Danielle woke up in the morning just inches from the edge of her hotel bed with her arm hanging limply over the side. She must have been moving around in her sleep again. She rolled over onto her back and sat up, reaching her arms over her head in a luxurious stretch. Even though it was a cheap room, this place had wonderfully comfortable mattresses. Danny usually slept poorly on her first night in a new town, but she hadn’t even woken up once during the moonlight hours. It was too bad she was only passing through the town of Terry. She wished all the hotels she would be staying in had beds like these. Danny threw off her sheets and climbed out of the bed. She had heard that this place served free breakfast, and she didn’t want to be late. She changed into a comfy pair of sweat pants and a black tank top, and then twisted her wild red hair up into a messy bun on top of her head. Lastly, she slipped a pair of loafers onto her feet and headed down to the front lobby where the food was being served. No point in getting fancied up for a plate of bacon and eggs. There weren’t very many people in the breakfast line, so Danny got and finished her meal quickly. Afterwards, she headed back up to her room and changed into some more publicly-acceptable clothes. She let hair fall freely over her shoulders and put on a pair of blue jeans and high-tops. Before leaving Terry town, she wanted to do a little exploring. Maybe she could even find a good spot to make some money on the street with her ukulele. With that in mind, Danny set out to walk around and poke her head in the little shops that lined the roads. She was thoroughly enjoying herself, but she couldn’t help but notice the somber mood of the locals. They all looked tired or depressed. She wondered why. The town seemed so peaceful and pleasant. Perhaps they had lived there long enough that they were growing numb to its charm? Danny decided to try and lighten the mood by performing for the people. She found a shady spot beneath a tree in a crowded shopping center and brought her ukulele out from its case. A couple of people turned to watch her in curiosity, like they had never seen a street performer before. But then again, maybe they hadn’t. Danny set the open case out beside her and tossed a few of her own coins inside to give her audience a hint. She strummed the nylon strings to make sure her instrument was tuned, and then began to play a song. When she started to sing, a few passerbys stopped to listen. By the time Danny finished her first song, a small crowd had gathered. They clapped politely and some put money in her ukulele case. After about an hour, she felt like she had made a decent amount of cash, so she put her instrument away and went back to her hotel room to pack her things. As much as she liked the atmosphere of the little town, she had to move on. She still had plenty of ground to cover before she reached the east coast. Danny filled her suitcase and brought it out to her car, loading it into the trunk. She climbed into the driver’s seat and took off down the narrow road leading out of Terry town. She looked in the rearview mirror to get one final glimpse of the town. When she did, her heart skipped a beat. For a second, it looked like there was someone sitting in her back seat. When she blinked, the figure disappeared, but her heart still raced in shock. She turned her eyes back to the road and shook her head. It must have been her imagination. She turned on the radio to distract herself from the strange apparition and continued to drive down the street. Soon, the buildings outside gave way to trees as she entered the surrounding forest… but then the trees gave way to more buildings. Danny frowned. This was odd. The nearest city was many miles away, so she shouldn’t have seen buildings again for at least a half an hour. She narrowed her eyes to read a sign on the side of the road: WELCOME TO TERRY TOWN. This was even more unusual. Danny was sure she hadn’t made any turns when she left. The road was as straight as an arrow. Maybe it curved at some point and she just hadn’t noticed? Danny turned her car around and tried to head out in the opposite direction. She definitely remembered coming into the town from this street the day before. She probably just missed the exit while she was distracted by the music on the radio. But after a while, she saw the sign again with its now-ominous writing: WELCOME TO TERRY TOWN. Okay, this was getting weird. Danny drove back into the town and tried a different street, but she continued to return as faithfully as a boomerang. After the fourth dead end, she was feeling slightly unnerved. After the seventh, she was thoroughly freaked out. Locals with grim faces watched her circle helplessly. Danny avoided their sullen gazes. Now she was certain: Something was definitely wrong with this place. -- Danny crawled out of bed and headed down to breakfast with her red hair and over-sized clothes disheveled. She yawned tiredly as she walked down the stairs to the front lobby for breakfast. It had been three days since she arrived in this godforsaken town, and the stress of it all was wearing her out. She tried calling one of her friends for help yesterday, but there was no cellphone reception anywhere. She was beginning to think that she would be trapped here forever. After breakfast, Danny cleaned herself up and headed out the shopping center with her ukulele again. She knew she should probably start thinking about getting a job, but she if she starting working permanently in the town that would make her situation feel too real. She wanted to cling to the hope that she could get out of here somehow. And so, she continued to earn money with music. Danny settled down beneath the tree and set her ukulele case out like she had on her first day in Terry. A small crowd had already gathered nearby to watch her perform. In the three days she had been here, it seemed like she had already earned a reputation. Well, it wasn’t a bad thing. She needed as much money as she could get, and if the locals were willing to pay her, she wasn’t going to complain. Danny quickly tuned her ukulele and began to play her first song: Well, you done done me and you bet I felt it I tried to be chill but you're so hot that I melted I fell right through the cracks Now I'm trying to get back Before the cool dawn run out I'll be giving it my bestest And nothing's gonna stop me but divine intervention. I reckon, it's again my turn To win some or learn some. But I won't hesitate No more, no more. It cannot wait, I'm yours. Well, open up your mind and see like me, Open up your plans and damn you're free. Look into your heart and you'll find love, love, love, love. Listen to the music of the moment, people dance and sing, we're just one big family And it's our God-forsaken right to be loved, loved, loved, loved, loved So I won't hesitate No more, no more. It cannot wait, I'm sure. There's no need to complicate. Our time is short. This is our fate, I'm yours. I've been spending way too long checking my tongue in the mirror And bending over backwards just to try to see it clearer But my breath fogged up the glass And so I drew a new face and I laughed. I guess what I'll be saying is there ain't no better reason To rid yourself of vanities and just go with the seasons. It's what we aim to do. Our name is our virtue. But I won't hesitate No more, no more. It cannot wait, I'm yours.

