The Inn with a Past

"Let's just run from here dude", Mark said as he looked around trying to find a window or some opening through which they could escape, but there were none. "Shit where we get out from, there are no windows. Maybe we should just tell them that we are leaving and walk out of the front door".

"I don't think that will work," Phil answered with grimness in his voice. "If I am not wrong, that ogre is just waiting outside the washroom door, waiting for us."

"Then what do we do?"

"Let's just go with the flow. Once we are in our rooms we will ask them whether they really want it to happen. If they don't - then all's well. We spend the night and next day before dawn, we are out of this place"

"But what if they want to?" asked Mark.

"Then we..."

"Hey lads - you still in there?" It was the landlord and he was outside the door waiting for them - just as Phil expected.

Answering in unison, both of them replied "Yes, Yes. We are both here." With one last helpless stare at each other, Mark and Phil made their way out of the washroom where they found the landlord waiting for them with an evil grin on his wart covered face, which send shivers down their spines.

"Let's go lads. Don't want to make the ladies wait do we?" the landlord said with a grin and a wink.

Both of them just nodded and followed the landlord outside, where the two girls were waiting for them. Meeting the girls again, the two lads felt butterflies dancing in their bellies. They couldn't remove their eyes from the two girls. The girls on the other hand were blushing furiously under their intense gaze.

The trance was broken by the loud coughing of the landlord. "Come on then, we haven't got all night. Move on." With that he ushered the couples out of the pub and towards the back of the old building.

The two girls led the two young lads out to the back of the inn and up the only flight of stairs. Catherine stopped outside a door.

"This is your room sir," she said looking at Phil.

"If this is my room then who am I sharing with?" Though he knew the answer, Phil still asked.

Catherine looked away with a deep red blush forming on her beautiful face. "It-It's with me sir," Catherine stammered still refusing to look at Phil.

Mary was standing at the next door along with Mark, "And you're in here...with me Sir." She gestured to Mark. Both of the two girls were blushing furiously and fidgeting like two little schoolgirls.

"Um...okay. Lead the way" replied Phil, with his own checks burning red. "I will see you in the morning bro," Phil called out to Mark who was shameless staring at Mary.

"Err...yeah sure. Good night bro." Phil could see a slight redness in his friend's cheeks as well. Mentally chucking at his friend's apprehension, Phil followed Catherine inside their room like a puppy following his master.

The lines of trees were on a slight incline and bent round to the right. It had been hard work for the two old men, but they knew that they had to get to the top; their goal was close at hand.

"Those two were truly beautiful weren't they Phil?" Mark asked his friend as they were climbing the steep slope of the mountain towards their goal.

"Yes my friend." Taking a deep breath Phil continued,"I still remember Catherine's face. It was truly the most beautiful face I had ever seen in my life."

Mike nodded and smiled at his friend. It was true for him as well. He still remembered Mary's beautiful face - her dazzling smile, her enticing curves, her red sensual lips and her deep blue eyes. The most beautiful thing of Mary which was still etched in his heart was the sound of her sweet laughter. He would have never known that the laughter of a woman could be as beautiful and arousing as same time if he had not heard Mary laughing. "Amen to that brother. Amen to that..."

Forty years ago...

Mark woke early the next morning. Light was shining through the hole in the outside wall. It was a hole, not a window; no glass protected the interior from the elements. His head hurt - too much alcohol, he presumed.

The bed he woke up in was uncomfortable, hard and itchy with foul smelling sheets. The room was in a bad condition as well. Cracks and spider webs decorated the room. The room was lit by candles with one still burning brightly in the daylight. But what lay beside him, made all the imperfections disappear from his eyes. Mary laid nestled beside him, her naked body lying in warm and wondrous complement to his own, the smooth curves of her buttocks against his groin, the length of her spine resting against his chest. He was unable to fully appreciate her beauty in the dimly lit room with his senses overloaded with alcohol. But now - he could see with his own eyes - the exotic creature that lay nestled against him. He was in love with a girl whom he met not a few hours before and he was helpless but to accept it.

