Smells Like Winter

13: Logan's Cottage

"I say no," said Carter, but the coolness of his voice was gone. They'd go to Lancashire whether he wanted it or not, because that was what the majority of them wanted, and he knew it.

"You, Maddy?" asked Logan.

She twitched at the sound of her name. "I..." She hesitated. It didn't really matter what she thought, since three of them had already voted for going, but she wasn't so sure what to say either way. The line between right and wrong looked so blurry all of a sudden.

She thought of a cozy comfortable bed and a warm tasty dinner, of a hot shower and a clean change of clothes. But those thoughts were overshadowed by her fear. This was all too convenient. It felt too good to be true, too easy, too perfect. She didn't feel safe to go there.

You don't feel safe anyway, meddled her subconscious, which clearly didn't know when to shut up.

"I don't think it's a good idea..." she began. "But..." She sucked in a breath of the glacial night air. "I guess we can stay for a night. Only one night."

"Then it's decided!" Sia clapped her hands cheerfully, a smile of victory appearing on her lips. "Who's driving?"

***

The car journey was excruciating, but five hours on the road passed by faster when Maddy concentrated on the sound of Logan's soft snoring, or on the passing scenery outside the window. The busy streets of London were now long replaced by rolling fields and Maddy couldn't help but feel a wave of loneliness. She was the only one who stayed wide awake, except for Mia, who was driving next to her.

Which didn't better her mood either.

At some point, she just closed her eyes and let herself fall in a trance, losing track of her surroundings. There was a moment when she felt the car stopping beneath her body, but, although she wasn't even barely sleeping, she refused to open her eyes. She heard doors opening and closing, but exhausted as she was, she didn't pay any attention to the clicking sound. The car started going again. She had almost nodded off, when Logan's raspy voice rang through her ears. She started at the sound, her eyes flashing open to meet the sight of him sitting next to her on the driver's seat, instead of Mia. They must've switched seats at some point.

"Guys, wake up. We're here." He glanced at Maddy with a boyish grin, then turned back to the others. "Welcome to my humble little cottage."

"Mmm, what time is it?" nagged a sleepy Sia.

Logan looked at his phone, and Maddy vaguely remembered that hers must have been dead by then. "1am. Let's go, get your asses up."

A rumble of discontent spread through the back of the car, but eventually they all got out. Maddy shut the panel door behind her weakly, too tired to put any force in it. Looking straight forward, she could view the dark, moonlit trees of the mountain in the distance, hear the faint rustle of the surrounding greenery which was tall trees and overgrown bushes protecting their counterpart miniatures: flowers and weeds. She could smell the invigorating scent of the quaint nature all around her, and almost taste the freshness of the crisp night air. All of her senses were activated. She took a last glimpse of the picturesque landscape in front of her, trying to memorise it, lock or seal it in her mind. Then she turned around nonchalantly.

And her jaw dropped to the concrete as her glistening eyes beheld the glory of Logan's "humble little cottage", an architectural miracle which rose majestically in front of her.

It's HUGE, she thought, mesmerized by the skyscraper towering above her.

That was not a cottage or a cabin, and it certainly wasn't a "humble little" one; Above her loomed a luxurious mansion nested in a mirth of grass, as if welcoming her with open arms and a comforting smile of happiness.

The fine, gable roof was sloping in complex patterns down the vintage stone walls of the cottage, fetching up to a high terrace to the left. Taking a peek through the windows, large enough to captivate your curiosity, yet small enough to keep prying eyes on a leash, Maddy felt her stomach giving a little jump of excitement.

They crossed the cobbled path leading to a sunset wooden staircase, which climbed up to a spacious decking and, of course, the entrance door of the cottage. The cherry floorboards of the decking were coated by a bunch of thick persian carpets that added an extra touch of cosiness to the cottage.

Although it was midst of spring, the virus had well brought back the cold of winter for the last few months since the outbreak, and the warmness coming off the house made Maddy feel like she had just swallowed a steaming sip of hot chocolate on a December night, the heat instantly warming her body.

Logan bent over and revealed a set of keys that remained hidden under one of the many carpets. "Here we go," he said as he unlocked the gigantic wooden door. Pushing it forward, he took a step back and gestured to the others to enter, like a true host welcoming his guests.

With her first step inside the entryway, Maddy's breath was blown away.

The whole space reeked of wealth.

The ceilings were extremely high-vaulted, and the maple floor across the way was shining as if it had just been polished. A rustic antique chandelier was hanging above her head, its shimmering crystals almost blinding her.

"Make yourselves at home," said Logan, closing the door behind him.

They walked into the lounge, and any logical thought was cut off Maddy's already dizzy mind when she found herself up against a massive, hundred-inch television. Two plushy sofas were placed vertically in front of it, their upholstery decorated with elegant, scarlet red flower designs. Maddy studied the expensive furniture in awe, unable to take in the amount of elegance attacking her from every direction.

Her eyes travelled to the left, where lied the kitchen, a space of cream-coloured walls and honey-golden floors which resembled a rustic bakery filled to the brim with butter cookies and lemon meringue and cinnamon rolls.

Then she turned to her right, facing a light wooden staircase climbing up to the second floor. Her feet itched to explore every single inch of that house she had found herself into. She inhaled deeply through the nose, and thought the air inside the house smelled peculiar.

It smelled like home.

[A/N]
Roughly edited.

Also, this might as well be my dream house in the countryside.