Entry 7- Spirit Photography at the Grinning Moon

My medication was doing the job. When I woke up, I felt great. Waking up dry and not in a puddle of your own sweat is always a fantastic feeling. Granted, I’m sure part of that was just me being happy I didn’t have to man the desk today or do any real groundskeeping work. Still, I always had the chance of being called by my boss to cover or help with an emergency. This did happen from time to time, and it was in the back of my mind as I got up and ready for the day. But for the time being, the only genuine commitment I had was grabbing Mivara something to eat from town.

Once I took my pills for the day, I spent the morning doing laundry and cleaning up from the week. While it wasn’t the most exciting of tasks, it helped me feel a little more grounded...until I saw my clothes floating down the hallway on their own and I had to chase them down like a hound dog on a rabbit’s trail. Even on my days off, the Grinning Moon tests my patience.

After picking up my laundry when the local poltergeists were through with it, I picked out my clothes for the day. A simple gray hoodie with the Grinning Moon’s logo on it and a pair of black pants. Mando supplied almost all my clothes, so I had that damn logo on pretty much everything. Once I was dressed, I decided it was time to test out the new lenses I’d bought for my spirit photography.

Spirit photography is similar but also different to normal photography. A lot of people have seen those crappy ghost hunting shows on television where idiots bumble into places with cameras and equipment to find ghosts and assume it’s the same thing. And while spirit photography can be part of paranormal investigations, it’s also an art form that lets one see the spiritual energy in the air.

There were hundreds of lenses, all meant to find different things. All claimed to be better at searching for a certain type of ghost or spirit. Some were strictly for capturing the power of supposed leylines and ritual sites on film.

I grabbed my camera bag from my room and the new lenses I’d picked up last weekend, wiping them down before packing them all snugly into the bag. As for the camera, I picked it up and looked it over.

Like any camera, it was shaped to fit in the hands fairly comfortably – although most spirit photography cameras were a little bulky, mine included. The top had multiple settings. A flash, a special dust spread that helped make invisible entities visible to the naked eye, and the usual zoom in and out. The back was simple: a viewing port to see what you were taking pictures of and enough storage for fifty pictures' worth of film.

Once I was packed up, I exited my room with my camera in hand. Then, I made my way downstairs to where Mivara was working at the desk.

“About time you came down,” Mivara remarked.

Billy let out a snort of agreement from his position on the wall.

“Hey, I’m off today.” I replied, “You’re lucky I came down at all. Did you get Cersie to sign the ledger?”

“I did. You still owe me for the other night.”

She was right and I knew it, so I agreed, “I’m about to head into town right now. What do you want me to grab you?”

“Good. I have a different favor I need from you.” She leaned toward me, lowering her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “You know Papa Criol?”

Papa Criol. A man who sold living dolls and potions. Depending on the day, he helped maintain the arcade downstairs. The man ran a well-known shop in town, Papa Criol’s Budget Hexes. He had a ghoulish stature, tall and lean. Part flesh, part bone, part doll. He didn’t bother me much, but there had been a few times kids in the arcade had run screaming from him when he decided to make an appearance.

“We only work with him,” I replied sarcastically.

Her gaze narrowed. “He’s downstairs today, eh? Preparing the arcade for the mists since things are going to be busier around here. I ordered something from him a couple of days ago, and I haven’t had a chance to get back with him.”

“You could just go talk to him on your break,” I noted.

“I could.” Mivara agreed. “I could also just... have you do it. You can just leave it behind the desk for me, and I’ll pick it up next shift if I’m out of here by the time you get around to it.”

It sounded fine enough to me. In fact, it was far better than having to hurry back with her food before her shift ended. So I agreed. “If that’s what you want to waste your favor on, sure.”

She gave me a thumbs-up. “Let me know what he says.”

“I’ll head downstairs right now.” I turned on my heels, glancing at Billy. “Don’t give her too much trouble.”

“Yeah, yeah. Hey, before you dip, did you see that the festival is starting on the first day the mists are supposed to show up?” Billy asked.

“Festival?” I raised a brow.

He agreed, “Day of the Dead. Witches Carnival.”