Getting out of bed, he walked over to the window. Mark could see the river and the patchwork of fields growing all manner of various grains. One thing puzzled him though, he was sure a telegraph pole was in the field at the bottom of the valley.

Mark remembered their last night together vividly - even if he was drunk. The memories of how both of them were fidgeting like teenagers - not knowing what to say. He was the first who broke the ongoing silence. Mark chuckled on remembering his first words which came out of his mouth. "Are you a virgin?" Both Mark and Mary where stunned. He on hearing what he just said and she also on hearing what he just said. He still remembered how she blushed furiously and nodding her head slightly. Though he remembered accepting to sleep on either corners of the bed with a safe distance between them, but someone had other plans. One thing led to another and the next thing he remembered were the two of them making passionate love to each other on the old creaking bed.

Returning his attention to the sleeping beauty, he found that his lover was watching him with her deep blue eyes and an exquisite smile etched on her angelic face. "You are awake"

Mark smiled and nodded. Mary held the sheet up to cover herself and he found her coy attempts at modesty charming. "Good morning dear".

She returned his smile. "Good morning. Is something wrong?" Mary asked tentatively.

Mark made his way towards the bed and climbed on top. With a sly smile, he grasping the sheet and whipping it back, leaving her naked and uncovered. "No, but this is better," he replied. Mary squealed with laughter, the blush in her cheeks deepening. Just the sight of her, all lean lines and soft curves, her hair askew and her face bright with color, stirred immediate arousal within him, making him grow suddenly, unexpectedly rigid.

"And this is better still," Mark said, taking hold of her ankles and pulling her toward the edge of the bed. She laughed again as he grasped her hips, rolling her onto her stomach. "What are you...?" she began, and then her voice dissolved in a moan as he entered her from behind, pulling her back against the full, hardened measure of him. She caught the bedclothes in her hands, knotting them in her fists, as he plunged deeply into her, his hands against her hips. She gasped at every heavy, rhythmic thrust, as the flat plain of his groin slapped against her buttocks. He groaned her name, delving deeply and grinding against her. He leaned over, one hand leaving her hips to cup against her breast. With the other, he reached between her legs, finding the sensitive place with his fingers that brought her pleasure, and stroking against her until she moaned, moving eagerly with him. He kissed her shoulder, her throat, her ear through her tangled hair. He moved his hand faster and faster against her until she gasped for breath, shuddering with climax. He felt her warmth tighten about him suddenly, sweetly, and he uttered a breathless cry, shuddering powerfully against her with his own massive release.

When they were finished, he leaned against her, holding her beneath him with his arms about her. "Better now?" Mary asked, turning her face somewhat so that her cheek rested against his. He smiled forlornly. "Much," he whispered, kissing her bare shoulder.

They lay there - in each other's embrace - enjoying the feel of their naked bodies intertwined together.

"Mark, I want to talk to you," Mary said after some time. Rolling away from him and sitting against the bed, she smiled sadly, drawing her long legs beneath her as she sat up. Again, she drew the sheets around her to cover her nudity. Her auburn hair hung in a disheveled, lovely corona about her face, and her deep cerulean eyes locked in on his face.

"You have to leave Mark," Mary said looking away from him with a tear forming in her eyes.

Mark's bright expression faltered. Whatever he had been hoping she would say, this obviously was not it. "I...I do not understand."

She took his hand and looked at his face. Wiping a tear from her face, Mary continued "You have to go Mark. If you stay any longer - Mum and Dad will not let you leave, and you will become their slaves...like us."

"Then come with us," Mark pleaded.

Shaking her head, Mary replied with a fresh in flush of tears dripping from her eyes. "They would kill us if we tried to escape. You have a chance Mark - go live your life as you want to."

"But who told you I want to leave." Mark was confused on hearing Mary's words. Was the thing which they shared the night before only one sided? Didn't she know what he felt? Mark was sure he proposed his love for her repeatedly while they were making love. Then why did she want him to go?

Mary smiled on hearing Mark's statement. Shaking her head, she continued "You are young Mark. You can't be here stuck with me and my horrible parents. You have to go and live your life."

