Mirror

Cottage vibes

How the hell do I manage to get myself into these predicaments?? Of course, I would be the one to touch a magical portal into another realm. UGH. Like whyyyyy. I can barely keep my s**t together for five minutes. This should be an interesting adventure. It is like I'm starring in one of my many fantasy novels. Maybe I hit my head in the woods and this is all a dream? I pinch my arm hard. NOPE. Well, there goes that idea. At least Mason is helpful. It doesn’t hurt he's good looking. SADIE STOP.

“Here, let me help clean this up,” I said as I got up to help Mason clean the mugs. “If I'm here i might as well make myself useful.”

“It is understandable if you require time to adjust to your new surroundings. If you need rest, I have a cot to the back. I will sleep out here.”

“Oh no, please don’t put yourself out for me,”I start, “I can sleep out here. Its no problem at all.”

“This is not a negotiation. You are my guest and you will have a restful sleep. The cot isn’t the biggest or best, but it will be better than the floor.” He turns away toward the kitchen. I follow.

“I don’t have a big cottage but I can show you around so you can feel more comfortable here. Then I will head to the village to get you some clothing.” He starts to walk down a small hall. “This door here is the bedroom.” He opens the door slowly and backs up so I can see inside. There is a double-sized cot with a small wooden end table on either side with a single lantern on the left side. That must be the side he sleeps on. I look to the right and across from the bed on the opposite wall is a small dresser. Above the dresser there is a mark left on the wall, like the sun faded around an object in the same oval shape as the mirror that brought me to this world.

I quickly look at him and the understanding is on his face and he just nods. Cool. So the mirror was here then ended up in the woods for me to find? What the hell is going on?

We walk across the hall to another door. He pushes the door open. There is a tub off to the end of the wall, a small sink, and a toilet.

“Please make yourself comfortable here,” he starts, “it will be a day's ride into the village and then a day's ride home. I shouldn’t be gone more than three days. There should be enough food and water for you here.”

The dread of being left alone here when i don’t really know where ‘here’ is sets in. I nod, so he knows I heard him. I’m afraid. But I have no reason not to trust him. I go sit back in front of the fireplace and curl my toes into the bear skin rug. I can hear Mason rummaging through some items. Probably packing his bag.

“Please don’t go into the woods or leave the cottage,” he says, “I can’t protect you once you leave.”

“Okay.”

“I will hurry back. I won’t leave you alone long.”

He grabs a sheathed sword off of his kitchen table and straps it to his hips. He covers himself with a brownish gray cloak and looks me over. He looks like he wants to say something to me, but he just nods and heads out the door.