Wade Hyatt

The Letter

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. The girl had used this shortcut through these woods on multiple occasions, when leaving after hours from school with nobody to pick her up. It was later than usual as she made her way through the winding trail toward her house that evening. Her mother did not approve of this way getting home, it made her worry and so the girl seldom confessed to having used it. The woods provided a natural shelter from the elements though. The thick lines of trees that surrounded the path shielded her from the rain and filtered even the harshest of winds down to a gentle breeze. A relief from the miles of country road she would have to walk beyond that point, along open fields and pastures. This night however, there was no urgent need for protection from the weather. The air was calm and the dusky sky with the setting sun remained clear, save a few scattered clouds across the horizon. She simply wanted to save time by going this way tonight.