Four

"So do you have a better place for tonight?" Rhett asked, stretching as he emerged from the study.

"Yes. Or, at least I hope so. Hopefully it's still there, it was pretty old in my time, but it was absolutely solid. If this house is still half standing, the old cottage is probably still solid." Emily said happily, picking up the small cluster of possessions she had spread through the room.

"You sound optimistic. Amazing what a good night's sleep will do, isn't it?" Rhett joked.

"Yep, it sure is. Let's get going, the cottage is about a mile out of town." Emily said, slinging her bag over her shoulder and walking out the door.

"Wait a second!" Rhett exclaimed. Emily watched as he ducked back into the study, grabbing his pack and meeting her back at the door, smiling all the way. "Where exactly is it that we're going?" He asked as the pair set off down the walk.

"A few summers ago me and some friends were exploring the woods on the north side of town, and we came across this cool old building that looked kinda abandoned. We were enchanted, to say the least. The bricks were old and gray, the entire place was covered with ivy and it just looked like some cool old castle. We found a way in, and it was our little secret. Alice christened it 'Rose Cottage' and we spent a lot of time out there. When we first got there, it was like a time capsule. Nobody had been there for years, dust was everywhere, but there was neat old clothing in the closets and dishes in the cupboards. We were sure there was nobody living there, it looked as if nobody set foot in there for a century." Emily said dreamily, hugging herself as the pair walked down the abandoned street.

"So you think it's still standing?" Rhett asked, surveying the dusty street with interest and caution.

"I can only hope. I love that place, we had so much fun in there. It's been standing for a while though, and it's thick and solid. You won't believe what this place is like." Emily said, looking ahead with interest. The pair walked in silence for a few minutes before Emily spoke again. "I think we turn here." She said, looking into the thick of the trees. "There used to be a trail here. You can still kind of see it."

"I don't see anything." Rhett said, following Emily closely, looking around. "I think this forest is a bit more dangerous than you may remember."

"What makes you say that?"

"The land changed with the war. Radiation isn't good for life, and things have changed. The wildlife is what makes this wasteland so dangerous. Well, the wildlife and the radiation hotspots. You've always got to be vigilant."

"Is something really going to jump out at us?" Emily asked, laughing at the idea.

"Maybe." Rhett said, always looking ahead for any sign of danger. "Did you hear something?" He asked, looking even more nervous than before.

"No, I couldn't hear anything over your constant worrying." Emily said, clearly in a very good mood.

"That was definitely something." Rhett said, drawing a strange-looking object from his pocket and looking for the source of the noise.

"What is that?" Emily asked, pointing at the dark shape in his hand.

"This is a gun." Rhett said, looking at her in confusion.

"No, this is a gun." Emily said, pulling a pistol from her bag.

"Woah, that thing looks ancient. Does it even work?"

"It has been well maintained." Emily replied. "Now, what exactly do you think you heard?"

"I don't know. Some sort of scratching noise, I guess. Keep your eyes open."

"It's just a little further." Emily said, fighting her way through the brambles that grown close to the cottage. "Find the source of the noise yet?" Emily asked, pausing in her movements.

"No."

"How about that?" Emily asked, pointing to a branch scratching against a window of the stone building they were approaching.

"Looks like it." Rhett said, relaxing a little and placing his gun back in his pocket. Emily followed suit, tucking hers into her waistband.

"I don't see a door or anything back here." Rhett said warily as Emily stopped to look at the windows surrounding a sunroom.

"That's because there isn't, really." She said, pushing on one of the dirty windowpanes and watching it fall open with a groan of unused hinges. "Thank goodness that worked, there's no other way in to this place."

"No other way in? Does that mean there's no other way out too?" Rhett asked.

"Yeah. The front door won't open, we tried. I suppose you could go out one of the other windows, but they only open from the inside."

"Well, let me go in first."

"Do you think there's something in there?" Emily asked, her eyebrows raised in amusement.

"Yeah, I do." Rhett replied, pushing past her in to the sunroom. Emily followed soon after, looking around in amazement at the things within. They were exactly as she remembered them, only covered by a thin film of dust.