“You were supposed to start decorating the lobby for it yesterday,” Mivara noted.

I realized she was right. “Shit, I totally forgot.”

“Yeah, well, like everything you forgot to do, Mando put it on me to do today.” Mivara rolled her eyes, “Hexes forbid you do your job.”

“I’ll handle all the hanging decorations on my return shift at the start of the week. Pretty sure I work the morning, so they’ll be up before it gets too late.” I apologized.

Billy interjected, clearly annoyed that we were wandering off whatever topic he wanted to broach. “Yeah, well, apparently we’re going to be super busy. Both the mists and the festival are bringing in all sorts from out of town. Including that girl from Rayland. Remember her? The family that murders people for slightly disliking their products?”

Mivara added, “Oh, I remember them. Didn’t that one reviewer disappear after reviewing one of their products poorly?”

“I heard they ritualistically sacrificed him to some deity they wanted to give power.” Billy agreed, “Always the rich bastards doing shit like that.”

I rolled my eyes. “Get to the point, Billy.”

“I’m just sayin’, be careful this next week, alright?” He complained. “The festival is all super fun and games, but the last thing we need is someone stabbing you eighty times in a dark alley because you happened to rub off on them with your winning personality.”

“Why would they stab me?”

“You’re a dick.”

“I’m a dick?” I asked incredulously.

Mivara chuckled from behind the counter.

I rubbed my eyes. “You’re here spouting conspiracies, randomly accusing a big corporation of just murdering people, and somehow I’m the problem here?”

“Yup.”

“You’re impossible.” I decided, continuing my march toward the elevator.

I grumbled to myself as I reached the bottom floor. When the doors dinged open, I nearly jumped out of my skin, screeching loudly and pressing myself against the back wall. A suit of armor was standing in the doorway, halberd in hand.

“Careful there, Jhin!” It was Sir Theodor of Westerlot, the spirit trapped in a suit of armor. “Don’t want to drop that fancy camera of yours.”

“Why are you just standing in front of the elevator!?” I put my free hand on my chest, taking a deep breath to steady myself.

He stepped back, letting me exit before the doors closed. The armor leaned down as though looking at me from its visor, and Sir Theodor exclaimed, “I heard that most wondrous song again yesterday morning!”

I realized he was talking about Cersie.

“Yeah, she’s one of our guests here,” I replied.

“Really?” He sounded excited. “How long is she staying?”

“At least until the mists pass.”

“Hark, what wondrous news!” Theodor boomed, “Tell me, what room is she in?”

I was already in the process of trying to step away. “Look, Theodor. I can’t tell you that. That’s a breach of our privacy policy. You don’t actually work here.”

“Sure I do! Your boss has me listed as part of the maintenance team!”

“And when have you ever fixed literally anything? That’s literally just Mando trying to make you feel more important than you are so you’ll stop trying to walk guests to their rooms.”

He turned his head indignantly upward and folded his arms. “Come now, what’s more charming than a suit of armor escorting you up to where you sleep?”

“You almost dropped your halberd on a baby.”

“One time!”

“She was two.”

“And I apologized profusely afterward.” Theodor tilted his head back down toward me. “What does any of this have to do with that woman with the beautiful voice?”

I regarded him through slitted eyes. “You realize how weird it is that you're this obsessed with a woman you've never spoken to or seen before, right?”

“Come now, sir. You know I would never do anything uncouth.”

“Listen, man, I don't have time for this conversation right now. Look,” I rubbed the back of my head, beckoning upstairs with the other, “maybe if she comes downstairs, you two can chat, alright? But I'm off today. I've got to take care of some stuff.”

He gave a bow, the metal joints on his armor clinking softly. “As you wish, Sir Jhin. But I expect a proper introduction if she ever leaves her room.”

I turned away from him, muttering, “Yeah, that's unlikely to happen,” under my breath as I made my way toward the arcade. While I did find Theodor's infatuation with the lephashipan annoying, I also didn’t want to deal with a heartbroken spirit upon finding out she was a flesh-eating monster. Theodor was like a puppy. Sure, a puppy might piss on the rug sometimes and you have to clean up the mess. But it was still strangely endearing and often quick to please. That pretty much summed up how I felt about the knight.

