The air was sharp with the scent of pine and damp earth as Mia stepped down from the shuttle, her boots crunching against the gravel path. Ahead, the lodge rose out of the mist-wreathed peaks, its weathered timber and stone walls standing sturdy against the shifting mountain fog. Light spilled from a few windows, casting a soft, golden hue into the pale morning mist.
She pulled her coat tighter, the chill settling deeper than she had expected. It wasn't just the cold—it was the weight she carried, the heaviness she had foolishly hoped would lift with a simple change of scenery. She had promised herself it would get better, that somewhere in these quiet hills she would find a fragment of who she used to be. But even now, after the long journey and the promise of solitude, a small, cynical voice in her mind whispered otherwise. Nothing changes just because you run from it.
The gravel crunched louder underfoot as she approached the lodge door and pushed it open with a soft creak. Inside, a rush of warmth enveloped her—the rich scent of burning wood mingling with pine and a faint sweetness, perhaps cider or mulled wine. The heat kissed her chilled skin, soaking into the places she hadn't realized were frozen.
A fire roared in the great stone hearth at the centre of the lounge, its light dancing across low wooden beams and faded rugs. The lodge was rustic, almost untouched by time, and for a fleeting moment, Mia almost managed a genuine smile.
The reception desk stood unmanned, a small brass bell perched atop it beside a handwritten note: Back shortly. Please make yourself comfortable. She let her bag slide to the floor.
"Looks like no one's at the desk right now," said a woman lounging in a worn armchair by the fire. She looked to be in her late forties, with short, curly hair and a weathered knit cardigan that spoke of many return visits. A travel mug rested in her hands, steam curling lazily upward. "They're probably off doing something. No rush."
Mia turned to her, nodding politely. "I guess."
"I'm Eileen," the woman added with an easy smile. "Just got here myself, though I've been coming to this place for years. It's got that kind of hold on you."
Mia gave another small nod.
"Don't worry," Eileen continued, her voice warm and unhurried. "They don't mind when people show up a little late. This place has a way of making time feel… unimportant."
Mia glanced out the window, taking in the mist, but didn't respond.
Eileen smiled, unfazed by Mia's quietness. "I've been coming here for years. It's nice—nothing ever changes, really. Quiet, peaceful. Just what you need, I bet."
"Yeah," Mia replied softly.
"You'll find your rhythm here," Eileen added. "Most do. Take it easy. Sit by the fire, let the fog do its thing. Just remember, if you need anything, I'm around. I'm usually here in the mornings, before the fog lifts."
Mia offered a small nod but didn't say more.
Drawn by the fire's glow, Mia lowered herself into a nearby armchair. The cushions sighed beneath her. For a long moment, no one spoke.
Eileen, from across the hearth, broke the silence with a soft, reflective voice. "You here to write? Paint? Or just… breathe?" She gave a light chuckle.
"Just breathe," Mia replied, her tone brief.
"That's enough sometimes," Eileen said, sipping her drink. "I used to think I had to keep busy all the time. But this place? It teaches you to slow down. And you'd be surprised what starts to change when you let yourself just be." She paused, her gaze going distant. "My husband and I used to come here every fall. He loved the fog, said it made the world feel quieter—like everything got a second chance." Her smile faltered slightly. "We'd sit by this very fire. Talk for hours. Or say nothing at all. He passed three years ago, heart attack out of nowhere. Still half-expect him to walk in carrying a tray of tea and insisting it's too cold in here."
Mia looked away, the flickering firelight blurring in her eyes.
She wasn't sure why it struck so hard—maybe because loss had its own language, one she was just starting to understand.
Suddenly, her own memory surged up like a tide.
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He stood by the door, jacket half-on, fury simmering beneath his calm.
"You never meet me halfway, Mia."
Her voice shook. "That's not fair. You shut me out, and I'm the one who—"
"You always play the victim," he snapped. "You don't talk. You hold everything in until it's too damn late."
She took a step back, heart pounding. "Because when I do talk, you don't listen."
He laughed bitterly. "No. I just don't agree with you, and that's your real problem."
She opened her mouth—then closed it. What was left to say?
The silence between them swelled, louder than the fight. Then, without another word, he turned, yanked open the door, and slammed it behind him.
The sound echoed for weeks.
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Eileen smiled gently as Mia stayed quiet, her eyes focused on the fire. "It's funny," Eileen continued softly, "this place has a way of making you slow down. You don't have to do anything—just be. Just breathe, let it all sink in. And you'd be surprised what starts to change."
"Just be," Eileen repeated gently, and the words tugged Mia back into the present like a thread pulling through fabric.
Mia blinked, her shoulders tense, as if she'd just surfaced from deep water. She glanced at Eileen, who had gone quiet again, watching the fire as if speaking to someone who wasn't there.
"Thanks," Mia murmured, barely audible.
Eileen didn't push. She simply nodded and took another slow sip of her drink.
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Eventually, her gaze wandered across the lounge—and that's when she noticed 'him'.
He sat by the far window, half-hidden in the flickering firelight, a book resting on his lap. His features were angular, quietly handsome in a way that might have been easy to overlook if not for the strange stillness about him. He wasn't really reading; his eyes were distant, as if caught somewhere beyond the page.
As if sensing her gaze, he looked up. Their eyes met—briefly, searchingly.
There was nothing dramatic about it. No instant spark, no knowing smile. Just a fleeting recognition—a brief, wordless acknowledgment—and then he looked away, returning to his book with a kind of weary grace, as if even that small act had cost him something.
Mia turned back to the fire, her heart thudding uncomfortably against her ribs. She tried to ignore the odd feeling that had settled in her chest, like something she couldn't quite grasp. It was nothing—just a moment, a glance. Nothing to dwell on.
She shifted in the armchair, pulling her knees up towards her chest, wrapping her arms around them for warmth. The heat of the flames sank into her skin, grounding her. The soft crackle of the fire was the only sound in the room now, and it was enough.
She was grateful for the quiet. Grateful that Eileen had finally fallen silent, retreating to her own corner of the lodge. The stillness felt almost sacred. This was what she had come for—the peace, the solitude, the space to breathe without the weight of anyone else's expectations.
The firelight flickered, casting long shadows along the walls, and the mist outside pressed closer, muting the world even more. Mia closed her eyes, letting the quiet fill her, and for a moment, it was enough.
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