Ash Cottage: Part 5

The bacon sizzled in the pan, two thick white slices of bread, buttered, sat ready to her side. She flipped the rashers to check they were done and then dishes them on top of the bread. She ran the tap over the hot pan which hissed in protest and went quiet.

Alice has few indulgences but a bacon sandwich on Saturday was one of her favourites. She caught a glimmer of something reflecting on the floor, a flash caught her eye. She placed her plate on the small dining table and investigates. 

Another piece of glass!

She thought she had cleared them all up after her glass has exploded. Better she found them now than with her bare feet.

Alice threw the piece in the bin and washed her hands.

Nothing was going to distract her from her sandwich.

Sitting at the table, she picked it up with both hands and took a big bite. Delicious.

She took a sip of her orange juice and leaned back.

She hadn't been able to figure out how the glass ended up on the floor, her only thought that it had been precariously balanced, perhaps she knocked it when she had gotten the pitcher.

Either way it didn't matter. 

She has been in a spiral of despair and at least cleaning up the glass had distracted her from it for a little while 

She took another bite.

She could feel the hurt on her chest, sat waiting, coiled around her heart like a snake poised to strike and render her incapacitated.

She pushed it back. She ignored the feeling. 

It was a beautiful sunny morning, the house was warm and she had her sandwich. In a bit she would have a nice cup of coffee and set about finishing the unpacking. Hopefully having everything neatly organised would allow her to relax a bit easier and write.

Tap.

A noise? She looked around the room? Was it the cooker? Had she left a hob on? She checked, nothing was on. Perhaps it was just settling.

She continued her breakfast.

Perhaps later in the day she would go for a walk, survey the area. There were houses, a school, a newsagents nearby but she liked to have a feeling of where things were. Help her navigate in the future. Find the shortcuts the locals all knew.

Tap.

The noise again. She stood up, taking the remainder of her sandwich and greedily fitting it in one bite.

Was there a leak? Was something dripping?

That was the last thing she needed, to find out the roof has a hole in, these things could cost a fortune and she wasnt exactly flush with money.

Tap.

The sound was coming from the study. Quietly so as to hear the source of the sound she tiptoed forward in to the ball.

Tap.

It was her typewriter. Somehow it was making a noise, as if tired of waiting for her to feed it words it has begun alone.

Tap.

She dashed forward keen to see what was going on. 

The page she had loaded yesterday was still there. The typewriter still she leaned I closely for a better look, her face inches from the machine when suddenly.

Tap tap.

The typewriter finished it's sentence on its own. 

Alice jumped back in suprise.

She yanked the paper from the typewriter, denying the phantom author its media. 

She read the words on the page.

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