Alaska
I stared at the passing trees through the window of the bus. Seeing the forest surrounding me become thicker and wider.
The bus past a sign quickly, and if I wasn't already looking out of the window I would have missed it.
The sign read:
Thaliquah
Population 1400
I scoffed and rolled my eyes. Of course aunt Maggy would buy a cabin in a place like this.
I smiled as I remembered all the times she would tell me about her home town. Her brown eyes would light up with joy as she spoke about it, waving her hands around as she made silly little gestures.
A sudden sadness filled my chest as her funeral entered my mind. She had died a couple months before from a very violent desease.
I never knew my real parents and aunt Maggy said she found me in a box on her doorstep when I was just a baby. She had always wanted a child, but didn't want the men acompanied by them. So she was always thankful for me. She called me her little miracle child.
She was a head strong indipendant women and would always make sure that I knew I didn't need a man in my life to feel completed. It was just me and her against the world.
When she died she had left me a cabin she owned here in Thaliquah, her home town.
It was a small and cozy town that sat against the coast and was surrounded by hundreds of acres of woods. Everyone knew everyone here and it made me feel rather nervous that I would be considered an outsider.
But as we crossed the barier into town, I couldn't help but feel slightly at home.
I had already applied for a job at a diner called The Paw Print. Don't ask me why it's called that.
I remember Aunt Maggy used to tell me that the woods around here was invested with wolves, but that not once have they been a nusance to the towns folk at all. They kept to themselves mostly, which I found rather pieceful.
She had also left me money in her will. Money that was way too much to know what to do with. But being raised by an independant women like her made me want to be just as her. I didn't want to live solely on the money she left me. I had decided to leave that for a 'rainy day' or something.
Which is why I applied for a job.
Thankfully I got it and I would be starting there tomorrow, so I at least had today to get settled into my new home.
I had only been here once before. Aunt Maggy brought me here one school vacation to show me where she grew up. But granted, I was little and couldn't remember much.
Finally, the bus pulled over next to the road and the only people who got out were me and a man much older then me.
I scoffed, guess that's why the population here is just shy of 1500 people.
Once I had my bags I waited at the side of the road for a taxi to drive by so I could wave it down.
After half an hour I realised that there was no taxis. I groaned and mentally slapped myself. Of course there would be no taxis. This town only had one main road.
I sighed and picked up my bags. "Goodbye New York." I grumbled and started walking in the direction of the cabin.
Suddenly a truck pulled to a stop next to me, making me freeze. The passanger side window rolled down and revealed a man wearing something odly similar to a cowboy hat. He had long brown hair that fell down on his shoulders.
"Good day, darlin'. You need a ride?" he asked.
Being from New York, when a man pulls down beside you in a road and offers you a ride you should usually run. But this is Cherokee land and everyone here is as friendly as it could get.
I looked at the heavy bag in my hand and sighed.
"That would be a great help." I admitted.
Truth was, I didn't know how far the cabin was from here and my arm was already aching from the weight of the bag.
The man jumped out of his truck and the door closed with a loud creak.
"Let me give you a hand there." He said taking my bag from my hands and slinging it onto the back of the blue rusted vehicle.
"Thanks." I said softly when we were both inside.
"So where to darlin'?" he asked giving me a friendly smile.
I gave him the adress of the cabin and he raised his eyebrows in shock.
"This Maggy Whittecur's old place?" he asked. I smiled at the mention of her name.
"Yeah. It is." I said.
He gave a low whistle and started the engin.
"Haven't seen Maggy in a good while around here." he said.
"She uh... she passed away a couple months ago." I said, feeling the familliar ache in my chest.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Maggy was a good friend of mine. Went to school with that women. Had a heart of gold, that one." he said.
"She was wonderful." I said.
"Indeed she was. Was sad to see her go after school. But knowing her she probably ended up in some big city far from here. Small town life didn't suit her." he said with a small smile.
I nodded. That was Aunt Maggy.
"The name's Joe by the way. Joe Wright" he introduced. I gave him a small smile.
"I'm Alaska." I said.
He grunted and nodded. "It suites you."
Indeed it did. Aunt Maggy named me Alaska because of my eyes. They were a pure blue and she always told me they reminded her of the ice and the blue of the northern lights she saw when she traveled to Alaska.
And it didn't help much that my hair wad as blonde as it could get.
"So you her neice or somethin'?" he asked.
"I'm her daughter." I said without hesitation.
"Really? Never knew Maggy had a daughter. Didn't even know she married." he said.
"She didn't marry." I said.
He chuckled and nodded. "That's good ole' Maggy. Was always to good and wild to settle down with a man." he said.
The rest of the ride was silent on my part as Joe told me stories about Aunt Maggy when they were in school. It made my heart feel warm inside to know that someone held so much admiration for her like I did.
Finally, we reached the cabin and Joe helped me take my bag out of the back.
"Thank you for the ride Mr. Wright." I said as he got back into his truck.
"Please! Call me Joe. Mr. Wright's my father." he said.
I smiled and waved at him.
"Allright. Thanks Joe." I said.
He tipped his hat and smiled and then drove off.
I turned to the cabin and smiled as the memories of me and Aunt Maggy the summer we spent here entered my mind.
The cabin was just as I remembered it. Small and cozy, made out of a beautiful shade of green wood that reminded me of the colour leaves turn just before they fall to the ground.
It was built a little into the woods next to a small lake. With a wooden deck built that stretched out onto the water of the lake. Wrapped around the front of the cabin was a porch that looked onto the lake and I could already tell this would be my favourite place at sunset.
Once I took in the familliar view, I walked up the steps of the porch and unlocked the front door.
Once inside I was relieved to see all the furniture was still intact. The living room consisted of 2 couches strategically placed around the TV and a wooden bamboo coffee table in the centre of the room ontop of a creamy white rug.
The kitchen was small and had a fridge in the corner the same colour as the wood of the cabin and a stove was lined next to it, surrounded by heavy bamboo cupboards.
I made my way to the bedroom and smiled as I saw the picture on the nightstand of me and Maggy. It was a picture we took together the summer we spent here.
The queen sized bed was in the centre of the room against the back wall, facing the big window on the opposite side.
The bathroom was just as I remembered it, small and situated with only a sink, a toilet and a shower.
The cabin was all in all small, but to me it was perfect.
After I unpacked everything I took a warm shower and got dressed in my pijamas.
I exhaustedly climbed into the bed and felt my eyes fall closed as I drifted off to sleep at the sound of a wolf howling in the distance.
Meanwhile
Mama Laos sat on her chair looking out onto the shore of the big lake, rocking back and forth.
She suddenly stilled and her eyes widened as a happy flutter crossed over her chest.
She smiled knowingly and continued to rock back and forth again.
"What is the matter Mama Laos?" a deep voice asked behind her.
Without looking at him Mama Laos' wrinkled lips pulled into a smirk as her brown eyes studied the night sky.
"She has returned, Alpha."
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