Chapter 1
Kristin parked in front of the small office, her dog by her side. This was it, the start of her new life. She hoped this year was better than last. Her mother called it running away, but how could her mother understand what she’d been through? Widowed on her honeymoon, her entire world came crashing down. She was still in shock, some days it took her down to her knees, and crying into her hands, begging for mercy. Other days she was simply numb. Either way, life would never be the same.
He’d wanted to try the zip line, but she was too nervous, and when it snapped, taking him down from the tree tops to the ground in one quick succession, she knew he’d fallen too far to survive. She’d heard the snapping of the twigs from above, but nobody knew what was happening until it was too late. Medics, tears, the heartache, and horror of the day rushed through her mind over and over, though at least most of the nightmares had finally stopped. Greg’s life was over, and she had to find some way to pick up the pieces of her life and start over.
They were about to buy a house, about to settle down and start a family , but those dreams had been crushed and were gone.
“I’ll be right back, Molly,” she patted her yellow lab on the head. Climbing out of her truck, she turned around to see Molly’s head out the passenger side window, sniffing the new atmosphere.
The small real estate office was clustered with a few other shops and retailers on the narrow street. She’d found the place on the map, throwing a dart at the atlas hanging on the wall. She didn’t care where it landed, it was better than staying at home. She’d quit her job, packed up her things, and found a place to rent. She’d stay for a year, working on some writing she’d wanted to do, maybe some painting, and then decide where life would take her after that. It didn’t really matter, she felt empty without Greg.
A brass bell clanged as she opened the door, alerting the agent she was there. Calling out from another room, “I’ll be there in a second,” she shouted. On coming back into the room, she apologized. “Sorry about that, I’m also the town notary, next door. I just go between the two places, so if you need something notarized you can come to either of the places.”
“Right, sure .” Kristin looked at the stocky woman. She waddled as she walked, and had short tight curls bobbing on her head. She was easily over fifty and had a smoker’s smile, with fine lines forming crevices around her lips. “Now what can I do for you.”
“I’m Kristin Shaw, we spoke on the phone. I’m renting the Jenkins’s place.”
“ Oh right, the keys are here,” she said digging under a counter. “You owe us a check, and watch for wildlife if you’re not used to those things back where you’re from. Especially trash or food, you want to seal that up really tight. There’s a list of things that will help you with basics around here, but basically, any essentials you need you’ll find in town. If you can’t find them here, you don’t need them. The post office will take delivery of packages for you, but you’ll need to come in to town to collect your mail. You might want to check in with Sadie at the post office, and let her know you’ve arrived. Nobody’s lived at the Jenkins’s place for a bit, so tell her you’ll be staying there.”
Kristin listened as the woman spoke; hoping she’d remember the details she was spitting out like it was common knowledge. This was the most remote she’d ever been, back home everything was nearby. She’d have another forty minute drive to get to the property, and while most of it was paved, she’d be hitting gravel and dirt roads the closer she got to her cabin in the woods. She’d rented it for a year, almost on a whim, not sure what to do with herself. Solitude felt right – and thoughts of renewing her creative soul.
Realizing she’d better stock up, since running into town wouldn’t be
Kristin parked in front of the small office, her dog by her side. This was it, the start of her new life. She hoped this year was better than last. Her mother called it running away, but how could her mother understand what she’d been through? Widowed on her honeymoon, her entire world came crashing down. She was still in shock, some days it took her down to her knees, and crying into her hands, begging for mercy. Other days she was simply numb. Either way, life would never be the same.
He’d wanted to try the zip line, but she was too nervous, and when it snapped, taking him down from the tree tops to the ground in one quick succession, she knew he’d fallen too far to survive. She’d heard the snapping of the twigs from above, but nobody knew what was happening until it was too late. Medics, tears, the heartache, and horror of the day rushed through her mind over and over, though at least most of the nightmares had finally stopped. Greg’s life was over, and she had to find some way to pick up the pieces of her life and start over.
They were about to buy a house, about to settle down and start a family , but those dreams had been crushed and were gone.
“I’ll be right back, Molly,” she patted her yellow lab on the head. Climbing out of her truck, she turned around to see Molly’s head out the passenger side window, sniffing the new atmosphere.
The small real estate office was clustered with a few other shops and retailers on the narrow street. She’d found the place on the map, throwing a dart at the atlas hanging on the wall. She didn’t care where it landed, it was better than staying at home. She’d quit her job, packed up her things, and found a place to rent. She’d stay for a year, working on some writing she’d wanted to do, maybe some painting, and then decide where life would take her after that. It didn’t really matter, she felt empty without Greg.
A brass bell clanged as she opened the door, alerting the agent she was there. Calling out from another room, “I’ll be there in a second,” she shouted. On coming back into the room, she apologized. “Sorry about that, I’m also the town notary, next door. I just go between the two places, so if you need something notarized you can come to either of the places.”
“Right, sure .” Kristin looked at the stocky woman. She waddled as she walked, and had short tight curls bobbing on her head. She was easily over fifty and had a smoker’s smile, with fine lines forming crevices around her lips. “Now what can I do for you.”
“I’m Kristin Shaw, we spoke on the phone. I’m renting the Jenkins’s place.”
“ Oh right, the keys are here,” she said digging under a counter. “You owe us a check, and watch for wildlife if you’re not used to those things back where you’re from. Especially trash or food, you want to seal that up really tight. There’s a list of things that will help you with basics around here, but basically, any essentials you need you’ll find in town. If you can’t find them here, you don’t need them. The post office will take delivery of packages for you, but you’ll need to come in to town to collect your mail. You might want to check in with Sadie at the post office, and let her know you’ve arrived. Nobody’s lived at the Jenkins’s place for a bit, so tell her you’ll be staying there.”
Kristin listened as the woman spoke; hoping she’d remember the details she was spitting out like it was common knowledge. This was the most remote she’d ever been, back home everything was nearby. She’d have another forty minute drive to get to the property, and while most of it was paved, she’d be hitting gravel and dirt roads the closer she got to her cabin in the woods. She’d rented it for a year, almost on a whim, not sure what to do with herself. Solitude felt right – and thoughts of renewing her creative soul.
Realizing she’d better stock up, since running into town wouldn’t be
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