The arcade doors were open. Papa Criol was probably already inside. A big flashing sign sat next to the entryway, flashing bulbs spelling out the words, “Come and Play at Criol’s Games!” For being an amalgamation of flesh and puppet parts, the man certainly got around plenty. Running two businesses couldn’t have been simple work.

“Criol!” I called out, stepping into the room.

All of the arcade machines were on, and a couple of guests were playing one of the claw machines. Everything in the room was dimly lit, but where there was light, it stood out against the darkness. Drawings of voodoo dolls and symbols of protection sat scattered across the walls in glowing paint of various colors, an eyeful of candy against the black walls and carpet. Speaking of the carpet, it was similarly covered in the symbols. With each step, the carpet around my foot lit up, highlighting where I’d stepped for a moment before fading away.

Like any arcade, there were dozens of games. The Grinning Moon boasted an array of games, from marionette claw machines which used puppet hands to grab stuffed animals and toys to physical games where you pinned needles to hanging voodoo dolls. Of course, there were also plenty of video games, all of which had their own Nultock spin. Ghost hunting simulations, boggart hunting, ritual crafting and more were all available for entertainment on the myriad of machines. Of course, because the Grinning Moon was a little finicky, anything with electronics didn’t always work. Thankfully, it seemed today things were working fine. I hated when the arcade started having issues because even though it wasn’t necessarily my job, if I was the only one on site, it fell to me to try and make the machines work. Which admittedly, in my case, led to me repeatedly kicking them until they turned back on. Or until the guest complaining understood there wasn’t much I could do.

On the back wall was a counter with hundreds of prizes. Candies, snacks, drinks and a bunch of different board games, fireworks, potions, and dolls. Mostly harmless stuff. Potions that blinded someone for a few seconds. Dolls for children. Small firecrackers. Things like that.

Papa Criol was standing behind the desk with his hands behind his back. He was so tall the top of his bowler hat nearly touched the roof of the arcade. Each of his wooden arms extended far past his waist, nearly dragging against the ground as he walked with a hunched back. Unlike most of the employees, he wore a black suit and tie. A coat with long, extended shoulders rested against his back, tails trailing against the ground behind him. Blemishes and scars were visible across his dark skin, and one eye was stitched over with a bright red button. His hair was in long dreadlocks, and hundreds of incense sticks burned within each of the messy folds, surrounding him in smoldering embers.

“Ah, Djin!” Papa Criol outstretched his wooden arms, the fingers clacking against one another. “Welcome down to ma establishment. What can I do ya for?”

His voice was deep, his accent emphasizing the ends and starts of his words when he spoke. He’s always said my name like that. “Djin.” It never bothered me; if anything, I felt it gave the man a bit more character. Now whether or not I fully trusted him was another thing. The man dabbled in the occult and voodoo, after all. But he’d never done me any harm, and to be honest I found him charismatic.

“Old man Criol.” I said with a smile, taking one of his wooden hands in mine.

We shook, and he gave me a grin, cocking his head to one side with a wide, toothy smile. “Yes, dat time of da month again were de mists make der way back to our lovely city. Got ta make sure da machines are up and runnin for da denizens of da Grinning Moon. But I’m sure dat’s not why you’re here, is it?”

“Mivara sent me,” I explained. “She said you had something for her?”

The man withdrew his hand, nodding slowly. “Yes, dat woman was asking about a briefcase which was taken from da hotel not too long ago.”

“I know the one.”

“She had some questions, and I have in possession a tome dat may help alleviate her curiosity.” He reached for the bowler hat atop his head, turning it over and withdrawing a silver key with the head of a button-eyed skull on it. “I asked if she got her hands on dis book if it would satiate her...curiosity.”

I raised a brow. “That briefcase has all sorts of weird people looking for it.”

“Dat’s true.” He chuckled, a deep, rumbling sound that came from his gut. “Dat’s also why da boss man didn’t want nothing to do with it. But you know Mivara. She agreed to stop prying if I gave her dis, and I figure it should be harmless enough.”

