My Collection of Short Stories and Poetry

Cottage - Updated

Walking along a narrow path, I'm crammed inside a forest and the trees are close around me. Branches and leaves keep snagging my shirt sleeve and tangling in my hair. I walk faster and eventually spot a small cottage. There's an old rocker out front and it's dark in color yet comforting and approachable to me. My heart is beating fast against my chest and I'm slightly out of breath as if I ran a mile. I turn around only to notice I wandered up a large hill, and the trees were spaced apart, showing more room than I actually had.

That's strange, it felt suffocating between the supposed oxygen-bringers. I run my hands through my thick curly hair and pulls out leaves that crunch and small twigs that give a familiar snap in between my slender fingers. Standing at the entrance to the cottage's fence, I slowly open and shut the gate staring at the worn, dark red oak door. I give one, two, three knocks. Hearing no movement from inside the building, I sit down on the rocking chair.

I hear light footsteps and stand up, awaiting the arrival of whoever may be here. Hopefully, they have some answers to where I am and why. One moment I'm at home with my boyfriend, then there's blackness and suddenly I'm in a forest. An old woman opens the door and steps out, smiling at me to reveal perfect teeth. Odd for someone of her age. She is dressed in old, very old, fashioned clothing. It's white and drapes around her wrinkly body, such as a tunic would as pictured usually for Gods and Goddesses.

"My name is Eos, I'm lost and confused. Can you tell me where I am?" My greeting doesn't phase her as neither does my presence.

She grabs my wrist with surprising force for someone of her age and croaks out in a soft voice,  "I'm Atropos, the Fate that cuts the thread of life. I'm dearly sorry, but I had to cut yours today. Now, I'll give you some time to go back if you wish because you have unfinished business to do. Your boyfriends time is up too, but his death will be seen as a suicide. I'll give you an hour. All you need to do is kiss his cheek and I will cut his thread. "  She chuckles raspily and pats my back.  Adding as an afterthought, "Also, don't worry about anyone seeing you, you will be seen as a spirit in their world although you will feel living to yourself."

Atropos clears her throat and holds my dainty hand in her liver spotted one to speak up again, "Do you want to do that or do you want to go through the door and enter your next life? Do not ask me what will happen. I do not know and don't want to. You may go to your personal Nirvana, you may go to Hell or you will be born again. There's a multitude of things. It may change depending on what you believe. Keep in mind, though, if you decide to enter the door, you will not be able to leave it and you must keep walking. Whatever you do, you must not look back." She finishes with a deep breath and sits down in her rocking chair. It creaks under her weight and her robe is as graceful as she is when she moves.

"Ma'am, are you really saying I'm dead?" My mind races with thoughts as I think about this. I haven't had much time to let this sink in. Giving it thought I decide it is the most valid excuse right now since I didn't bother looking for another one. "I'm sorry...Atropos...but if I was to kill him I would want it to last. I'd want it to be as painful as it was for me..." Since my memory has come back before the blackness overtook me and before the forest, I remember my boyfriend...and his hands around my throat in a terrifying way. A look of enthusiasm gleamed in his once sweet, blue eyes.

She nods once in understanding and rocks her chair slowly, no noise coming from it anymore. She's waiting for more questions...or an answer.

"Okay. I guess I'll go through the door. Why can't I look back, though?" I look around her yard for any other door but the only one I see is the one into her house.

"Oh Deary," she croons in her raspy voice, "there can be fates much worse than death, you never want to experience."

She stands up and leads me through her yard and around the back. There's a beautiful white door carved into a large tree, swirls and sparkles adorn it and the tree itself seems to shimmer with energy. She allows me to admire it, nudging me closer. I grasp the knob, silver and shiny and...warm. It too seems to pulse with life. Opening it I step inside and the door shuts behind me with a soft click.

I walk forward and my shoes make no noise along the tiled floor, walking for forever. It was soft at first but now I realize it isn't just my imagination. I can hear taps, claws, and thuds from behind me as I quicken my pace. My heart thuds in my chest and I finally see another door. Its light orange and red and yellow, like a sunrise. I stand in front of the door and grasp the handle, it's cold metal slick under my sweaty palm and startling compared to the warm environment surrounding me. I twist it slowly and see a bright Dawn, the rising sun and it's the most beautiful scene I've ever witnessed. I take one step forward but I hear the noises even louder and a deep growl next to my ear. I take one last involuntary look back and then everything disappears.