More Fractured Tales stories!
It was something she saw every day she went outside... the intriguing path at the edge of her backyard... just beyond the clothesline.
Every day she paused to wonder... did it lead to another property... perhaps an old farm... or maybe an abandoned logging road.
Did it lead to a beautiful lake... or a secret rendezvouz site... or was it just a narrow dirt road that went nowhere?
From where she stood, the road went into the forest... but she couldn't see very far... and then it disappeared in dense fog... or mist.
Many times, she had wondered... fantasized... and imagined that it leads to something magical.
The mystery of what lay beyond that dirt road had puzzled her for a long time... until her curiosity could no longer be ignored.
It was time to find out how far the road went... and exactly what - if anything - was at the end.
Her imagination was running wild.
Tall trees grew close to both sides of the road... intertwining overhead to form a thick, dark green canopy... so dense the sun did not penetrate through.
She almost wished she had brought a flashlight.
It was cool and pleasant for walking as she set out... with the intention of finding out if the road went farther than could be seen from her backyard.
The fog disappeared so suddenly it caught her by surprise... and she froze. Before her lay what
appeared to be a large green meadow, dotted with floral splashes of every colour imaginable, underneath a clear blue sky.
"Welcome. We have been waiting for you/"
She stepped forward. "Waiting for me? Why? What do you mean?"
"We get an alert whenever someone follows the path."
She turned and looked back, but... there was no path... no fog... just a dense wall of tall green trees.
"Do you like what you see?"
She turned towards the voice and saw a tall, slim woman in a long, soft blue gown. Her waist-length hair was platinum blonde. She was beautiful, but... something about her didn't seem quite right. "Yes," she replied. "It's quiet and beautiful."
"Come with me."
"Where am I? What is this place?"
"Does it really matter?"
They came to a garden with a waterfall at the centre. "I think you will enjoy this for a while. I will have some food sent to you." The woman in blue walked away, and the food was delivered seconds later.
She sat there, nibbling fruit and cheese, listening to the waterfall... but something felt strange... not quite right. It was almost... what's the term she was looking for? Too perfect!
Where... and what... was this place? Was it real or was she dreaming? If it was some sort of exclusive spa, why hadn't she heard about it?
Shaking her head... she decided to enjoy it for a little while... and then she would ask for directions to the road home.