Papa Criol extended the key in my direction, waving it in front of me. He obviously wanted me to take it, but this raised my own question. Suspiciously, I asked, “If I’m picking up a book, what’s the key for?”

“I do not have da time to pick it up from the shop right dis moment.” Papa Criol pushed the key into my hand. “So you will have ta be da errand boy if she wants it. Judging by your more casual wear, ya’re off the clock, yes?”

“That’s why she sent me.” I sighed, turning over the key in my hand. “Anything I should know before I walk in? Last time you had me pick something up from your shop, a bunch of your dolls attacked me.”

Papa Criol chuckled. “Dat was my mistake. I forgot ta add ya ta da registry of men allowed ta enter after hours. The shop has been closed for da last week due ta some disturbances during closing hours. I have an exterminator who should be der lata today or tomorrow.”

“What kind of disturbances?”

“With any luck, ya won’t see any.” He reassured me. “I would recommend against lingering. regardless.”

“Great.” I replied, “But if I see anything weird?”

Papa Criol gave me a humorous wink with his good eye. “Get da hell out.”

Great. Very helpful, Papa Criol.

“Alright.” I sighed. “But it should be safe?”

“The tome should just be sittin’ on the front desk. Easy enough, yes?”

I pocketed the key, shaking my head. “Mivara is lucky I’m off today. Yeah, I’ll take care of picking it up.”

Papa Criol chuckled and clapped me on the back. “Dat's good ta hear. Make sure ta lock up after ya leave da building, would ya? I’ll take da key from ya when you get back.”

While I was annoyed I was going to be acting as a glorified courier, that wasn’t Criol’s fault. So I gave him a small smile and a polite nod. “Thanks, Criol.”

“Spirits protect ya.” He bowed, raising a hand in parting.

I turned away, exiting the arcade. There were a few more guests filtering in as I left. I didn’t pay them much mind, debating how I wanted to handle today and if I’d run straight to Papa Criol’s shop or spend some time shooting photos first.

Then I had a novel idea to start testing out my new lenses.

“Sir Theodor.” I approached the elevator where the suit of armor was still standing just off to the side.

“Yes, Sir Jhin?” He looked down at me, armor creaking.

I raised my camera. “I’ve gotten lots of pictures around the Grinning Moon, but I bought some new lenses for spirit photography and wanted to test them out. Would you be willing to pose for a photo?”

“Of course, sir!” Theodor sounded proud to be considered. “It would be my honor.”

“I’m going to try with and without the powder.” I told him, “You might feel a little tingly. That’s what Nyx says it feels like at least.”

He nodded and struck a pose, holding his halberd to one side and flexing a bicep.

Chuckling, I raised the camera to my face and took a couple of steps back. After flipping through a few settings and enabling the visual powder, I snapped a photo. When I pressed the capture button down, a spray of glowing blue powder erupted from the capsule located near the lens of the camera. For a brief moment, even I could see more with my naked eye than was normally visible within the Grinning Moon.

The powder hung in the air like snowflakes, coating invisible lines and shifting in almost wavelike formations. A large quantity of it floated around Sir Theodor. Most of it bounced off his armor, although I saw some of it stick inside his visor and flash to life.

“Oh…” He said, an ethereal breath escaping from the armor, “Tingly was right, sir.”

I held the camera out in front of myself, waiting for the picture to print. A moment later, the photo spat out the bottom and I took it out, looking it over.

A tumultuous swirl of varying colors and lines of glowing energy covered the picture, a spectacle of color and beauty that’s hard to put into words. You could still see the dimly lit background of the Grinning Moon. The lights and the occult symbols on the walls. But everything glowed with a gentle sheen, and the picture was slightly muddled like an oil painting. In fact, on first inspection, one could easily mistake it for painted work.

And then there was Sir Theodor, standing there with his halberd. For the first time in a while, I could actually see his visage: a bearded face glowing an ethereal white with bushy eyebrows and a friendly demeanor despite his pupil-less eyes.

He reached for one of the glowing sparks of powder, chuckling to himself. “Quite the light show, sir! These look like small firecrackers!”

