Counting Words 1

The castle looms ahead over the trees, dark spires twisting into darker clouds. The rain has held off for my two-hour-long drive but threatens to beat me to my destination. I don't know these roads, and the thought of driving through a storm sends anxiety coursing through my veins. My grip on the steering wheel tightens, and my jaw aches from clenching so hard.

"It's not a castle," Abbie says. "Stop calling it a castle."

"Whatever. It looks like a castle. They better have wifi there."

"Would it be so tragic if you couldn't log on for a week?"

I blow out an exaggerated sigh. I hate where this is going. "No, you're right. But this is supposed to be somewhat of a, like, working vacation."

"Mom, Dad is going to be so pissed if he finds out you're not concentrating on your book. You promised."

A car riding my bumper flashes its lights at me. I guess five over the speed limit is too slow, but I'm too scared to speed up. The light mist from earlier in the day has grown into a heavy drizzle, and the sun is going down. The hazy evening sky is a gorgeous shade of pink, orange, and lavendar, an odd juxtaposition against the menacing towers and dead, blackened trees.The driver honks, and I tap my brakes to let him know I got the message. I can see her grousing in my rear view mirror.

"Hang on, Babe. This bitch behind me is trying to eat my ass." She honks, and I tap my brakes again.

"I feel like you're on purpose changing the subject. Are you on purpose changing the subject?"

"No. I mean, yes, but there really is a car fucking with me. I can't concentrate on driving and talking and giving her the bird. Hang on." I slow way down and edge toward the soft should, roll down my window, and wave her around me.

"Mom, don't flip off crazy drivers! What if she has a gun or something. Jesus! Road rage is a thing."

Bless my child for trying to teach me better. The woman in a hurry zooms around me, but not before laying on her horn and squealing her tires. She gets close enough for our cars to kiss, and give me the middle finger I was denied. I shriek as I swerve even closer to the edge of the road in an attempt to avoid a collision.

"Oh my god, are you okay? Mom! What is happening?"

I get control of the car as my nemesis flies off into the distance, a mad woman on a mission. "Yeah. I'm okay. Sorry. I'm here. I had to slide over and give Her Majesty the road. She probably hasn't eaten in ten minutes and needs to get a pumpkin spice whatever."

Abbie laughs, relief making her find my answer more comedic than it truly was. "In my head canon, she has to get to the hospital stat for a kidney replacement, or else the organ will go to someone else. How close are you to the castle?"

"I thought we agreed it's not a castle? You literally just yelled at me for calling it that." I glance at my phone. "About ten minutes, according to my map thing."

"I couldn't remember what it's called. Monastery? Abbey? Convent? You got castle stuck in my brain and now that's all I can think."

I'm approaching my next turn, so my response is absentminded. "I think monesteries are for monks, and convents are for nuns. Or maybe it's the other way."

"So then castle."

I turn off the main road and head directly into the midnight forest. Straight ahead lies a rusted sign that reads "Private Property. Tresspassers will be persecuted." The sign is attached to black fencing that has turned green with age where it is exposed to the rain. Fancy scrollwork at the top of the fence fails to disguise the sharp posts pointing upward like skeletal fingers reaching for the heavens.

"Yeah," I say, slowing all the way down to take in the view. The fence lining the road leads into the trees and directly toward my final destination. "Castle."