering was in full swing. I looked around the room at the guests, something strange about them, there wasnât a sign of another man, all the people were women. They were all aged between about 20 to 30 all with good figures, and they were all startlingly pretty.
âWelcome to our homeâ said my greeter, âIâm Rachel, can I get you a drink.â
âThat would be greatâ I said.
She left me there a funny thing though the conversations that were in full flow as I entered were now muted; the nearest women were studying me as if I were a specimen in a jar. Rachel returned with a glass of something green in colour and offered it to me. I took it sipping the sweet and not unpleasant drink, as I did this the sound in the room returned the people returning to their original conversations.
âYou all live here togetherâ I asked.
âOh yesâ she said, âwe are all friends here, good friendsâ she said, a smile playing across her lips, revealing her perfect white teeth.
The drink was good its smoothness relaxing me and as I glanced around the room the effect of all these beautiful women began to affect me.
âIts strange you been hereâ she said breaking me away from my thoughts âyou are the first man to visit a gathering.â
âI noticed that men were an oddity hereâ I said âfrom the reaction of the others when you left me.â
âAh they arenât used to seeing men here.â
âIs the entire place like this?â I asked.
âThrough the doors on the leftâ she indicated âis where we do our work, on the right is our resting area.â