“They can be pretty combustible if something decides to funnel ethereal energy into them,” I replied, showing him the photo. “I’ve heard of spirits and ghosts accidentally causing small explosions before with half a capsule’s worth of powder.”

“Isn’t that dangerous for you living lads?” He lowered his head to look more closely at the photo and let out a guffaw. “Quite the picture if I do say so myself! Wondrous work, Jhin!”

I shrugged, placing the photo inside my camera bag. “It’s rare. Besides, you’d have to do it pretty intentionally. Most spirits aren’t expecting it when you flash them. A lot of them are already pretty camera shy as is.”

“Well,” Sir Theodor put an armored glove on his chest, “If you want to test this camera out any more inside the Grinning Moon, please, allow me to aid you! It’s quite the fascinating piece of technology.”

“Sure.” I agreed, “For now, though, I’ve got to get going.”

“Stay safe, Sir Jhin!”

I hailed the elevator and stepped inside, giving the suit of armor a wave when the doors started to close. Mivara was checking in a guest, so I waited in the lobby for a moment to both let her know my displeasure at the task I’d been assigned and to let her know that I was indeed working on it.

Billy snorted, “So where you going? The Grinning Moon not good enough for you?”

“I spend almost every waking minute here, Billy. Give me a break.” I replied, “Besides, I already told you I wanted to try out my new lenses today.”

“For your little diary? Are you going to make a scrapbook?”

“Maybe.”

“You might actually be a little girl.”

“At least little girls still have their bodies.”

He shook his head irritably. “Oh, real classy, Jhin. Way to go. Stating the obvious.”

“And that’s why it hurts so much,” I replied.

Mivara finished helping the guest and motioned toward me with a hand. “Did he have it?”

“He left it in his shop. So I guess I’m going to be stopping in town for you after all.” I replied, “I was hoping he’d just have it on hand so I could drop it off to you right now and be done with it.”

“Tough luck, eh?” She grinned, but then a little more tenderly added, “Well, I appreciate your time.”

I paused. It was a moment of genuine gratitude I rarely got from anyone around here. So I nodded, giving her a thumbs-up. “I’ll set it by the stamp book so you can get it your next shift. Thanks for covering for me, too.”

Her gratitude in mind, I turned and exited the Grinning Moon. It’s amazing how much a simple “thank you” and some genuine recognition can turn your attitude toward a normally annoying task around. Besides, Mivara wasn’t a bad person or anything. It didn’t hurt to help her since I’d be in town, regardless.

I found myself glancing over at Benzo’s on my way to the ramp leading to the underground parking garage. One of his dippers sounded nice right about now. I’d need to stop by the restaurant for dinner.

The ramp leading to the underground parking was near the forest at the edge of the Grinning Moon’s property. I didn’t hate the woods, but I didn’t particularly love them either. There were already enough weird things in the Grinning Moon itself that I didn’t even want to think about what roamed through those trees at night. The only time I would willingly set foot in the forest was during the Witch’s Carnival, and even then rarely at night and definitely not alone.

Those very thoughts filled my mind, and I quickened my pace. For a moment, I could have sworn I saw a figure watching me from somewhere in the trees. Maybe it was just my imagination. Whatever the case, I didn’t linger.

When I reached the bottom of the ramp, I took in my surroundings. There were only a few cars in the underground parking area – most people only used it when we were super full. A set of double doors sat opposite the way I entered, a secondary entrance to the Grinning Moon that opened up into the very bottom level by the arcade.

Now for the oddities of the vehicles of Nultock.

My car was something of a special case. For starters, it was technically a company vehicle – but I was the only one who ever used it. So after talking with Mando, he gave me free rein so long as I made sure to keep the tank topped up. It wasn’t old, but it wasn’t particularly new-looking. The paint was fading, and the silver Grinning Moon logo on the side had a small scratch running over its mouth. Each of the wheels was made of a combination of rubber and fabric, both of which were covered in glowing blue runes designed to help keep each tire’s integrity in check. A metal plate of our hotel’s logo adorned the sides of each tire.

The vehicle was large enough to seat four people, with a low-sitting frame and a square-shaped hood. While the exterior of the vehicle was a little torn, the interior looked good as new. I was always careful to keep the black leather tidy. All four headlights glowed an eerie green as I approached, like the car was reacting to my presence. Honestly, it probably was.

