4 Bittersweet <4>

As I walked along the narrow path, wet leaves sliding underfoot, the trees hugging me with their branches, I started feeling… weird.

The whole trail was eerie. As if…

Someone was watching me from nearby.

I could feel a hot breath on the back of my neck, making my hair stand, but whenever I turned around, there was nobody there.

This went on for a while, and I nearly lost it when my bag got snagged on a stray branch, making me jump back and scream out. My hot breath ragged and my body covered in cold sweat, I eventually arrived at a small clearing with a cottage and a shed in it.

My heart skipped a beat when I found it.

The lights were on, and after making sure I look presentable, I knocked on the front door and waited.

Some time passed, 5 minutes, perhaps 10, before I heard any response coming from the inside. The lock slowly gave way, and the solid oak door creaked open a bit, before opening fully.

Standing in front of me was the same woman I saw in the meadow that day; long, silky black hair, a pale complexion… those devouring saffron eyes. Today, her lips were a pink rose-like color.

Her eyes widened a little when she saw me, but other than that, her set in stone expression didn't change at all. She was hiding something behind her back, making me nervous.

''Uh… erm… I'm Nishio. Fifteen years old. An orphan. Y-You saved me the other day, in the meadow,'' I told her, my voice shaking a little. ''I, um, wanted to thank you… personally…''

I looked up at her, noticing her expression softening a little.

''How about we talk inside for a while? Why don't you come in, Nishio?'' she said, letting out a sweet, yet mature voice.

She moved sideways to let me in, and I crossed the threshold of the cottage, entering a narrow hallway, covered with wood panels and a few paintings of the meadow.

In one of them, instead of rain, blood was pouring down on the meadow, turning everything a red hue. I wondered if it was based on a real event that happened before…

The woman smiled when she noticed me staring at that painting, closing the door behind us. ''The painting was already here when I moved in. It's quite intriguing, isn't it? A beautiful meadow full of roses being defiled by a rain of blood… or maybe the roses feast on the blood. Maybe it's the blood that makes them as beautiful as they are. Everyone and everything has something that keeps them going, after all.''

''Ah, yes, it is… I was wondering if it was based on something that actually happened, but that would be absurd, right?'' I said, letting out an awkward laugh.

She smiled a little, making me blush. ''Who knows… Perhaps one day you'll find out. Follow me to the dining-room. I was preparing dinner…'' she said, walking deeper into the hallway, through an empty doorway on the right hand side.

I followed her in, looking around. A solid oak dining table, with 3 chairs beside it. A classic gas stove, carved oak cupboards and a small fridge. Something was boiling in a pot, a meaty aroma filling the air.

I stared at the pot for a while, before she giggled and told me to sit down.

''Ah, sorry… I have some food too if you'd like,''' I said, scratching my head. I opened my bag and took out a can of peaches, as well as some sandwiches with thick slices of roasted ham and cheese. I took out a metallic thermos full of tea, which was still warm.

''Would you like some?'' I offered, pointing at the tea. ''It's sage.''

She nods and grabs a mug from the cupboard, before sitting down again and letting me pour her tea. I offered her sandwiches and she accepted, apologizing because the stew would take a while longer to cook.

We sat in silence for a while, listening to the hiss of the stew while we ate, sipping on our tea occasionally. She broke the silence by dropping the dreaded bombshell on me.