Emily's Punishment: Part Two

Chapter Nineteen - Bambi

Chapter Nineteen – Bambi

The gentle drone of the engine that had earlier helped her to doze off, slowly brought her around again. She opened her eyes and squinted, looking about at the new scenery in which she now found herself. The sun was starting to set, and the long clouds that streaked the sky were just beginning to take on a pinkish hue. Below them, Emily saw distant mountains, their vast, rocky faces patterned with the long shadows cast by clouds.

"How long was I asleep?" she yawned, stretching her shoulders side to side beneath the safety straps of the car seat.

"Not long," replied Alex. "Barely an hour."

"Huh," she nodded, looking out the window again. "I think I know where we are," she said, looking up at the mountains on the horizon.

"Yeah?" he replied, glancing over, "Well, I told you earlier that you can have three more yes-or-no questions when we're within ten miles. You still want to ask them?"

"Uhh..." she said thoughtfully, "I'm pretty sure I know where we are, but okay—It'll be fun to ask."

"Okay, you got one?"

"Um, yeah," she said, nodding her head. "Since we've been travelling west this whole time, I'm gonna say, are we in Wales?"

"Yes," replied Alex with a knowing smile.

"I knew it! she said excitedly. And we've been here before,"

"Yes," he replied, "you asked me that earlier."

"That doesn't count!" she snapped, "I wasn't asking, I was just remembering!"

"You have one question left," he said, ignoring her protest.

"Alright, I think I already know anyway," she said, looking up to watch the road ahead as they travelled along the winding country road.

"You got another one?" asked Alex.

"Yeah. Are we staying in a..."

Before she could finish her sentence, a cottage appeared from around the bend—a cottage Emily recognised.

"In a what?" asked Alex, now grinning.

"Wait," she said, trying to lean forward for a closer look. "We've been here before, haven't we?"

"For the third time, yes," he said with a chuckle.

"No! I mean, we've stayed in that cottage before!"

"Correct! And this is where we will be staying for the next two weeks."

Emily suddenly felt a rush of excitement and a swirl of butterflies in her tummy as memories of their last stay flooded into her mind.

"Oh my god! How long is it since we were last here? Two? Three years?"

"Must be about three years ago," Alex replied, "How the time flies."

Emily stepped away from the car, leaving Alex to deal with the bags by himself. She walked towards the one-story cottage, taking in the details and comparing them to her memories form three years ago. The driveway and path were finished with crazy paving, light green moss growing around the edges of the weather-worn, misshapen stone slabs. Large windows flanked each side of the front door on the modest, double-fronted property. Emily approached the left window and leaned in, peering through a thin gap between the curtains. It was dark inside, but she could just make out the living room, more or less as she remembered it.

"Emily!" Alex shouted, stealing her attention before she could take a proper look. "Help me, please! You'll have time to look around when we're inside."