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