DAYDREAMER

PART II: Kingfisher Forest

The snowy roads of London made the trek much harder for them, and with the retreating villagers of the town, there were barely any people around to ask for directions from, the group had only each other for company and they surely appreciated that, though not looking to be the case right now. As usual, Madeleine talked with Jake, blushing at his charming remarks, while Lucia examined the pages she was given, mesmerised by their encryption. Cynthia and Magnus were busy asking the last few individuals on the streets for directions, night had fallen upon them, sinking the streets into darkness once again. Madeleine's flashlight the reason they could see at all, Aiden looked up to see the last few trains and busses moving down final destinations for the day moving in streaks of light. The sounds of which echoing through the desolate streets, they had started to traverse towards a less urban region of the village, without noticing. Evergreen and frondescence began to develop in the periphery of his vision, with wooden lanterns that hung, glowing gold and lighting the bark. As they continued their promenade through the smaller streets of the town, they noticed the green overtaking the grey, and the snow under their feet felt to be over grass and earth instead of concrete.

"Would you look at that? Isn't that what we're looking for?" Jake asked, pointing at a wooden sign that dangled above the branch or one of the trees that towered over them. The name "Kingfisher St." was pyrographed onto it.

Magnus looked around in bewilderment.

"Where are all the houses and shops and stuff? It's just trees now,"

"Why are you asking us this? We don't live here," Cynthia laughed, picking up twigs that plastered the walkway. The moon was levitating above the horizon, shimmering in its luminous glory, and transforming the trees into twisted silhouettes.

"Not much longer left I hope, my legs are starting to feel numb," Madeleine sighed.

"I don't think you'll have to worry about that, I see a couple of buildings over there," Aiden pointed to the distance, he was correct, through the wood, he could see some small cottages, no larger than his own house back in his neighborhood, but humbler in their demeanor, sitting side by side, embosomed by the green and daubed in the winter snow. They were neatly organized at the end of the woodland-infested street, with no interior lights on, from what they could see... Apart from one, which had a light dimly flicker in one of the lower chambers, drawing them to it like moths.

"These are pretty nice houses actually!" Magnus chimed with relief, "God forbid we'd have to sleep in anything like that shop..."

"The grass is greener on the other side, they say, lets actually get in the cottage before we make any assumptions," Lucia reminded, still indulging in her notes, their path was also dimly lighted by fireflies that seemed to hover around in the quiet night sky, it was a beautiful sight, though quite strange to see an entire forest emanate from practically nothing.

"Okay then, so this is the place?" Jake asked, examining the front door of the cottage, on the door, the brass numbers "8446" shining from the glow of the lanterns, it was a small vintage cottage which sat comfortably in the middle of a large region of lawn, which hosted shrubs and saplings. Beige bricks with a Daintree dome, a small house sheltered within the confines of mother nature. They continued to approach the cottage until they stood directly beneath the portico.

"Are you going to try the key or what?" Aiden asked impatiently, shivering from the immense cold, a feeling he had surprisingly not felt before, Lucia reached in her pockets and picked up the small golden key, and inserted it into the keyhole, twisting it. Much to their relief they could hear the inner mechanisms from within the door turning as she twisted the key, and before she could remove the key, the door swung open, revealing the large entry hall. A vaguely euphoric feeling was shared among the group as they entered the homely confines of the cottage.