"I just entered Indiana. Not too long before I get to your place." "Great! I'm excited to see you Ray... Its been a real long time." "Yeah." "Look. I know I wasn't a good kid, and I know I fucked up a lot... But I promise you I've changed." "Alright Eric. Look, I'll call you when I get in to Indianapolis." "Alright Ray. I love yo--" Raymond Chase waited for his little brother to finish his sentence, but when he looked at his phone, he realized that the line was dead. His phone was not working. At this point, Raymond didn't know whether or not he charged his phone that morning. He had been driving north for some time now to visit his younger brother who now lived in Indianapolis. The last time he saw him, Ray went off on Eric saying he couldn't be his body guard anymore, and left the angry kid alone. There were times he regretted that decision, but then again, he mostly didn't. He loved his brother, and would do anything for him, but he never appreciated it, and he knew that he didn't want to live on the streets forever. Welcome to Terry Town a sign read as he entered the town. It looked a nice town actually, but as he looked at the people walking down the street, they looked at his car full of sorrow or pity. What was that for? Did his car really look that bad? He parked his car outside the small little restaurant and inn, walking in and seeing the place a bit empty. He got a quick thing to eat. A cheeseburger and some fries. He looked at the waitress and saw her looking at him with that same look of pity. He stared at her with a raised eyebrow, her dark green eyes showing confusion. He quickly ate his burger, feeling a bit uncomfortable, and made his way outside. A small crowd was forming at the park across the street, and the sound of pleasant ukulele playing coming from the center. He followed the sound of the music, and coming across a red headed girl singing a nice tune. He smiled a bit at the thought, looking at the people showing a bit of happiness in their faces. Raymond pulled out his cell phone again, but still seeing that it wasn't showing any sign of turning on. huh. Weird.

