Category: Archived

As I step into the cabin, I feel a strange sense of tranquility wash over me. The silence is interrupted only by the crackling of wood in the fireplace. The cabin is dimly lit, casting flickering shadows on the walls. I look around and notice the details: a braided rug on the floor, a rocking chair in the corner, a cast-iron pot hanging above the fireplace.

I walk over to the fireplace and warm my hands. I feel a rush of gratitude for this unexpected shelter from the harsh winter cold. As I sit down in the rocking chair, I can’t help but wonder who could have built this cabin and why it has been left untouched for so long. My curiosity is piqued and I begin to explore.

I notice a set of old books on the shelf and start to peruse them. They are filled with stories, songs, and legends of the surrounding area. I find myself engrossed in their pages, each tale more fascinating than the last.

Hours pass and darkness falls outside. I light a lantern and continue reading, feeling a sense of peace and contentment that I haven’t experienced in a long time. The cabin seems to have a life of its own, comforting and protecting me from the harsh winter world outside.

As the night wears on, I realize how lucky I am to have stumbled upon this haven. I drift off to sleep, holding onto the stories and lessons found in the old books, feeling grateful for the shelter, warmth, and magic of the cabin.

I started walking down what I figured was the main street of Royal. I passed by deserted and empty stores. Shops all closed and locked. Looking through the windows everything looked pristine with just a heavy layer of dust. I need to find shelter before it gets dark as the winds are changing and the clouds are thickening up. There is a hint of snow flurries. I need to find shelter before the snowstorm. 

The shifting winds bring in a new aroma. The smell of a fire burning. I turn off main street to follow the smell. It gets stronger. Suddenly I see what looks like smoke coming from the chimney of an old log cabin. Am I not alone? I am afraid to continue but the cold and my hunger pushes me on. 

As I get closer I see no signs of anyone near or around the cabin. No tracks in the snow except for rabbits and other small animals. I walk up to a window and look in. There is a fire burning brightly in the fireplace. Yet I see no one. Just an empty cabin with all the furniture covered with sheets. As if the cabin was hibernating for the winter. Waiting for the next spring to be awakened. 

I walk to the door and try the door knob and I hear it click open. I gave the door a push and it was like all the old stale air trapped forever inside the cabin escaped through the open door. It was almost like a new life was given to the cabin. I could almost hear the cabin sigh in relief and happiness as I walked in and closed the door.

I was cold. I remember that first. My eyes open to bright sunlight shining through shattered glass. Where was I? I tried to move but I seem to be stuck. The fogginess in my brain was lifting and my situation was much more apparent. I am upside down in my car…

I start breathing faster. I can feel the panic building in my gut. The shock of my situation and the realization that I was in an accident was making me sick to my stomach. I needed to calm down. I needed to think. I closed my eyes. What happened? How did I get here? Did anyone see me? Will help arrive? I remembered the deep breathing exercises I learned in my Intro to Stage Acting class at UWM. I closed my eyes and started the exercises. I could feel myself calm down. I accepted the situation I was in…

Ok I am upside down in my car. I can’t change that. But I can’t stay here. I look around to check out the inside of the car. I next check to see if I could move. Was I injured? Did I break my legs or my arms? Am I bleeding? I could move my legs and arms. But my head was throbbing. I touched my forehead and looked at my fingers. Blood. I adjusted the rear view mirror to see how bad it was. It wasn’t all that bad but my head was throbbing. I needed to get out and I needed to get out now…

I tried to open the driver’s side door. The angle my car was leaning made that impossible. I would have to climb out by the passenger door. I moved along the top of my car and got into the passenger seat. I tried opening the passenger door. The door was bent and jammed. I tried to roll down the window but that was stuck too. I needed to think. I was beginning to panic…

The sun came out from behind the clouds and streamed through the bare tree branches and into the shattered window. It blinded me and I blocked the sun from my eyes. I thought I saw someone or something but the glass was so shattered. Out of frustration I gave the door one last shove. It opened…

I crawled out and staggered around. I was down in some ravine and deep enough that no one would or could have seen me from the road. I looked around and found my backpack and violin about twenty feet from the car. I trudged through the snow to retrieve them. I start walking up the ravine to get back to the road. Maybe I can flag a car down. It is so quiet. No wind. Just the stark contrast between the snow and the empty trees. The sun was in my face and from what I could tell it was getting higher in the sky. I figured I was going in an eastward direction. From the lack of tire tracks in the snow this road was rarely traveled on. I could see some buildings on the horizon. I picked up my pace. I imagined sitting in a warm diner drinking a nice hot cup of coffee. I figured that was all I could afford…

I was approaching a road sign. I really could not make out what it read since the sun was in my eyes. I could tell it was weathered and worn. It made me sad to think of the neglect. I felt a sadness in me like I have never felt before. Suddenly I felt something touch my shoulder. Something warm. I turned to look but all I saw were some crows flying off in the distance. I turned back and looked up at the sign…

Welcome To Royal

To be continued…