Chapter 1: Welcome to Point Pleasant
Lily Chen’s beat-up Volkswagen sputtered and coughed as she passed the weathered “Welcome to Point Pleasant” sign. The fading evening light cast long shadows across the road, turning the surrounding woods into a mass of indistinct, looming shapes. She eased the car onto the shoulder, muttering a string of colorful curses under her breath. This wasn’t the arrival she’d envisioned for her first big investigative piece.
Popping the hood, Lily stepped out into the crisp autumn air. A chill ran down her spine that had nothing to do with the temperature. The trees seemed to whisper, their leaves rustling despite the still air. She shook off the feeling, focusing instead on the useless heap of metal before her.
A battered pickup truck slowed beside her, its brakes squealing in protest. “Need a hand, miss?” The old man behind the wheel offered a kind smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes.
“Just some directions to the nearest motel, if you don’t mind,” Lily replied, forcing a smile of her own. She’d learned long ago not to accept help too readily from strangers, especially not in small towns where outsiders were eyed with suspicion.
The man’s expression darkened, the wrinkles on his weathered face deepening. “You might want to keep driving, young lady. Strange things happen here after dark.”
Before Lily could respond, he sped away, leaving her alone with the growing darkness and an unsettling feeling that her simple research trip was about to become something far more complicated.
She was about to reach for her cell phone when another vehicle approached. This time, it was a tow truck, its yellow lights cutting through the gloom.
The driver, a man in his early thirties with grease-stained coveralls, hopped out. “Car trouble?” he asked, flashing a friendly grin.
Lily nodded, grateful for the normal interaction after the cryptic warning from the old man. “Yeah, it just died on me. I’m not from around here.”
“I could’ve guessed that,” the man chuckled. “Name’s Jake. I run the garage in town. Let’s take a look.”
As Jake poked around under the hood, Lily introduced herself and explained she was a journalist working on a story about the town’s history. She carefully omitted any mention of the real reason for her visit – the strange occurrences and sightings that had been plaguing Point Pleasant for the past few months.
“Well, Lily, looks like your timing belt’s shot,” Jake said, wiping his hands on a rag. “I can tow you into town, but it’ll take a couple of days to get the part.”
Lily sighed, resigning herself to the delay. “I guess I don’t have much choice. Is there a motel nearby?”
Jake nodded, gesturing for her to hop in the truck. As they drove into town, Lily couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. The dense forest pressed in on both sides of the road, and more than once, she thought she saw movement in the shadows between the trees.
Point Pleasant itself was a small, quaint town that had seen better days. Boarded-up storefronts dotted Main Street, and the few people still out and about hurried along with their heads down, casting furtive glances over their shoulders.
“Folks here aren’t too fond of strangers,” Jake said, noticing Lily’s questioning look. “We’ve had some… trouble lately. Got everyone on edge.”
Lily’s journalistic instincts perked up. “What kind of trouble?”
Jake’s grip on the steering wheel tightened. “Nothing to concern yourself with. Just some local superstition getting out of hand.”
They pulled up in front of a dingy two-story building with a flickering neon sign that read “Riverside Motel.” Jake helped Lily with her bags, then handed her his card. “Give me a call when you’re ready to deal with that car. And Lily?” He hesitated, glancing around as if afraid of being overheard. “Be careful. Don’t go poking around where you’re not wanted.”
With that cryptic warning, he drove off, leaving Lily standing in front of the motel, her unease growing by the minute.
The lobby was dimly lit and smelled of stale cigarettes. The clerk, a thin woman with hollow eyes, barely looked up as Lily approached the desk.
“Room for one,” Lily said, sliding her credit card across the scratched surface.
The woman’s eyes flicked to the card, then to Lily’s face. “You’re not from around here.”
It wasn’t a question. Lily forced a smile. “Just passing through. Working on a story about small-town America.”
The clerk’s expression didn’t change as she handed over a key. “Room 237. Up the stairs, end of the hall.” She leaned in close, her voice dropping to a whisper. “Lock your door. And whatever you do, don’t look out the window after midnight.”
Before Lily could ask what she meant, the clerk had retreated to a back room, leaving her alone in the oppressive silence of the lobby.
Lily’s room was small and musty, with faded floral wallpaper and a sagging double bed. She set her laptop on the rickety desk and unpacked her camera and voice recorder. As she arranged her notes, a scrap of paper fluttered to the floor.
Picking it up, she read the hastily scrawled message: “The Mothman knows you’re here. Leave while you still can.”
A chill ran down Lily’s spine. She hadn’t told anyone the real reason for her visit – her editor’s wild idea to investigate the supposed Mothman sightings that had been reported in the area. How could anyone know?
She moved to the window, pushing aside the heavy curtains. The parking lot was empty save for her towed car and a rusty pickup truck. Beyond, the dark mass of the forest loomed, seeming to press in on the town from all sides.
As she was about to turn away, a movement caught her eye. At the edge of the woods, a tall, dark figure stood motionless. For a moment, Lily thought it was just a trick of the light. Then she saw the eyes – two glowing red orbs that seemed to stare directly at her.
Heart pounding, she let the curtain fall back into place. It was just her imagination, she told herself. The stress of the journey, the town’s eerie atmosphere, and that cryptic note were all getting to her.
But as she lay in bed that night, unable to sleep, Lily couldn’t shake the feeling that she was being watched. And somewhere in the darkness outside, something waited.
The Mothman of Point Pleasant was no longer just a story. And Lily Chen was about to discover how deep the mystery really went.