Danielle finished her song and the spectators dropped their spare change into her ukulele case. She gave them the friendliest smile she could muster. She still didn’t know if anyone else here was aware of the strange circling roads. If they did, they didn’t seem to care much. Every time she asked the locals about her problem, they would just give her weird looks or click their tongues and shake their heads as if she was a child who was just learning how hard life was in the real world. Their apathy bothered her. Still, she needed money, so she would just have to keep her irritation to herself. Just as Danny was about to start her next song, she caught sight of something that made her pause. Among the crowd of people that had gathered around her, there was one person who didn’t share the ever-present, sullen stare that plagued most of the locals in Terry town. A man was looking down at the screen of his cellphone. He seemed frustrated about something. The emotion on his face was the most human thing Danny had seen since she arrived in this godforsaken place. Maybe there were normal people in Terry, after all. Well, either way, she didn’t have time to ponder this now. The spectators were waiting, and she didn’t want them to leave. Danny turned her eyes away from the man and started to play her next song: I heard that you're settled down That you found a girl and you're married now I heard that your dreams came true Guess she gave you things I didn't give to you Old friend, why are you so shy? Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light I hate to turn up out of the blue, uninvited But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded That for me, it isn't over Never mind, I'll find someone like you I wish nothing but the best for you, too Don't forget me, I beg, I remember you said Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead You know how the time flies Only yesterday was the time of our lives We were born and raised in a summer haze Bound by the surprise of our glory days I hate to turn up out of the blue, uninvited But I couldn't stay away, I couldn't fight it I had hoped you'd see my face and that you'd be reminded That for me, it isn't over Never mind, I'll find someone like you I wish nothing but the best for you, too Don't forget me, I beg, I remember you said Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead Nothing compares, no worries or cares Regrets and mistakes, they're memories made Who would have known how bittersweet this would taste? Never mind, I'll find someone like you I wish nothing but the best for you Don't forget me, I beg, I remember you said Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead Sometimes it lasts in love, but sometimes it hurts instead By the end of the song, many of the people in Danny’s audience had filtered back into the other parts of the shopping center. Only a few stuck around to listen to her finish, but that was okay. She had made enough money for one day, and she was getting hungry. Maybe she could grab something to eat at one of the restaurants in the area. Danny put her instrument away and got to her feet, slinging the strap of her ukulele case over one shoulder. She checked the time on her phone —displaying the time was all it was good for these days— and looked around for a place to get some food, stuffing the cellphone unceremoniously into the back pocket of her jeans.

Raymond stayed for the continuation of her second song, still glancing at his phone. thinking about it now, his phone wasn't that low in battery just a half hour ago. Half of the people started to leave, their faces getting back to their look of self pity and despair. He looked back at the red head girl, she took out her phone, and started to put her stuff away. He really needed to get out of here. If he wanted to see Eric by tonight, he had to hit the road. He wasn't going to disappoint him, even if Eric disappointed him. That wasn't the point. They were trying to bring the small family they had back together, and he was tired of being alone in this world. He walked up to the red head, looking around and seeing no one was around. "Excuse me, Miss?" Raymond asked with a smile, trying his best to be friendly. "May I please borrow your phone? Mine's not working, and I really need to get a hole of someone." Raymond said, hopeful he could talk to Eric and tell him he might be a bit later than expected. This place was starting to freak him out. The people seemed to walk around in a routine, their eyes blank, looking paler than most people... But this woman was different. She still had this joy flowing through her in a way. She seemed like a care free spirit, what with her ukulele playing and singing. He felt more comfortable to ask her questions than anyone else here in the town of Terry.

“Excuse me, Miss?” Danielle turned at the sound of a voice. She was surprised to see the man she had picked out from the crowd standing in front of her. It was strangely ironic that he had approached her after she had noticed him. No one else had come up to her in the few days she had spent in Terry Town. Maybe this man really was different than the others. Well… insofar as she could tell, his voice was different. It was almost eerie to hear someone speak without a monotone, after enduring days of drawling locals. The human ring to it was pleasant on her ears. “May I please borrow your phone?” The man asked, offering a friendly smile. “Mine's not working, and I really need to get ahold of someone.” “Oh, I’m sorry,” Danny held her hands out in a helpless shrug. “Mine isn’t working either. I think this town just has bad reception.” A dozen different thoughts flitted through Danny’s mind. This man was obviously new to Terry if he had only just discovered that his phone didn’t work here. She wondered where he came from; why he was here. Just how much did he know about the town? Was he trapped, too? She wanted to bombard him with questions, but she held her tongue. If he wasn’t stuck on the looping roads, she would only look like a raving lunatic by mentioning them. She would have to play her cards more carefully than that. Still, she couldn’t help the newfound hope that bubbled up in her chest. Perhaps the man was her key to escape from this prison at last. “You know,” Danny said. “You seem pretty new around here, and most people don’t come to Terry Town to sightsee. I’m going to guess you have someplace you’re headed. Am I right?” She couldn’t let him go just yet. She had to think of a way to keep him talking so she could glean some more information out of him. She stood on her tiptoes to peer over the man’s shoulder. “If you’re not in a hurry, there’s a decent coffee shop just over there. I can give you a rundown of the town and all its perks, if you’d like. Even if you’re just passing through, there are some nice little spots I’d recommend visiting before you leave. What do you say?”

