Whispered Tales

0. Welcome

You stepped out of the crowded train that had taken you to your destination, taking off your face mask. It was a rather small town.

You looked around at the lively street you were left at; kids were running and screaming which is to be expected when you have the beach so close by.

The gentle breeze of the ocean waves could be felt as the air seemed a lot fresher than in the city, however that did not mean the sun was anymore easy on your person as you can feel it start to warm you up a little more than you were comfortable with. Starting to walk towards the shade of a nearby home you felt a little more relieved as the sun rays didn't hit directly to your neck and back anymore.

Feeling your backpack strap start to slide from your shoulder you adjusted it, but not before bagging in your face mask. You really did not grab much as just some money and a spare backpack that you carried with no effort as it was almost empty sparing the small food wrappers and a water bottle.

Looking forward, you decided that you better start walking towards your destination or you might be here all night. Walking slowly you looked around and appreciated the rather antique architecture as this seems to be an old place in town, yet the homes were painted in a delicate warm pastel tone that seemed to blend well with the coziness of their habitats. Even the small restaurants and plazas you saw around you were radiating friendly vibes from every orifice. You really can't say it made you uncomfortable but it was a rather rare sight in the city and really any other town you went to regularly.

The smell of nearby food stands started to enter your system and it made you a little hungry and homesick. Seriously debating the idea of stopping at one of these stands and small restaurants for a bite, however, that probably would not be a good idea considering that you came here with the exact change for two bus tickets.

You had come here with little to no thought; however, once you received that letter it gave you an opportunity to do something that might not be as stressful and boring as almost everything in your day-to-day life. Looking for an old friend after not having even contacted them in so long felt a little weird and dishonest considering your reason for coming wasn't even for them. The guilt was starting to set in when you remembered that this was not your fault in any way, you were invited here and even though it might meet your needs, that does not mean you do not want to see your friend; it just so happened that one motivation was stronger than the other.

Taking a left you sought for the shade once more and tried to remember the directions that were written on a spare piece of paper that you had gotten with the letter. You reached back to your backpack, slid one loop off of your shoulder to search for the small paper, you found it quite easily with some folds and creases but fairly complete. Looking up to the street name and back to the piece of paper; you seemed to be on the right track.

The sun was starting to set and a little whisper of the afternoon air was tugging at your skin. Maybe you should have brought a sweater or a hoodie with you, as you thought that maybe here the night air was colder and you probably would need to find a place to stay at night and that may take some time.

Reaching a slightly orange house you asked yourself if this was the right house. The outside looked like no one had lived there for at least some months, the sidewalk in which you were standing was scattered with dead leaves which came with the afternoon wind despite there not being a single tree for several meters. The small staircase leading towards the main entrance was covered by a thick blanket of dust however there seemed to be some footsteps meaning someone did, at the very least, go up these stairs.

Checking one last time the small crumpled paper in your hand and looked around where two small families seemed to be talking comfortably with each other, some kids were playing around and some older people were apparently walking back home with some groceries. A lively neighborhood indeed, but not as lively as the very first street you got off to.