Where you’re from, you’re probably used to using keys to start your car. Or maybe some sort of ignition switch. I’ve heard there are wireless vehicles out there nowadays that just recognize when you enter them and start up automatically. Nultock vehicles are different.

Runic seals lock the doors, which the owner of a vehicle sets up upon purchasing a vehicle. To unlock your car, you have to trace the sigil with a finger from memory or have a runic slip on your person that unlocks the car automatically. Once you’re inside, a secondary seal is located inside the car that you trace similarly – although depending on the vehicle, this seal may differ from the one on the exterior doors for security. Don’t even get me started on the process of changing these seals; I haven’t had to do it, but I’ve heard it’s a mess.

Now, all of that said, my car, of course, has an additional minor issue because nothing at the Grinning Moon is ever simple. As I walked toward where my vehicle was parked, the car horn honked on its own and the doors slammed open and shut. The vehicle revved its engine with nobody inside. It crept toward me, exiting the parking space and inching across the garage.

“Hey there, Silver,” I said.

The car’s engine revved in response, and the radio turned on. An upbeat tune played, a song of celebration and jubilation. Silver was a car possessed by what we all assumed to be some sort of spirit, ghost, or other entity. Nobody really knew for sure, and the car had been in Mando’s possession for as long as I could remember. Eventually, Mando got his own car and stopped driving Silver as much.

This, of course, pissed Silver off, and Mando repeatedly returned to a vehicle that had been rammed repeatedly or had its side mirrors slammed off. His solution was to give Silver to me so the car still got some use, and this seemed to satiate her.

“Yeah, I’m glad to see you too,” I replied, patting the hood of the car. “You’re not going to be difficult today, are you?”

I walked around to the door, opening it. Silver returned to her usual inert state, the radio quieting on its own despite me not touching a single dial. I figured she was excited to get out of the parking garage after being stuck there for nearly the entire week.

“Good car,” I said, slipping into the driver’s seat after unlocking the door and starting it with a flick of my finger.

The engine roared to life, and the radio turned back on. I adjusted the knob, placing my foot on the pedal as I switched the news on.

Now, it finally felt like my weekend was really starting. I rolled out of the parking garage, climbing up the ramp and pulling out onto the winding road leading from the Grinning Moon toward the city. The path was lined with trees on either side, and I found myself scanning the sides of the road while I drove. It wasn’t uncommon to see odd things out here. Large creatures. Hanging wooden charms made of string and bone.

Today, however, I was greeted by a more pleasant sight. About halfway through the forest, a caravan of vehicles passed by. Horse-drawn carriages, cars like mine, and a massive truck carrying building materials. A huge logo on the side of one car drew my attention–a wide-brimmed witch hat with a set of charms hanging from the rim, and the words “Witch’s Carnival” in a hand-drawn font beneath the charms. Behind this car was a large carriage with a flag marking a date. The start of the upcoming week, right when the mists were supposed to start. Mivara and Mando were right. They were setting up the festival already, even with the upcoming mists. If I was lucky, maybe I’d be able to stop by on opening day.

The Grinning Moon’s property technically extended to the surrounding forest, up to the bridge heading across the river. We didn’t actually upkeep much of it, of course. Only the Grinning Moon itself and the parking area. But we profited heavily from the Day of the Dead and the Witch’s Carnival leading up to it because of this. They paid Mando a huge fee just to set up the carnival here, and they also tended to book up most of the hotel. With the mists coming as well, we were definitely going to be at full capacity. Most people limited travel during them where they could, although I knew plenty who would use the mists as an excuse to visit the carnival early when opening week fell on the same days simply because they thought it added to the atmosphere.

To my surprise, someone from on top of one of the carriages was waving at me. Then they motioned for me to stop, their pace halting near me.

I blinked and rolled down my window, slowing to a stop in the middle of the road. The horse-drawn carriage pulled up alongside Silver.