Raymond frowned at the red head's response to his question. Her phone was out too? He glanced down at his phone yet again before putting it in his pocket in defeat. Great. He wondered if there were any payphones around that he could try to use. Her voice snapped him back in to reality, looking at her when she said he looked new, and had some place else to be. He nodded, looking around at the other citizens again before back at her. "Yeah, heading up to Indianapolis..." Raymond said. He didn't go in to details. One he just met the girl, and didn't want to bore her with his sob story, and he was getting weird vibes from this place, and was hesitant to trust the people here. The thought of wanting to stay in Terry Town any longer wasn't very appealing. What exactly was there to see in this town? A bunch of depressed looking people and a cute red head who had a good singing voice? He was sure he could find that anywhere else, but looking at the girl again, there was a sense of desperation. She was the first one to really have a conversation with him in this town, not even the people in that little restaurant said a combination of ten words to him. He gave a smile and nod. "Sounds good." Together they walked, Raymond's hands in his pockets as the red head was next to him. "I didn't catch your name before. I'm Raymond Chase." The man said looking over at her again. Might as well try to be friendly, he hasn't talked to anyone in person for a while, this road trip was a long one.

Danielle let out an inward sigh of relief when the man agreed to let her tell him more about Terry Town. She really didn’t care if he wanted to know about it or not, but now she had an opportunity to find out why she was stuck here. Well, she still couldn’t be sure he could answer any of her questions, but he was the best chance she had so far. Now she just had to figure out a way to get information out of him without looking like a complete nutcase. “I didn’t catch your name before,” the man said, pulling Danny from her thoughts. “I’m Raymond Chase.” “Nice to meet you, Raymond,” she said in reply, meeting his gaze with a friendly smile. “My name’s Danielle Moreau, but you can just call me Danny. Ah, here we are.” She waved a hand at the entrance to the little coffee shop. “I know it’s not much to look at, but I promise they have good drinks.” The front doors had been left open for customers to come and go freely, so she stepped inside, gesturing for Raymond to follow her. “So,” Danny said as she got in line —it was a short one with only two other people ahead of them— and idly looked over the menu. “Have you ever been to Terry before or is it your first time here?” She glanced at Raymond curiously. It was a subtle inquiry, but hopefully it would be enough to get at least a few of her real questions answered without bluntly asking: ‘are you trapped in this cursed place, too?’

Danielle Moreau gave a smile and her name right before they walked in tot he coffee shop. It was small, cozy, the different scents of coffees. The front was run by only one woman, the same glazed over look in her eyes. Ray stood in line behind Danny. He followed suit with Danny's gaze, looking at the menu. He wasn't really in the mood for coffee. He was starting to lose a bit of his patience as the line seemed to barely go by, even with just the four of them. He shook his head at her question, looking away from the menu and towards her. "No, I never knew this place existed." Raymond spent most of his life travelling up and down the east coast, so Indiana was foreign territory to him. He knew the stereotypical things about this state. Cornfields, The Colts, and Indianapolis. One of the people in line finally got their order, and he walked by, his shoulder bumping in to Ray's. The man didn't say anything, he just kept on going. Ray watched him exit the store, then looked at Danny yet again. "This town doesn't really scream 'welcome, tourists'. You don't act or look like a local." Ray pointed out, trying to confirm his suspicions of her being a traveler just like he once was.

