first night at the hotel.

Anton Borisov is walking around his room wearing the Adam suit. he thinks about the past, as he tries to keep himself on the present. he has taken the wrong choice so many times. he often questions his morality. he hates himself for the wrong doings of his past.

today was just supposed to be another day. then he heard of a person from his past who died, and curiosity made him visit their funeral. he took the bus for the first time in years. now he stands in the middle of nowhere unsure if he deserves the punishment or if it isn't enough.

he stops on the bathroom to washes his face. he then takes a cold shower. he keeps his eyes close while figures stand on the opposite side of the bathroom observing him. there are noises similar to chains getting dragged coming from the opposite side of the walls. then there is this loud noise like that of a sharp knife cutting flesh.

Anton refuses to open his eyes. he assumes that it is all on his head. he assumes that those noises are his guilt playing games on him. after some time, he finally gets out of the bathtub. he looks at his reflection on the mirror of a second. he then takes a towel. he covers himself on the towel as he gets out of the bathroom. 

a figure stands near to the bed. Anton nervously turns the lights on. he looks directly at the eyes of Norman Blackwood, who has a friendly smile. he holds a bottle of vodka. he tells this little story of how he was scared of the noises and decided to visit a man of similar beliefs. he then asks Anton if he wants to share a drink or two.

Anton dresses up in front of the unwelcome guest. he takes a bottle of grape juice from the floor and let's Norman know that he doesn't drink liquor. he is a man of the cloth. he can't betray his belief so easily like that.

the two men start to drink their respective drinks. they keep a civil and simple conversation as they keep taking pauses to drink. there is light on Norman's face. while Anton looks pale, it is as if he had forgotten how to live. there is a void on his heart.

Norman stops drinking for a moment. he puts the bottle to the side. he stares intensely into the eyes of the preacher. is like if he is trying to read his soul. he then laughs as a maniac as if he had found out something interesting worth laughing about.

Anton ignores him for the most part. he knows that the guy in front of him is a cult leader. under different circumstances he would have spoken out and condemn him. but under the strange circumstances that pushes them into a field of void. he can't bring himself to stay away nor attack the only person in here who may understand him.

Norman feels the exact same way. he will go around condemning those who oppose his beliefs and stepping on top of those who he considers inferior to him. but since the ride on the bus there was something different about Anton. it was as if he had found a person like him.

"We are alike." said Norman.

"I can't find in myself the proper words to deny your statement. I see darkness creeping out of your eyes, the same kind of darkness that is often found in the reflection of myself." answers Anton feeling melancholic.

"There is no need to deny your true nature. accept it the way it is. we are beast of darkness. we are creatures of evil. there is nothing to be ashamed. just embrace your ego." 

"I am afraid of that concept. there is nothing more terrifying than to give in to your instincts and to allow yourself to become something sinister that you can't even recognize. I want to keep my humanity for whatever I have left of life." 

"You are too soft. let evil rule you, become evil and then rule the world. that is the simplest way to explain our destiny. don't you hear it? it is knocking the door. it wants to come out. let it out. you won't regret a single thing. I promise that much."

"What do you truly want from me?"

"I want you to join me. become one of my faithful followers. the kingdom of MY god will be yours. I will lead as a king of kings. and you among many more will be the kings who rule under me. I want to become some sort of a God. I am not too far from that."

"I am sorry, but it seems like we don't share ideals. we may be alike. but we aren't the same."

Norman stands up. he leaves the bottle on top of the bed. he gives his personal business card to Anton with a smile. he then walks away without even looking back. once he is gone the silence creeps into the room.

Anton looks at the bottle feeling conflicted emotions. he then stands up. he walks towards the big window with a view to the town. he stands in there reflecting on himself. his actions had affected enough people on the past. he wants to be a better man.

the town seems to be completely empty for the most part. then there is a gentleman in suit standing in the middle of the street. it seems like he is walking towards the hotel. Anton trembles unable to understand why, but he feels immense fear by just looking at that man.

the gentleman in question is August Fisherman, the mayor of the town. and a figure that will become more notable later. for the time being as a ghost he is just standing on the distance. then as a phantom he vanishes on the fog.

Anton lies down on bed ready to sleep. he tries to close his eyes. there is a ghostly figure attached to the ceiling staring at Anton. he doesn't notice the ghostly figure. he turns around peacefully as he tries to think about a positive tomorrow.

but Anton wasn't the only one with an interesting night to share. there are others who aren't sleeping even when midnight was a long time ago.

on a floor above, Francesco is watching TV on the middle of the night. Catherynne lies on the same bed embracing her beloved. they watch some Italian Giallo movies. Francesco is not the kind of man who knows how to love, but for some reason he can't take this girl out of his head. for some reason he can't see his future away from her.

"I had never been a movies guy. the ones on black & white are too boring. and there are some that are either too stupid or too pretentious." said the detective while smoking.

"What do you think about the ones we watch together?" asks Catherynne out of curiosity.

"They are fine. the colors are pleasant on the eyes. the nudity is tempting, but only when I have you on my side to recreate some of the 'action' in them. the plot is questionable. but it seems entertaining, by the way. the one guy is the killer. I bet five dollars on it."

"I am still debating what I love so much about you, maybe it's your body. your personality is kind of boring. your face is fine, but I had done better. but your body is otherworldly. there is something about you that is addicting."

"I don't mind your kind words. I know my body is all women had ever cared about. at least you are honest about it. other women pretend to love me. and to be honest I love you for that."

"Do you truly love me? oh, you were right. he is the killer."

"What can I say, I have a sense to detect criminals. all evil in this world has a red around them. a red smoke like thing attach to them."

"Do you see it often? I mean, we all had done some wrong in the world."

"Not often. but for the first time in decades, it was intoxicating the smoke coming from the bus. almost everyone in there had the red smoke coming from them."

"How many of them? how many of them are criminals?"

"I am unsure. there are too many. in the case of four of them. the smoke wasn't just red. it was almost pitch black with touches of red. I wasn't able to see three of them. but one of them came here with us. the cultist is bad news. I know people who had gone after him. good men who were destroyed or disappeared when going after him."

"Then. why didn't you act when you saw him on the bus? or when he came here?"

"Because he isn't the prey I am going after. one of the others is the killer. and I will stop once he is out of the equation. then, the cultist is next."