The old guest house

The trees did little to shelter Malcolm Fillion from the driving rain that lashed at him with malevolence. He let out a shudder; his jeans and sweater seemed to be soaking up more liquid than the parched ground. Nearly three months without rain and it had to start tonight. He let out a curse. No one would stop for him now; he looked like a maniac from a horror film. Down the road he saw headlights, on full beam, round a corner. He hesitated for a moment then stepped out onto the road.

Sherri hummed along to the tune on the radio, it had been a good day, a great day in fact; she'd just gotten that promotion she'd been after. Ahead a dishevelled young man held out a tentative thumb. She stopped.

"Need a lift?" Sherri called out.

"Sure, I mean you don't have to, I'd understand... There'll be another car soon." He didn't want to make her uncomfortable; it wasn't safe these days for women to take on hitchhikers.

"Honey, I've had no one in my rearview for miles. Though you seem nice enough to me, so get in," Sherri said. He was the reason she'd fought for this promotion after all. "Where to?" She asked, even though she knew the answer.

"Can you take me to the Firefly Guest House? It's not too far, I don't think, but I'm running late."

"That old place? It b..." Sherri stopped herself; she couldn't bring herself to tell him the truth, not just yet.

"I know it's not much, but I promised Anne I'd be there; we're eloping." He added the last part with a blush, it'd been the first time he'd spoken about it to anyone other than Anne.

**** **** ****

Malcolm looked in horror at the burnt-out shell of a building.

"I'm sorry," Sherri said. "The place burnt down thirty-two years ago, "

Malcolm felt tears on his cheeks, he couldn't believe it. He'd only spoken to her that morning.

"You were hit by a car on the road, you never made it here." Sherri explained to him, her own eyes watering up. He'd been seen every year since, on that stretch of road. Reports said that he vanished before drivers got to the guest house. She had thought it would be great to free him; to save him. She didn't think he wouldn't know he was dead. "Anne never gave up hope; she waited here for you, long after the others in the fire had gone on. Someone like me moved her on; I must do the same for you. Come, it's time to go. You've been lost for a very long time. Anne waits for you, still."