So, Raymond was new here, too. How new he was, Danny had yet to find out although, with the uncomfortable way he looked around the depressing townspeople, it was likely that he hadn’t been here for very long. He probably didn’t even know about the looping roads yet. Danny’s heart sank as another thought came to her. Apart from this man, she hadn’t seen any other travelers in Terry Town. It was possible that she was the only one who was stuck here, after all.

“This town doesn't really scream ‘welcome, tourists,’” Raymond said as one of the other coffee shop customers brushed past his shoulder. “You don’t act or look like a local.”

“I’ll take that as a compliment,” Danny said, watching the man shuffle mirthlessly out of the building. “But no, I’m not a local. I was on my way to the East coast, but due to… err… circumstances, I’ve been staying here for the past few days. Oh, by the way, don’t worry about paying for that drink. I’ll cover you just this once. Consider it a welcoming gift.” She smiled and turned to the barista before Raymond could argue with her. “Hi there. I’ll have a small iced tea.” The man nodded absently and took down her order, then looked at Raymond, waiting for him to say what he wanted.

Raymond gave a smirk whens he said that she took not being classified as a local a compliment. It was the truth. He didn't know how to explain it, but she still had a bit of fight in her. He was going to protest about her paying for his drink, but Danny was already talking to the barista. Both of their attention moved to him, waiting for him to order something. He glanced up at the menu yet again, and then took a small step forward. "I'll have a coffee, a lot of milk and cream please." Ray said. As the two waited for their drinks, Ray looked over at Danny and gave a smile. "Thanks for paying... So you're heading to the East Coast? I'd stay out of Newark. People there are like New Yorkers but a bit greasier, and traffic is terrible." Ray decided to keep with light conversation, even if it sounded a bit half hearted. After his years on the road and him already being a bit cautious of this town, he had a weird feeling she was hiding something from him.

The two got their drinks, Ray giving a smile and "thank you" and the barista simply gave a dull smile and walked away from the two. "You visiting any family on the Coast, or site seeing?" Ray decided to ask between their sips of coffee and tea. The coffee had a bit of a bitter and bland taste to it, he thought it fit the town rather nicely, but he didn't say it out loud.

“I’m on a cross-country road trip,” Danny answered Raymond’s question. “Just a little post-college adventure. Come on, I said I’d show you around town. Walk and talk.” She waved a hand, gesturing for him to follow her as she exited the coffee shop. They passed another dreary customer on their way out the door, to whom she nodded politely and from whom she received no response. She just shrugged and kept going. After three days of living with the emotionless townspeople, she was used to their weird habits.

“Let’s see,” Danny mused, looking around the little shopping center. She scrambled to think of something interesting to show him, but Terry Town really was a boring place. There wasn’t much beyond the small stores and plain buildings, and she doubted Raymond would be thrilled to visit any of those. She couldn’t let him go just yet, though. He was her first real shot at getting out of this place, and she couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

“You know what?” Danny said, struck with a sudden idea. “Why don’t you decide what you want to see first? I know you’ve never been here before, but is there anything you might want to look for? Maybe a souvenir store or a recreational stop? There has to be something.” She looked up at him, hoping he would take up her offer. “You’re the boss. Just name the place, and I’ll find it for you.”

A cross-country road trip? Not something he was a fan of. He was done traveling, especially while driving up north now to get stuck in a place like this. When she then told him how they will "walk and talk" Raymond gave a small smile. He had a feeling there wasn't much to this town, and as they stepped outside to the dazed looking city. They had the street that was empty with the occasional parked car on the curb, the small park, and the line of old fashioned stores that any other back road town would have.

When asked what he wanted to see, Raymond looked around, then gave a laugh and shrug. "I'm not sure. Never been to one of these places before... How about a place to get a souvenir. A "I heart Indy" bumper sticker or something." Raymond said with another laugh, and it quietly died out as he saw the blank faces of the townspeople here. He turned to her and sighed. "I'm sorry if I'm acting a bit like an ass. Its just, I was driving up to see someone, and as soon as I get here my phone dies, and I keep getting looks like I'm going to die soon." Raymond said.

"So, a souvenir would be good. A little gag gift for this.. interesting little town." Raymond nodded with a small smile, waiting for her to lead the way. As they continued to walk, Raymond decided to start some small talk again. "You usually stay a couple days in towns on the road? Or just when you're too exhausted?"

