ountain house, my anger
red from my childhood... bu
front of the window. I pushed open the heavy wooden door w
really left me an old, dusty mountain cabin. Ho
to start somewhere. I rolled
d, and my back was killing me. But the hou
nning to set behind the mountains. I remember
rything inside. As I set down th
finally picked u
et couch. "I'm still standi
"Don't put on an act.
t about my loneliness and everything I had b
le here have genuinely lost their minds. They refused
they're treating you like th
her," I said, my voice softening
didn't want to upset me, but she
ve done enough? You can come home. You can even come to me. Yo
wise, loving gaze came to mind. In
e, with me. I made her a promise, Maya. It will be good for
ease don't forget your vitamins. You hate the
I'll freeze stiff on this couch. I need to
your alone time, but show sig
alk late
up qu
sun had nearly disappeared. The woodshe
armful of firewood. I loaded my arms s
hair was whipping in the wind. Since I couldn't
en I s
it was an illusio
t path... about ten meters a
the size of a bear. Its reddish-brown fur gleamed in the
wild animal. Intelligent. Aware. Staring s
my dreams since childhood. Those familiar, warm, longing eyes. As the years passed and I grew old
ose eyes? God, I thought my b
k in fear, my foot
the snow with a crash. I fell flat on m
When I turned my head in t
he path was completely empty. There
ing..." I whisp
d a long piece of firewood to protect myself, and frantically sca
Is this PTSD? Or a
ewood, glancing over my shoulder eve
nside, I slammed the d
ed down a little in its warmth. Sometimes people who have experienced psycho
ring the grieving process. I went to the kitchen and made a strong, dark cup of coff
lf came bac
wolf. A very large wolf. Perfectly
or one day. I just wanted to rest. But
was a clicking s
uld be knocking on my door at this hour? On
spinning through my mind. The townspeople
. I went to the window and looked
ly red hair was braided in two plaits, she had freckles
I opened the
ow can I
dened. "Hi!
en she laughed. "Oh, sorry! Yo
materialized before my eyes. A girl with mud all over her face, laug
n shock. "I can't beli
she squealed
or wide open a
o town. I figured you might be missing a few things your first night,
t had happened to me today. A familia
"It's absolutely
he warm glow of the fire, rubbing her hands together. Th
believe you're
neither. I'm so glad
ad finally found something that
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