The aromas of her cooking
billowed out into the cold night, filling their nostrils and causing their
stomachs to rumble hungrily.
"Hello," the woman said
warmly. "Are you lost?"
They all nodded silently.
"Well, you would be welcome
to come in, warm up next to the fire… I've even got some stew which is nearly
ready which you can have. Luckily for you I think I've got enough."
Neil smiled in return.
"Thank you," he stepped
in without further hesitation. The others did too, apart from Michelle who
looked around anxiously, then saw no better option and entered the
cottage.
The lady smiled at her, watching
her walk past and then shut the door behind them. She bolted the door shut
again behind them all.
"I keep it locked, you never
know who is about in woods at night," she chuckled sweetly, and gestured
for them all to sit around the fireplace on the large pile matt.
She was dressed in a very old-fashioned
gown, that stretched to her ankles. She had relatively long and well-manicured
nails.
A large black cauldron was
boiling over the fire in the fireplace.
"Wow, an actual cauldron. I
didn't know people still used these," Kat commented, taking off her boots
and hanging her socks up to dry.
"It’s very good for stews…
and the like," the lady commented. She sprinkled some herbs or spices into
the cauldron and then sat down in a tall backed chair.
They all turned themselves to see
her. Noticing there was no TV or similar appliances in the cottage.
"Do you live here
alone?" Tanya asked.
"Mostly," the woman
nodded. "The wildlife in this wood keep me entertained and well
informed," she replied. "I have the occasional visitor from a dear
friend of mine."
The light of the fire flickered
across her face, as she looked down upon them.
"Feel free to take off your
coats and jumpers. Make yourself comfortable. The stew will take a bit
longer."
They did as they were advised and
settled back on the mat.
"Good… perhaps we can start
with some introductions. What are your names?"
"I'm Tanya. This is Kat,
Michelle, Neil, Rich and Peter," Tanya volunteered their names, pointing
at each of them. "We are friends from College," she added.
"Ahh, I see, pleasure to
meet you all… well I am Embermesrelda… but, in the spirit of you shortening
your names for me, you can call me Ember…"
"Good to meet you,"
they all murmured politely.
"What are you doing in the
woods at such an hour?" Ember asked them.
"We got lost," Tanya
started.
"We didn't get…"
"We got lost," Tanya
interrupted Neil's intervention. "We are out on a charity two-day hike…
our friend Neil thought he had found a great shortcut…" Neil huffed.
Ember smiled.
"Sometimes the shortest path
is a straight line," she commented.
Neil nodded, agreeing with
her.
"But then again sometimes it
isn't, it very much depends on the terrain in between," she concluded.
Neil's mood soured again.
"In fact, I recall a story
about that," she continued. "If you would like to hear it?"
They all nodded.
"Here goes," Ember
started. They looked interested to know what was next.