"But I don't want to," pleaded Mark with tears forming in his eyes. He wanted to stay with the woman who touched him so deeply - more than any women ever could.

Brushing the tear from his face, Mary closed the distance between them. Taking his face in her hands Mary kissed him softly. The kiss lingered, and when Mark's lips parted slightly, the tip of her tongue prodding lightly against his. Mark opening her mouth, letting her delve more deeply. Mary took her face between his hands and drew her closer, his kiss growing more fervent. His tongue tangled against hers, tasting her, and as she relaxed in full against him, surrendering herself, he uttered a low, guttural sound of pleasure from somewhere deep in his throat.

Finally disengaging herself from Mark, Mary smiled as she held his face in her hands. Wiping a tear from his face, Mary said, "I have already told my sister to tell your friend. You two must leave, now!"

Suddenly the door of their room flew open. Phil was standing there in his disheveled attire with his bloodshot eyes and messy hair. His appearance suggested that he dressed up in a hurry. Catherine was also with him, dressed in a gown with an equally disheveled façade.

"We have to go Mark," said Phil. Mark noticed the sadness with which he uttered the words.

Nodding at his friend, Mark got up from his bed and headed towards the corner where he had dumped his clothes and started getting dressed. He knew no matter what he said to Mary, she would still stay rigid in her decision. She was stubborn when it came to making decisions. One of the many things he had come to love about the woman he spent only a night with.

Phil noticed his friend had a faraway look on his face. He knew what his friend was going through and could not blame him. He had woken up in much similar condition with Catherine nestled against him. The news that they had to leave - felt to him like someone sucker punched him right in the gut. But after Catherine made him understand the reason, Phil reluctantly agreed. He had asked for Catherine to come with him but she refused. No matter how much he tried, she did not bulge from her decision. Heartbroken, Phil had finally accepted to leave the establishment. After dressing, Phil had bulged into his friend's chambers and requested him for doing the one thing, which equally pained both of them - leaving the two girls at the hands of the two ogres.

Suddenly they heard a sound which both of them remembered till date. "Where are you all going?" It was the landlord and his goons. His wife was also with them. They were blocking the staircase with the landlord standing with a pitchfork at the bottom of the stairs and they were slowly advancing towards their rooms.

"Oh shit, now what will we do?" shouted Phil as he watched the men advancing towards their room.

"It's finished," replied Mark as he slummed to the ground beside the bed, with only his pants on. With a defeated expression on his face, Mark looked back at his friend. "We are trapped."

Both of the sixty year olds were becoming increasingly out of breath. A hint of excitement spurred them on. Neither of them had mentioned the pub were they stopped forty years ago, somehow though they knew each other were thinking about it. When they had arranged this walk they both had firmly in their minds why they wanted to do it.

Both of them were wheezing like grandpas when they made it to the top. They looked around; there was no sign of the pub. There was a building, but that was a camping hut used by the scouts, the purple logo gave that away. A fire had been burning recently, its charred remains lay in a clearing in amongst the trees.

"It was here," Phil cried out in disbelief.

"It can't have been," stated Mark, looking in every direction possible.

"It must have, I don't think I'll ever forget that morning," Phil admitted.

Mark looked around, "Look at those trees; they are too old to have grown in forty years. It takes a couple of hundred years to grow this big." Mark was referring to the huge conifers which were located at the same place the pub was located. Guessing by the humongous size of the trees, one could easily guess that the age of these trees were at least a hundred years old.

"So where is it then?" Phil asked.

"I don't know. I thought it was here as well."

"I must have been here." Disappointment was evident in Phil's voice.

"Come on, Lanster is just down the hill, we'll go and have a pint in the Grey Beard."

Both men set off once again. "At least its downhill from here," Mark tried to cheer his old friend up. The thought of going for a well earned pint did that alone.

Forty years ago...

"No it's not over yet," Mary cried out as she pointed towards the window. "Quickly".

The boys knew what they had to do. With one last look at their loved ones, both of them jumped out of the window. Phil went first, not before confessing his love to Catherine. Mark was next - but before he jumped he looked back - one last time at Mary. Taking out his golden chain from his neck he handed it to Mary with a kiss on her temple and jumped out of the window, just as the landlord and his wife followed by the goons appeared on the door steps of their room.