"Rhett, there's nothing here. This place hasn't changed since I've seen it last." She looked around at everything. It felt like such a long time had passed since she stepped foot in the cottage, yet everything remained the same. Alice's water glass lay overturned in the sink, the way she left it every time. It was strange to think she hadn't set foot in here in over 100 years, when Emily remembered sitting at the table with her only a few days ago.

"Do you mind if I look around?" Rhett asked, suddenly feeling as though he was intruding upon Emily's inner sanctum.

"No, go ahead." Emily said, looking at the various things on the kitchen table with interest. Rhett walked in to the next room, which turned out to be a sitting room. The large picture window showed only overgrown trees and bushes, and everything within was covered in a thin film of dust. He walked on, hesitant to touch anything. He found himself in a curious room next, a long counter jutting out from the wall as he walked in, and the other wall was lined with a plush bench or sorts. He looked around curiously, but he couldn't figure out it's purpose. He retreated, the only exit also serving as the entrance. He was back in the sitting room, where he found Emily sitting on the sofa.

"Read this." She said quietly, handing him a piece of paper.

Dear Emily,

I don't know where you are, but I hope you are safe. You disappeared from the closet yesterday, and nobody can figure it out. There are bombs falling everywhere, around town and as far as we can see. It's so frightening, not knowing where your best friend is, or if she's safe. I figure of if you're still alive, you'll come home to the cottage. That's what I'd do.

I can't wait here forever though. I'm going back to town, to be with my family. They need me right now, and I need them. I suggest you do the same, if you still can by the time you get this letter. If you get this letter. I sort of meant this as a goodbye, but I don't know how to say goodbye to my best friend. So, good luck. If you're still alive, I hope you have a great life.

Love,

Alice

"I hadn't thought about it before. Everyone I know, everyone I love, gone. All gone, dead 100 years ago! Everywhere I look around here I expect to see them, walking in to the room, ready to laugh again. I'm so alone now, I just don't know what to do." Emily said, tears gently rolling down her face.

"You keep going, move on. That's all you can do, or else you'll drive yourself crazy. It's the only real option you've got." Rhett said, sliding a comforting arm around her shoulders.

"And you're some kind of expert on this?" Emily asked sharply.

"Yeah, kind of." Rhett replied, his tone sorrowful.

"Sorry." Emily sniffed, looking up at him.

"How about you show me the rest of this place?" Rhett asked, giving her a bit of a smile. She nodded her head.

"This is the living room." Emily said, looking at him. "Well, where have you already been? I don't want to repeat anything."

"Just here, the kitchen, and the room to the left. Though I don't understand that one."

"This is the bar." Emily said, leading Rhett in to the room in question.

"What exactly is the purpose of a bar?"

"It's just a place to hang out. Beverages are kept behind the counter, and at parties there's usually a bartender to serve drinks." Emily said, feeling strange that she had to explain this. "Are there no bars now?"

"None like this, at least."

"Strange. The next room is just the downstairs bath, nothing too strange there, right?"

"Nope, it looks pretty normal." Rhett said, grinning at her.

"The entry is the next room. Nothing too much here, just the staircase. Upstairs, there's bedrooms and such. Let's start with the smallest." Emily said, pushing the door open to a pale yellow room. It wasn't terribly small, but it looked cozy. A twin bed stood pressed against the far wall, and a door stood open to their right. "The bathroom is through here, and through there is the other bedroom." Emily said, leading him quickly through the blue and yellow bath and in to the blue bedroom. This was a larger room, with a full-sized bed and a desk.

"Nothing too special yet." Rhett said, looking around.

"Oh, this house is very special. You just don't know where to look." Emily replied, winking as she opened the door that brought them back to the head of the stairs. "The library is through here." She said, pulling open the door directly across from them. Rhett stood in awe, looking around at all the shelves filled with various things. All together, there were very few books. Many of the shelves were filled by photographs and trinkets.

"Little bits of our lives. Everything has a meaning." Emily said, looking around with a smile. "Let me show you the last bedroom." Emily said, pulling a still-stunned Rhett across the room to another door. This one opened up to a grand room, with a vaulted ceiling and and massive four-poster bed. A window seat sat in one wall, overlooking the front of the house. The walls were painted a lavender color, with white accents. "This will be my bedroom." Emily said, flopping on the bed, sending up a cloud of dust.

"Okay then, which room is mine?"

"Either blue or yellow, take your pick. Come on, I'll show you the interesting parts of this house."