The Stranger - Short stories

Lost

Walking down the river in the forest in the middle of spring, I was hoping to find a place full of things for dinner.
I found some berries and plants that I had cleaned in the river. I also took some wood for the fireplace.
At some point I got lost in the middle of the woods and didn't find my way back.
I shooted for help in case someone else was there, after spending some time trying to find my way in vain but no one answered.
When the sun was starting to go down I saw a lost house in the woods from afar. I went to the place for some help.
The house was made of stones from the region and, by seeing how the door and windows are, seemed inhabited.
I knocked at the door, hoping for an answer even though, if they were here, they wouldn't hear my desperates call for help.
An old lady opened the door and was deeply surprised to see someone at her place. She let me in once I told her why I came to knock at her place.
She was glad to have someone because she was all alone and having an unwanted guest made her all day.
We shared dinner together and she let me sleep at her place.
The next morning after breakfast, she told me the way to find the path.
After this event, I often came back to her place to give her some joy in her loneliness. She was always glad to see me coming. I always spent the whole day with her when I was there.

The village started to think that I was a witch because of my time spent in this forest. They started to investigate and followed me in the woods, they found the old woman's place while I was there with her and accused us of witchcraft.

A week later we were burned in the main square. I never meant this the day I got lost in those woods. I only wanted to prepare my dinner.