Summoner: The Book of Dimension

57 The Groundwave Town

Groundwave Town was a small rural town a state away from where Peter lived. He heard about it first from Josh when they were just starting to get close, but he never heard anything about the town. He didn’t have any interest in it anyway since Josh wasn’t enthusiastic to tell about it, so he never searched about it.

Not that Josh didn’t like the town, he thought it was just not that interesting to tell tales about.

But ever since he saw how Dorothy’s face had become pale, he grew curious about the town. She never actually told why she gave that reaction but she told Peter to be careful. Peter wanted to ask what was wrong but she refrained from talking about it and insisted that he should know it from anyone else.

The next day or the day before Josh’s funeral, he drove to Groundwave town. Since it would only take him more than eight hours to get to the said town, he didn’t bother asking a person to continue driving when he would feel tired. He planned to make stops so he wouldn’t feel too tired.

At lunch, when he drove three hours from his home, he stopped by a gas station to get his car refueled. Just to be sure, he even refueled near the full tank so he wouldn’t worry about it later.

When he was done, he noticed that there was a note that the machine where he’s supposed to just swipe his card to was out of order, so he needed to get inside the shop. He looked at the man who was muttering that he needed to pay for it inside while gesturing with his hands.

He nodded and thought he needed to buy some stuff anyway.

Locking his car door, he entered the shop and a middle-aged man welcomed him with a smile. Peter smiled back and nodded before he roamed in the shop to pick some food.

He picked up some snacks and drinks he might need throughout the ride and walked to the counter where he saw a roller grill where hot dogs were inside being cooked. “Can I get two of these?”

The person on the counter nodded. “With buns?” he asked.

Peter shook his head with a smile. “On stick will do,” he said and gave his card so the man could swipe it at the cashier register.

The person pressed some keys on the keyboard and swiped Peter’s card. Peter nodded to himself when he saw the price of all the things he got with the gas included.

“Here’s your card and change,” the man said and gave it to him before started packing the stuff Peter bought. He gave the plastic bag to him and went to get him two hot dogs. “You goin’ on a long road trip?” he glanced at Peter before he opened the roller grill.

Peter smiled and nodded. “Yeah. Groundwave Town. I’m still a little far,” he sighed.

The man gasped in surprise before he handed him the hot dogs. “Woah, Groundwave Town? Are you sure that’s where you’re heading to?”

He was confused but just nodded. “Yeah, I need to attend my friend’s funeral,” he said with a little hint of sadness at the same time, he thought it was too much to tell the stranger about his friend’s death.

The man’s expression softened. “So sorry about that lad,” he said and refrained from talking about the town when he heard about his lost friend. “Drive safely.”

Peter’s heart was warmed a little by the older’s words. He took all his stuff and left the gas station and went back to his car. He drove to a safe and allowed spot for parking to eat the hot dogs there.

He let his car window open and started eating one hot dog. He wondered why so far, people were reacting to the mention of the town as if it was the scariest thing they heard. By that, he started to believe that maybe there was a scary history that happened there.

When he was done with the first hot dog, his phone started to ring. He looked at the dashboard where it was placed and saw that it was Dorothy calling. He answered the call and put it on a loudspeaker.

“Peter?” she asked.

“Hmm? I’m still five hours away from the Groundwave Town,” he said and started eating the second and last hot dog.

Dorothy asked Peter to call her when he was near the town or if he reached the town. He smiled because there was worry in her voice. Somehow, he felt like his heart fluttered for a second. It was the first time he had a girl who worried about him.

“Yeah, I know. I’m just calling to ask if you’ve eaten lunch or something?” she asked and he heard sounds of plastic on the line.

He took his second bite and hummed. “I’m eating a hot dog. Are you preparing something?” he asked curiously. “It’s a shame I wouldn’t be able to eat what you’re preparing,” he said while chewing.

She chuckled. “I’m preparing some tacos. I’ll prepare some for you when you get back,” she said and he could tell from her voice that she was smiling.

He finished the hot dog and while chewing, he took a bottle of water from the plastic bag at the back seat. He gulped down some water and sighed in relief. “I’ll get going,” he said. “I’ll call you later.”

Dorothy hummed. “Okay. Drive safely,” she reminded him and ended the call.

The navigation app returned to the screen and after he had buckled himself to the seat belt, he started driving. He still had five more hours before he’d reach Josh’s town.

The drive was longer than he expected. He didn’t expect some traffic so he was taking a long time to even reach the next town after another.

An hour and a half before he would finally reach Groundwave Town, he went to a stop to take a break. He was not used to hours and a long road of driving since he usually take public transportation and if he would ever decide to drive on his own, it would take him no more than thirty minutes to get to his destination.

He parked in front of a restaurant and when he entered, he was welcomed by loud cheers from older men watching sports channel. He went to the counter.

The cashier was in her 40’s she had curly hair and had a mole near the left corner of her lips. She looked intimidating and feisty while chewing something he assumed to be chewing gum. He smiled to make him look friendly. “Hey, where’s the restroom?” he asked.

The woman looked at him from head to toe. He pointed to her left. “Just walk straight and turn right,” she said.

He took a few bills from his pocket. “I’ll get a cheeseburger,” he smiled and added. “I’ll get it when I’m back,” he said and walked to the direction of the restroom. He didn’t want to buy a burger, he got one because he felt bad just using the restroom without getting anything. And it was the woman’s face that made him buy. He was too intimidated.

He went out of the restroom and wiped his washed hand with his handkerchief. The woman was eyeing him when he got back. He started to think she just had that expression on her face. “Thank you, keep the change,” he said and took the burger.

“Hey,” someone called behind him.

He turned and it was a group of older men at a table. They didn’t look intimidating unlike the woman and they looked friendly. He pointed to himself because he was not sure if he was being called.

He walked to their table looking silly with the burger in his hand.

“Where are you going, lad?” one asked. “You don’t look like you’re from here,” he said.

Peter opened his mouth to speak but hesitated to tell them about his friend. “I’m going on Groundwave Town,” he simply said.

They all shared glances and their friendly faces were replaced with a hint of fear. “That Groundwave Town?”

One said, “That’s the only town with that name.”

Peter sighed and mustered his courage to ask, “What’s with the town? All people who heard it from me gave the same reaction.”

He was so curious and he didn’t know what to do anymore. No one would even tell him why.

One of them who had long curvy hair answered, “You’ve never heard of that town? How could you go to a place you never even know about?” he asked, bewildered.

Peter was flustered. “I have a funeral to attend to,” he had no choice but to tell them the reason. “So, what’s with this town anyway?”

The one with a braided beard chose to answer him. “The town was infamously known as a hunted town. Myths said it was protected by bad spirits so people who come there return to be ill.”

Peter almost laughed at hearing that. He just nodded to show he was believing and excused himself because he needed to continue driving.

Although it sounded more like folklore and rumor, knowing that it was known to be hunted made him feel like something bad was about to happen.