"We will meet again my love," Mary said to Mark as he made his way through the window.

But what Mark did not notice that while he jumped from the window he mistakenly overturned the candle which was place beside the window on top of a small wooden table. The fire caught up rapidly through the hay which was placed on in the corner of the room and within few moments the whole room was ablaze.

Mary sat in the bed and watched the flames as it rose to prominence, the wood frames bursting into flames in seconds.

Unknown to the two lads, Mark and Phil, ran as fast as their feet could carry. Jumping over the fences, both of them were quickly over on the other side of the dirt track when they heard the screaming. Looking back, they found themselves staring at the sight which still haunted them even after forty years. The whole room where they were moments ago was busting in flames with black smoke rising up the clear blue sky.

"Noo!" shouted Mark as he started running towards the burning building, but Phil stopped him.

"It no use Mark, we can't save them."

Mark tried to escape his friend's clutches, but he could not. "No Mary... noooo". Tears were flowing down his face as he embraced Phil, sobbing openly on his friend's chest.

Phil was crying as well. He tried to stay calm for his friend, but the gruesome sight before him was too much. Embracing his sobbing friend, Phil let his emotions take control of him as he let his heart out.

The sound of their weeping was dwarfed by the screams which resonated from the burning house - the screaming of people being burnt alive.

Two pints of ale sat on a circular table in the Grey Beard pub. Behind each glass sat a melancholy man. Both remained silent for several minutes, both thinking of the night in that pub forty years earlier.

"Are you alright Gents?" asked the landlord as he passed. "Nothing wrong with the ale I hope?"

"No. No the ale's fine," replied Phil.

"We've lost something," Mark said to the landlord.

"Oh yes and what's that?" asked the middle aged landlord sitting down on a stool next to the table.

Phil decided to take up the tale, "About forty years ago we walked up the hill. When we were up at top, we stopped at the pub for the night. The landlord err... wasn't most accommodating."

"On top of the hill, you meant to say the Greenlit Top?" asked the curious landlord. It sounded to him that the landlord didn't wholly believe them.

"Yes." Mark said sharply as he entered the conversation. He remembered the place where the pub was at. It was called the Greenlit Top by the locals.

"It can't have been on Greenlit Top," retorted the landlord.

"It was. I can assure you of that. I realize it was many years ago, but it was there," Phil pleaded.

"Hold on." said the landlord, "I've got a very good book about the town upstairs, I'll go and get it. Keep an eye on the bar for me." He left them alone for a while. There was no need to worry about the bar; they were the only two customers in the pub that afternoon.

As the landlord came back into the bar, he could see two empty glasses on the table, Phil and Mark had finished their drinks. The landlord was eager to show the two old gents the results of his findings, but business came first, "Two more pints gents?" Both of them nodded agreement.

He brought the drinks over to the table before returning to the bar the collect his book. "This book is about all this area. If it's not in here then no one knows."

The two customers drank their pints as he looked through the volume. "Ah, here we are, The Old Boar".

The name sent a chill up Phil's spine. That was the name of the pub, he had forgotten that. His face turned a ghostly shade of white, he felt sick.

"That's it," he said in a low tone.

"I can't see how," continued the landlord. "It says here that it burnt down close to two hundred years ago, in around early eighteen hundreds if I am not mistaken. There are reports of locals who have been out walking up in Scout Road, that's up at Greenlit Top on Mid Summers day morning have reported hearing the screams of the landlord and his wife with a few more people included who were killed in the blaze."

"What about their daughters? Did they also..." Mark was even afraid to ask. He remembered the screams as it trembled the earth. The memory of the burning room of the Old Boar inn was still etched in his memory.

"Oh, you are talking about Catherine and Mary. No, no they were not dead. I have heard that they somehow jumped through the window before the fire got to them. But their parents weren't so lucky. They were killed in the fire".

"You heard Phil, they were alive" cried out Mark in joy with tears forming in his eyes as he embraced his friend. The landlord was visibly confused at the strange behavior of the two eccentric old men.