A woman leaned down to look inside my window. She had olive-colored skin and wore a wide-brimmed purple hat like the one painted on the car I’d seen. Black makeup and runes adorned her face, specifically around her eyes and lips. Her long, blonde hair was covered in spider webs and wooden charms. She pointed a black nail toward me.

“Good afternoon!” Her voice was friendly, her black lips tilted up in a smile. “You’re one of the Grinning Moon guys, right?”

I wasn’t on duty, and I found the question so stupid it made me raise an incredulous brow. So, I pointed out the window at the logo on the side of my car. Before I could give a sarcastic reply, my car honked on its own, causing both me and the woman to jump.

“Silver, for hexes sake, we’ll be going in a moment.” I cursed, slapping the side of the car.

In response the radio roared, playing an angry man screaming at some newscaster.

“Oh my god.” I turned the radio down, rubbing my eyes.

“I’ll take that as a yes.” The woman riding the carriage said, obviously amused.

I nodded. “Sorry. Yes, I am. The car has a mind of its own.”

“Well, when you get a chance, tell your boss we’re opening in two days at sundown. Free entry for your patrons and staff.” She reached down, pulling out a stack of papers from a compartment and handing them to me. “The Hallow Witches welcome you and your friends.”

“You in charge or something?” I asked, “This seems like the sort of thing someone in charge should be handing out.”

“Celestials, no.” She shook her head. “But the head of our coven has a lot on her hands, and the ones overseeing this year’s festival are already up ahead, starting to set up everything. Besides, I recognize you. Jhin, right?”

I shrugged, setting the papers in the glove compartment. Yet another person who knew me by name that I didn’t recognize. “Yeah.”

“Those scars are hard to forget. If you want, I could look into having them fixed for you?”

“I don’t really trust most magic healers.”

She shrugged. “Suit yourself. But know our little coven considers you a friend! A couple of the younger ladies even have soft eyes for you.”

All that did was make me feel awkward. I cleared my throat, “I’m . . .uh, charmed. And you are?”

“Oh, I forget myself. Willow Hallow.” She gave a smile. “I wasn’t around for last year's festival, but we talked a couple years ago. You probably don’t remember, what with how many people you have coming in and out of the Grinning Moon.”

“Yeah, sorry.” I rubbed the back of my head. “I appreciate the understanding; at least, you have no idea how many guests just automatically assume I’ll recognize them.”

The woman cackled, “Well, some people think they’re the center of the universe. Whatever the case, I best be off. We’ll see you soon, yes?”

I nodded and she snapped her carriage’s reins. Before I had even put my foot on the pedal, Silver decided it was time to take off. The pedal slammed down without any say-so from me, and we took off, shrieking down the road.

“Silver!” I hissed, gripping the wheel hard. “Not cool.”

The car let out a honk in response. I gave up, letting her take over and removing my foot from the gas pedal. “Alright, fine. But you need to follow my directions, alright? You know how to get to Papa Criol’s Budget Hexes?”

When we reached the end of the road, Silver turned to the right and headed out of the forest. I leaned back in my seat and let her take over, raising the radio’s volume again.

“These upcoming mists are proving to be troublesome.” A radio host was saying. “We expect the usual large entities to make their rounds, but more importantly, we’re also expecting an uptick in spiritual activity. To help avoid civilians encountering colossus-sized creatures, the NPS will be closing the northern roads where the largest of the rifts normally appears. With the Day of the Dead on the horizon, make sure to keep yourselves safe! Equip charms and talismans to ward off evil, burn incense and keep up with your rituals! And speaking of charms and talismans-a word from our sponsors at the Rayland Corporation.”

I tuned out the host at this point and looked out the window, watching the scenery pass by. Eventually, the trees gave way to the massive suspension bridge leading into Nultock. We finally ran into some traffic. Nothing major, but enough that Silver was forced to slow down. I could see the Grinning Moon from here. It stood on the other side of the river, a massive moon logo on the back of the building looking out toward Nultock.

Since Silver was handling the driving, I decided to take the chance to get a picture. I crawled to the passenger seat with my camera and pointed it at the Grinning Moon, snapping a photo without flash or any other additives. Once the picture printed, I moved back over to the driver’s seat, checking to see how it turned out.