“Okay,” Danny nodded. “A souvenir shop, it is.” She made no comment on his attitude about Terry Town because, honestly, she felt the same way. She had been here long enough to know that the locals didn’t mean any harm, but their blank faces and monotone voices were still unnerving. Raymond really hit the nail on the head when he said he was ‘getting looks like he was going to die soon.’ She had gotten the same impression when she first arrived in this place.

“You usually stay a couple days in towns on the road?” Raymond asked. “Or just when you’re too exhausted?”

“No,” Danny said slowly, trying to think of a plausible excuse. ‘I like this town’ didn’t sound very believable at this point, but there was no way she could tell him the truth without sounding like a lunatic. “I was gonna keep going to the next town over, but something came up. I’m just staying here until everything… works itself out.” There. That wasn’t a half bad response. It was vague, but acceptable. She felt quite pleased with herself.

Danny then noticed a commotion on the side of the road. A group of townspeople were gathered in a ring, staring down at the ground. They were murmuring to each other incoherently. Danny slowed to a stop, watching the strange event from a distance. Okay, this was strange; even more so than usual. The locals never took interest in anything, so what had they found that actually caught their attention? She glanced at Raymond, “Maybe there’s a street fight. Want to go check it out?”

Raymond looked over at Danny when she talked, her response a normal one, not really noticing how slowly she was talking. "Yeah, that's the way it seems to work. Always something popping up." Ray shrugged, knowing all too well that that was his life. Always something popping up to screw them over. It was life, and Raymond was good at putting up a good fight. Ray then noticed that he was now walking by himself. Danny was too busy looking across the street. Ray walked back towards her, staring at the new crowd. The only time this happened since he's been here was when Danny was singing.

Raymond was curious, so when Danny asked if he wanted to check it out, he gave a nod, and together they walked forward. The closer the two got to the crowd, the more and more creepy the scene became. The crowd was muttering things that Raymond couldn't understand, but in the center of the circle they made, were three figures. Two people, a man and a woman, were standing over another man, who seemed to be crying. The two standing over him were glaring, whispering harsh things that again, Raymond couldn't understand. What he did understand was that the two started to kick him.

Raymond tore through the circle, walking up to them. "Hey... Hey! Back off! Stop! Hey!" Raymond yelled. The two didn't respond to him, and continued to kick the man on the ground. Raymond pushed away the man and woman, their whispers becoming louder. "Worthless" Was what Raymond heard coming from their mouths. The two kept coming back to kick him until Raymond pushed harder, making them fall as well.

The only sound now was the man on the ground crying. Except he wasn't crying, he was laughing. It was a maniac's laughter, like the ones you hear in the movies when someone has completely lost it. He was curled up, laughing. Raymond leaned down next to him, seeing if he was alright. "W-we're all d-d-dead..." The man cackled, rubbing his head in the ground. Raymond gently put his hand on the man's shoulder, and as soon as he made contact, the laughing got louder. "Dead dead dead..." The man said softly.

Raymond swallowed hard, his mind telling him to get the hell away from this man. "Hey, are you alri--" He was cut off by the man shooting upward, his face now inches from Raymond's. "WE ARE ALL DEAD!" The man screamed with another fit of laughter. He put his hands on Raymond's shirt, and started banging. "It's all worthless! There's no hope, this town won't let us! Its Hell" He screamed at him, then looking at everyone else. Raymond pushed him back hard, backing away until he hit the legs of the people surrounding them. Ray then backed away from them, scrambling to his feet. He yet again felt hands on his shoulders, turning to see the crazed man again. "We might as well kill each other now, eh? End the suffering!"

Raymond pushed, but the man wouldn't budge. In a desperate effort Raymond punched the man, with Raymond being much bigger, the man flew back on the ground, laughing again. "yes, th-the pain feels...." he gave a weak chuckle. "There's no way out... Terry is Hell..." He muttered, cackling again. Raymond stared at him, backing out of the circle looking around at the people now staring at him. Raymond's heart was racing, his breaths heavy. What the hell was wrong with these people?! What did the man mean with all of this bullshit?Forget the souvenir shop, he wanted to get out of here. Now!