Hidden Shadows

Chapter 1: A Beginning

It was a brilliantly sunny day when I felt the warm sand beneath my feet. A sense of freedom washed over me, stirring nostalgic memories of my childhood when my little brother and I would spend the entire day at the beach, carefree and happy. But before these thoughts could bring back the dark memories I had worked so hard to suppress, I pushed them aside and focused on the sea. Nearby, a group of young people around my age sat together, and I decided to head towards the small beach house on the hill with the dune grass.

As I stood before the wooden door, I noticed that the blue paint was peeling, revealing the dark wood underneath. After a moment of hesitation, I stepped inside. A brown-haired woman greeted me with a smile:

"Welcome to Sunny Beach House!" Her shoulder-length hair was tied back in a ponytail, though a few strands had fallen into her face. She wore a red t-shirt with "Sunny Beach House" printed on it, with a sun in the background. Before I could say anything, she asked:

"How can I help you? Are you part of the student group outside?"

"Uh, no, I'm not with them," I replied. "I was wondering if I could help out here for a short time. I don't need any pay, just a place to sleep and something to eat."

"We often have work-and-travel people here, and I could really use some help. The last one got sick, unfortunately, and there's always plenty to do." She glanced at the pile of laundry behind her.

"Oh, I see. I can wash laundry, cook, clean—whatever you need."

"Before I can hire you, I'll need your details. It's a requirement here. Do you have an ID or passport?"

I pulled out my gray backpack and searched for my wallet. The ID I handed over was a good forgery—definitely worth the money. The woman took it, noted my name and birth date, and handed me some papers. "Mia Collins, nice to meet you. I'm Alice, and my daughter Ava is somewhere around here. Here are the house rules and a personal data sheet that you can fill out and return to me."

I thanked her and packed away the papers. Alice offered to show me around, and I followed her out of the house, which she carefully locked. "There are important documents in here," she explained with a smile. "You never know."

We walked side by side, and I looked around. An old outdoor staircase led to the rooms above the office, and next to it stood several small blue wooden cabins. We stopped in front of one of the cabins, and Alice explained, "These are the guest cabins. We only prepare the rooms again after they've checked out. The master key is in a safe in the office, which I'll show you later. One cabin is free at the moment; I'll show it to you."

We entered the cabin, and I found myself in a cozy living room with a yellow fabric couch, a matching armchair, and a small TV. A glass sliding door led to a small paved terrace overlooking the sea—a calming sight. The kitchen was small but well-equipped, and a wooden table with colorful seat cushions stood a little off to the side.

Alice explained the cabin's amenities, which included two bedrooms and a bathroom. She outlined the tasks I would be responsible for when guests checked out: cleaning, changing the bed linens, and providing fresh towels and toiletries. After I had a chance to look around the rooms, I asked if we could see the rest of the grounds.

Alice led me to the laundry room, located behind the office. There were washing machines, dryers, and the necessary cleaning supplies. The common room was behind the cabins in another blue wooden building, equipped with an old ping pong table, a large TV, and a collection of games. Outside, there was a fire pit and a barbecue area.

Finally, Alice showed me my room above the office. It was simply furnished, with a small old wooden bed and a bathroom. The air was a bit musty, but that didn't bother me. Alice said goodbye and invited me to dinner at 7 PM in her nearby bungalow.