Welcome to ?

The temperature was a blistering, 105 in this whole-in-the-wall, Texas town. The buildings all looked deserted. The air-conditioning in the car could not keep up with the heat. The road ahead had sand drifted across it like a setting from an old western. I wanted to stay and look around but the gas tank was one line from empty and I needed to get a room for the night.

I finally found a hotel, about 15 miles down the road, a “Motel 6;” I couldn’t help but hope that they left the air conditioner on as well as ‘leaving the light on for me.’ I gassed-up and grabbed a snack at the truck stop across the highway. I had to make sure the old buildings were structurally sound, before I brought the investors back to the place.

The sun was setting making the town look surreal. It seemed like I had just stepped back in time, I almost expected to see a tumbleweed blow across the street in front of me. The coyote’s song in the distance sent chills down my spine making the adrenaline course through my veins.

After a closer look, the old boarding house seems to be exactly what I was looking for. The untouched rooms still held their dust covered furnishings. I felt lucky to have found this building, in a deserted town. This was a thrill those little rich kids would pay for.

Once the investors made a profit, they wouldn’t be so hands on with the investment. Then I could invite whomever I wanted to. I couldn’t help but wonder how many scandalous women I could find in the surrounding towns before they started to notice them missing. The screams of the frightened paying guest would mask any other sounds. A ghost town, in the middle of nowhere, and a cavern close by the possibilities were endless.

On my way back to the hotel, I passed the town’s small sign. I could not quite make out the first letter of the town’s name, that didn’t matter though. I would put it on the map. The new sign was easy, “Welcome to Hell, Texas,” that’s what I’d call it, and no one would ever argue about it.