Like usual, the Grinning Moon itself was gorgeous in the spirit camera. To the naked eye, the building was a rugged castle-like structure. But behind a spirit lens? A beacon of ethereal light shooting high into the sky, wisps of ethereal energy wisping every which way in an ocean of color. I couldn’t help but notice it looked a little brighter than usual, probably due to the time of year.

We finished crossing the bridge and finally entered the city.

I’ve already mentioned how the buildings of Nultock are unlike anywhere else. A mixture of brutal and ornate architecture. Runes and sigils glowing everywhere the eye can see. Dark alleys with hundreds of hanging charms spread overhead like spiderwebs and open vistas with massive statues and glowing crystals. All of the trappings of a city steeped in the occult and magic.

At street level, this was even clearer. Now, I’m sure wherever you’re from, you have things like stoplights and road signs. You’d have to, obviously, otherwise every street would be a complete disaster. Nultock’s signs were as varied as they were frankly ludicrous. A mixture of warnings, road directions, and more hung from every lamp post or hung in the air via small propellers. The traffic lights were each five lights tall. Yellow was a warning of a potentially dangerous entity nearby. Blue was drive slowly. Green was go. Red was stop. Purple meant turn around. Each was marked by an arrow or symbol relating to what the color said to do. The stop signs were giant, red, flattened eyes made of metal that physically blinked and moved.

Gargoyles cleaned the windows. Men and women from all walks of life roamed the roads, some human but many not. Large beasts that walked on all fours, amorphous blobs of skin and flesh, elves and gnomes and all sorts were commonplace in the city. We passed a warning sign that read, “Recent Wendigo Predation Site, Do Not Walk Alone After Dark.” That sign really caught my attention, but my eyes were pulled away a moment later when a flying broomstick zipped by our car with a woman riding it.

I watched the streets with interest. This was a normal day on Nultock. It was part of the reason the Grinning Moon was such a necessity in these parts. A hotel needed to service all these different beings and people without fuss. And trust me when I say plenty had tried and failed. We aren’t the only hotel in the area, but we’re certainly the most prominent.

Silver turned a corner, heading deeper into Nultock. Traffic was light today, much to my pleasant surprise. I’d expected it to be packed since the mists were coming soon.

“You know, I really hope Nyx is okay,” I muttered to myself.

The radio changed in response. A radio host asked, “Where is-” before the radio swapped again to another word from a male speaker, “she?”

“One last job before the mists. Hopefully she won’t need to leave during them.” I replied.

Silver honked her horn, causing a couple of people on the roadside to glare in our direction.

“Stop doing that!” I complained.

The car honked again, and I grumbled a curse under my breath.

It didn’t take long for us to reach the quiet street Papa Criol’s Budget Hexes sat on. The building sat on the corner of the road, apartments rising high around it. Hardly anyone was on the street, and I found a small twang of anxiety tugging at my chest. Silver rolled up, stopping on the side of the road.

“Stay here,” I told her, wrapping my camera’s strap around my neck and stepping outside.

The car locked behind me. I fished for the key Criol had given me, pulling it from my pocket before regarding his shop skeptically. The business was an old structure made of brick and wood. Both windows were currently blocked by wooden shutters, and the scuffed brick was covered in hundreds of large sigils. A light-up sign reading, “Papa Criol’s Budget Hexes,” sat above the wooden door, although it was currently turned off. Dozens of shrunken heads hung from twine around the outer edges of the building alongside bone effigies and twine dream catchers. Hand-stitched flags covered in strange drawings flew from a post in front of the structure. A burlap doll was tied to the pole, covered in thin needles poking it all over. The smell of garlic hung thick in the air.

I stopped in front of the door. A massive face was carved into the front with thick lips and large, cylindrical eyes. Various strange designs swirled and curved across the etching, although what they meant I couldn’t tell you. As I approached, I could have sworn the eyes glinted a brilliant red, but it happened so fast I figured I had to have imagined it.

Everything was deathly quiet. I held the key up with one hand and took a deep breath. For some reason, I was really dreading going inside that building. Every single hair on my body was standing on end. Maybe I should have stayed at the Grinning Moon.

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