Through the Lens

Breath of Fresh Air

The town was small by most standards, but definitely not too small where a new person would stick out. The last thing I needed was to draw attention to myself but as I watched the people passing by through the window, it didn't seem that people paid attention to much outside of their own lives. People smiled softly at each other as they passed, offering a short greeting or nod of their head. It was afternoon, so there were some kids skipping around as they made their way home from school, laughing and playing as they went along.

It was such a contrast from the places I was used to being. Nobody seemed to be overly dressed up or obsessed with fashion like they were in New York, and there definitely wasn't any of the superficial glamour that you'd see in LA. Everyone just looked happy, going about their lives and enjoying their day.

I drove through the town as per the GPS instructions, taking note of various shops and things I might need, before I turned right down a road just past town. The pavement turned to dirt as I made my way down a smaller street, seeing that most of the houses backed onto a creek at the back of their properties. There were only a few houses on the street, all quite spread apart to allow privacy between neighbors. Each place looked very well taken care of, with well manicured grass and gardens, and it was obvious that people spent a lot of time outside.

The house came into view as I headed down the road, it being the last one on the street with only one other house even within view from it, and I smiled to myself as I looked up at it. It was absolutely perfect, nestled within the trees at the end of the road, with the creek to the right and a large porch that looked cozy and inviting. It was the perfect haven, and exactly what I was looking for.

I parked the car and grabbed my bags, eager to take a look around, as I walked up the steps to the front door and unlocked it. I stepped inside, taking in my surroundings as I put my bags down and scanned the house from the entry way. It wasn't a large place, which was fine by me since the last thing I wanted was some huge place to feel more empty. It was cozy, decorated simply but tastefully with very comfortable looking furnishings and I immediately felt relaxed.

I made my way to the kitchen, taking in the view of the forest from the kitchen window and smiling to myself at just how perfect everything seemed to be. I headed upstairs to find two bedrooms and two bathrooms, deciding I would take the one with a view of the creek with the mountains in the background. I went back downstairs and grabbed my bags, taking them upstairs and starting to unpack my things just so I could feel organized and somewhat settled in.

I knew sooner or later it would hit me just how strange it was for me to be alone, and I knew my time there would most likely be a bit of an emotional rollercoaster as I did my best to absorb and process just what my life had been like for the past six years. It was already weird that I didn't have a schedule or anywhere that I had to be, nobody I had to check with before I did anything and absolutely nothing to do unless I wanted to do it.

I finished unpacking and took a long shower, beginning to feel tired as the travelling and fresh mountain air caught up with me. I made a small dinner, noting I would need to go into town to get some groceries and various things the next day, before I watched the sunset on the deck and headed upstairs to bed.

I was out almost immediately when my head hit the soft pillow, and I settled into the best sleep I'd had in years.

*****

I woke up a few days after my arrival to the sound of birds chirping and the water flowing from the creek at the back of the house, the sun beaming in from the window in the bedroom and warming my face before I opened my eyes. It was like some cliché out of some novel, the most peaceful way to wake up on a warm spring day. I inhaled the fresh mountain air coming in from the window before exhaling with a sigh as I opened my eyes and looked around.