Chapter 100: One Quiet Day

Jesse Belle woke up just before the sunrise.

She always did.

The Nightmare Hotel was strangely peaceful in those moments before everyone else began moving. 

The endless hallways felt almost sacred in the early morning. 

Lamps cast warm golden light across polished wooden floors, and somewhere far away she could already hear the Haunted Chef banging pots together as he prepared breakfast.

She lay still for another minute, smiling softly.

Beside her, the shirtless Caretaker remained asleep.

It was still funny to think that someone like him could sleep so peacefully.

To the outside world he was a nightmare.

A towering monster hidden behind a heavy titanium mask.

A silent executioner.

To Jesse Belle…

He was simply her adorable husband.

She carefully reached over and brushed a strand of dark hair away from the edge of his eyes.

The Caretaker’s massive hand instinctively reached toward hers even while sleeping.

His fingers stopped short and gently wrapped around hers.

Jesse smiled quietly.

“You aren’t even awake all the way. And you’re so gentle.”

The giant squeezed her hand once.

She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

“Good morning babe.”

His single visible eye cracked open.

Seeing it was her, he relaxed and blinked lazily.

He squeezed her hand again.

“I know.”

She smiled.

“You don’t have to say anything. I’ll go get it.”

The Caretaker couldn’t talk.

The mad couple tried to remove the stitching on his lips but found that there was a powerful magic sealing his mouth.

Even if he never spoke, Jessie Belle was ok with that.

Jesse had learned long ago that his silence wasn’t completely empty.

The Caretaker spoke to her through tiny gestures.

A nod.

A certain look.

A hand resting on her shoulder.

Sometimes those things meant more than words ever could.

She climbed up from bed and stretched.

Her fingers just grazed the high ceiling’s chandeliers. 

Outside the window the town beneath the hotel was already beginning to wake.

Smoke drifted lazily out of chimney flues.

Farmers were heading out towards the fields.

Soon there will be children chasing one another through the streets while Mother Sarah’s chapel bells will ring softly in the distance.

The Nightmare Hotel no longer felt like Gene’s creation.

It felt alive.

It had become a home.

The Caretaker slowly sat up.

The bed groaned beneath his enormous frame.

Jesse walked over carrying one of his neatly folded coats.

“You have patrol duty this morning.”

He nodded.

“And afterward we’re helping the Chef.”

Another nod.

“Then you promised Lilith to play hide-and-seek with the kids.”

He paused.

Then gave what Jesse recognized as a very reluctant nod.

She burst into laughter.

“I know, I know”

She helped him adjust his mask.

“I don’t know how you got found by her either.”

His shoulders slumped dramatically.

She hugged his arm.

“Come on.”

“It’ll be fun.”

He looked deeply unconvinced.

⸻

Breakfast was already underway when they reached the dining hall.

The Haunted Chef stood proudly behind an enormous buffet.

Steam rose from mountains of food.

Fresh bread.

Honey-glazed ham.

Eggs cooked every imaginable way.

Stacks of fluffy pancakes.

Berry preserves.

Exotic fruits gathered from distant summoner worlds.

Large bowls of thick oatmeal.

Fresh cinnamon rolls still dripping icing.

The smell alone could wake the dead.

Lilith was already sitting at the table.

Five empty plates surrounded her.

She waved enthusiastically.

“Good morning!”

Jesse blinked.

“…You’ve already eaten?”

Lilith proudly pointed toward the empty dishes.

“Breakfast!”

She then pointed toward another plate.

“Second breakfast!”

Another.

“Dessert breakfast!”

Jesse laughed.

“You’ve been spending too much time with Gene.”

Lilith nodded enthusiastically.

“He his the best food ideas!”

The Caretaker gently patted Lilith’s head while walking past.

She immediately hugged his waist.

“Also you promised to play hide and seek with us later!”

He awkwardly patted her shoulder.

Nearby, Cassian and the police team sat together discussing maps spread across the table.

Moira was reading another ancient book while eating her toast.

The Mad Scientist couple debated whether dragons could safely receive mechanical lungs.

A line of nearby villagers lined up nearby to grab their free given breakfast before heading off to work.

Jesse sometimes forgot how wonderfully strange their family had become.

⸻

After breakfast…

The Caretaker began his daily patrol.

Jesse accompanied him.

Together they wandered through the growing town beneath the hotel.

Everywhere they walked…

People smiled.

Children waved.

Shopkeepers greeted them.

