This World Belongs to Us

5: Azarial

It was nearly eight in the morning when Azarial pulled his car into the driveway of the cabin. The building slowly revealed itself through the thick line of trees and brush. The cabin was huge. It was honestly very impressive. Azarial had never stayed in a place like this before, and it was theirs for six whole nights.

He parked in an open space to the right of the main entrance. He could see many paths in the surrounding woods that most likely led to hiking trails. There was a small storage shed behind him and a garden to his right, coated in a small layer of snow. Snow was everywhere, but it hadn't been a very heavy fall. If it weren't for his manipulation of light, the reflections from the morning sun would have made it very hard to drive up here.

He sat in the car for a long moment, just admiring the sight of the massive wooden structure before him. The calm mood was killed effectively when Liara mentioned how they should have stopped to get some food and supplies.

"It's too early," Azarial explained. "And it'll be nice to get settled in before we go out for supplies."

Everyone took that as a cue to get out of the car. Azarial opened the trunk and let them get their bags out. No one had packed too much. He had brought a large backpack with him, filled with some basic clothes and other necessities. Kivar had a small pack, most likely packed with extra clothes and his heroin stash. Liara had a slightly larger bag, but it looked to be only half way full. Sumita had brought one backpack as well as one smaller bag filled with who knows what. Azarial locked the car. They all headed toward the cabin, prepared for whatever this week would be.

Azarial swung open the main door and entered the cabin. The view of the inside was breathtaking. It looked like a cabin interior from a travel magazine. To his left he could see a sprawling lounge area filled with couches, a fireplace, multiple bookshelves, a full bar, a record player with a thick selection of records, and a large screen on the main wall. He spotted a projector hanging down from the ceiling that was aimed at the wall. And that was just half of the main room. The other half consisted of a huge kitchen and dining area. There was a table with six seats, surrounded by glass cabinets with fancy silverware and knives. The kitchen was fully stocked with fresh vegetables, fruit, and an assortment of bread. Topping everything off was the spiral staircase at the back of the cabin, undoubtedly leading to the upstairs bedrooms.

The demons began inspecting different areas of the main room. Azarial watched Sumita go over to the shelves and poke through a large collection of books, films, and games. Kivar dropped his pack in the entryway and paced around, stopping to have a look out the windows. Liara admired the food and appliances in the kitchen. Azarial joined her.

"Forget about supplies," she said, opening a cupboard to find a ton of spices and seasoning. "This is enough food for months. How much did this cabin cost?"

"I got a really good deal on it. One hundred per night, with a four-hundred-dollar security deposit up front. We have to make sure it looks clean when we leave of course."

"That's insane," said Liara. It was a matter of fact statement, and she was correct. "I would guess over two-hundred per night just from the look of the place, and the fact that they keep it stocked with food and liquor! Is there a high avalanche risk or something?"

"It did seem a little too good to be true. Maybe we got lucky," he said while glancing suggestively toward her.

"I don't think I did anything," Liara said absentmindedly.

"I guess the owner is just a nice person."

"I guess."

"Speaking of him..." Azarial trailed off as he moved away from the kitchen and took a seat at the dining table. He found his laptop inside his bag and placed it in front of him. Liara followed him over, curious. "I have to FaceTime Richard and tell him we just got in."