Hosie~ One Shots

Stormy Weather

It had been nearly two years since Josie Saltzman had left her family behind to build her own life, to become something more than a daughter, more than a sister. But somewhere along the way, Josie had lost sight of herself. A heavy sense of burnout and confusion had started to drag her down. So, when she found an old postcard of Greece tucked inside one of her notebooks, she took it as a sign. The postcard had been from a distant aunt who traveled to the island of Thassos for a writing retreat.

And just like that, Josie packed her bags and fled. The remote island of Skiathos, with its olive trees, turquoise waters promised a quiet reprieve from the chaos of her mind.

The first week was peaceful—almost too peaceful. She found herself alone with her thoughts more than she wanted to be. She wandered through the narrow, stone-paved streets of the town, gazing at the quaint little shops and whitewashed buildings with their blue domes, as if they belonged in a dream. But Josie couldn't shake the emptiness that had brought her here.

On her eighth day, restless and tired of the loneliness, she signed up for a local tour that promised a scenic hike to a secluded waterfall.

The day started off perfect. The sky was bright, the sun glinted off the sea, and the warm breeze carried the scent of salt and wild herbs. Josie joined a small group of tourists, including a guide named Nikos, who seemed to know everything about the island. They followed a narrow path through the lush greenery, winding deeper into the forest.

About halfway through the hike, Josie found herself distracted by the rhythm of the sea crashing against the rocks below. She fell behind the group as they continued ahead. By the time she realized how far back she was, a thick mist had started to roll in from the sea. She turned to follow the group, but the path wasn't clear anymore.

She was lost.

"Great," Josie muttered under her breath, scanning her surroundings. There was no sign of the others.

The wind started to pick up, the mist growing heavier until it blurred the edges of everything. The trees around her creaked and swayed, and the temperature dropped. Panic bubbled up in her chest, but she forced herself to keep moving, following what she thought was the right trail.

The first raindrops hit her skin just as she realized she had been walking in the wrong direction. The path was gone.

The drizzle quickly turned into a full-blown downpour, the rain hammering down so hard it blurred her vision. Josie cursed under her breath, her hiking boots slipping on the now-muddy ground as she hurried forward, desperate to find shelter. Thunder rumbled in the distance, and the once peaceful day had transformed into a violent storm.

After what felt like hours of stumbling through the rain-soaked wilderness, she spotted a figure moving through the mist. A woman, tall and steady, her auburn hair whipping in the wind, emerged from the trees. She wore a black raincoat, and her piercing blue eyes caught Josie's even through the rain.

"You're lost," the woman called out, her voice barely audible over the storm. It wasn't a question.

Josie nodded, half in relief and half in embarrassment. "Yeah. Really lost."

The woman glanced around, her jaw tightening slightly. "Come with me," she said, gesturing for Josie to follow. "I live nearby. You'll be safe there."

With no other choice, Josie followed. The woman moved quickly, leading her down a hidden path Josie hadn't noticed before. Soon, they reached a small, rustic house nestled on the edge of a cliff, overlooking the ocean. The house was simple but charming, with ivy crawling up the walls and windows that glowed warmly through the storm.