Nobody feared the Caretaker anymore.

Not here.

A little girl ran over carrying a flower.

She nervously held it upward.

“For you.”

The Caretaker froze.

He slowly accepted it using fingers gentle enough to avoid crushing even the tiny stem.

The child giggled.

“Thank you for protecting us.”

The giant stared.

Jesse could almost see his heart melting.

The little girl skipped away.

The Caretaker carefully tucked the flower behind one of the straps on his mask.

Jesse quietly slipped her hand into his.

“You’ve gone soft.”

He looked away.

She grinned.

“I love that.”

⸻

Their patrol continued towards the church.

Mother Sarah stood outside speaking quietly with Sisters Beatrice, Miriam, and Abigail.

The four horror nuns looked terrifying as ever.

Towering habits.

Dark veils.

Silver eyes.

Living shadows clinging around their feet.

Yet they were patiently teaching several children how tow properly plant flowers around the chapel.

Mother Sarah looked over to the newly arrived couple.

“Good morning.”

Jesse smiled.

“Yes, Good morning! Everything peaceful this morning?”

Mother Sarah nodded.

“For now.”

Those two words lingered strangely.

Jesse noticed Mother Sarah watching the horizon.

The nun’s expression remained calm.

But something behind her eyes felt…

Uneasy.

“You sense something?”

Mother Sarah was silent for several moments.

“…Storms rarely announce themselves.”

She shook her head,”This danger however… will arrive soon.”

Jesse glanced toward the distant forests.

Everything looked perfectly normal to her.

Still… Mother Sarah never said anything she didn’t mean.

A chill ran down her spine.

⸻

The rest of the morning passed quietly.

She helped bring groceries to help the Chef prepare lunch.

They baked fresh loaves of bread together.

The Haunted Chef insisted she taste every new recipe.

By noon Jesse felt pleasantly full and exhausted.

She found the Caretaker sitting beneath one of the large oak trees near the pond.

He watched ducks swimming peacefully.

She plopped down beside him.

Neither spoke.

They simply enjoyed their silence together.

Eventually Jesse rested her head against his shoulder.

“You’ve been calmer and happier lately.”

The giant slowly nodded.

She smiled softly.

“I am glad.”

⸻

That afternoon…

Lilith finally organized the game of the evening.

Hide-and-seek.

Nearly the entire hotel participated.

Cassian hid inside Athena’s maintenance tunnels.

Moira hid inside the library, as usual.

The Mad Scientists accidentally frightened everyone by hiding inside a gigantic mechanical spider.

Mother Sarah simply melted into shadows.

The Caretaker attempted hiding behind a tree.

Only half of him fit.

Lilith found him almost first.

She proudly declared herself the greatest seeker in history.

Nobody argued.

Mostly because she looked so happy.

⸻

Evening arrived.

The sunset painted the sky crimson and gold.

Dinner filled the hotel with laughter.

The wooden captain spoke excitedly about improving security.

Moira discussed historical records.

Cassian promised to help organize future scouting missions.

Aurelia was slowly becoming comfortable enough to laugh openly.

Jesse looked around the table.

Every chair held someone precious.

Every voice mattered.

She silently wished moments like this could last forever.

⸻

Night settled gently over the hotel.

One by one the lights went dark.

Most of the residents retired to their rooms.

Jesse and the Caretaker walked one final patrol beneath the stars.

The moon reflected beautifully across the pond.

Fireflies danced above the grass.

The world felt impossibly peaceful.

Halfway across the bridge…

The Caretaker suddenly stopped.

His head slowly turned toward the distant horizon.

Jesse immediately noticed.

“What is it?”

He didn’t move.

Didn’t blink.

Only stared.

Far beyond the forests…

Lightning silently flashed inside dark clouds.

No thunder followed.

Only another distant flash.

Then another.

The giant’s hand slowly tightened around the handle of his enormous blade.

Jesse looked carefully.

For just a heartbeat…

She thought she saw tiny green lights moving between the trees.

Then they vanished.

Probably imagination.

Probably.

She gently squeezed his hand.

“Everything will be alright.”

The Caretaker looked toward her.

Although his face remained hidden beneath cold steel…

She somehow knew.

He wasn’t convinced.

Neither was she.

They continued walking.

Behind them…

Far beyond the peaceful lights of the Nightmare Hotel…

Something unseen moved through the darkness.

And the quiet day that everyone had unknowingly treasured…

Would soon become the last peaceful day before war reached their home once again.