Cottage By The Forest

Maddie

October 1st, 2020

the wind is blowing softly on Maddi's face and messing up her hair. It's getting noticeably colder and darker, leaves are falling off the trees. Dry leaves crunch beneath her feet. There is still a lingering warmth but always a constant reminder of the cold to come. It smells mostly like frost and salty ocean water out here.

Maddie's First day in her new house. Her heart is beating fast and a comforting feeling is running thru her body reminding me that this is all she ever wanted.
"I love it here." She says with a big smile on her face.
House is standing on a cliff but not all the way so it won't fall. It's a not-so-small one-bedroom cozy house with a little fireplace and enough space for her and her little white cat Luna.
She spent all last week cleaning and decorating a new house.

"I'm finally living the dream. I'm all alone in mountains surrounded by forest. As far as possible from distractions and humans."
She started planning what she would do when spring would come. The little garden outside was in ger imagination and maybe ducks too.

She lay on a couch and sipped coffee. She tends to drink more coffee as the cold season comes closer. Luna jumped on her lap and made herself comfortable. Silence and the sound of a cat purr felt like heaven for her.

As evening came closer she went deep into her thoughts and imagination. She looked out from the window and
imagined different kinds of situations in her head reenacting in woods that face my window, writing down different phrases on her laptop. Finally, she put her mug down on the counter and moved into her room. She started creating new characters and their identities.

Not long after she heard knocking. First, she thought it was wind but it happened again and This time it was louder.
Maddie quickly came back to reality put down her laptop and headed to the door.
"This is why I have trust issues who could have found me here. Could be my mom. Maybe my sister? Or worse a stalker and I am all alone here."
Her stomach tightened as she got closer to the door.
She opened the door and saw a woman at the door.

A middle-aged woman with dark hair and the biggest smile was standing on my doorstep.
"hi," she said with a smile. Maddie was visibly happy that it wasn't her mom.
"Hello Dear, my name is Mary.
I just heard someone saying that this house sold and I was surprised, and now I'm more surprised." She looked at her with a concerned look on her face.

" Yeah, I'm Maddie I moved here yesterday."
"With your family?" She asked surprised.
"umm no it's just me," answered Maddie with a smile.
Luna came to the door paused and quickly went back in.
"oh, don't get me wrong dear but this house is very old and I don't think it's steady too, it's not very safe here alone."
"house is very secure I got it checked and rebuild some unsteady places so it shouldn't demolish while I sleep," she said with a laugh.
"All right then, I live across the forest in a small village thought I stop by and say hi."
"I'm glad you did it's nice knowing your neighbors."
She was just glad that someone will be able to find her if she dies in snow or animal attacks in winter.

"you are always welcome if you need anything just let me know."
"thank you so much I'll keep that in mind." She smiled.
"you should come in I was about to make coffee"
"Thank you but it's already getting late I better go now sorry if I bothered you"
"Oh, it's nothing you are always welcome here too" she once again smiled and closed the door as she walked away.
She seemed very sweet and kinda creepy in a way.

She watched as the sun went down in the evening, People say that sunrise is pretty but Maddie prefers sunset. The different tones of yellow colors meet each other as the day fades away and night takes over. After the sun went down Strong wind hit me and she hurried back home.

She went to bed and started sketching on the iPad. soon after Luna started bothering her waving her tail in her face meaning she wanted the lights off and to sleep.
Maddie saw no other choice so she saved sketches and turned off the lights, Luna lay down next to her on the pillow.