“That damn snow just keeps falling,” complained Mac as he peered out of his cabin window.
Mac spends at least six months at his secluded cabin where his sole goal is to write. He’s a mystery writer that is working to wrap up his latest contract – his last book is due on Friday.
“I haven’t seen snow like this in years!” Mac noted as he continued to gaze out of his window. “Enough of this. I have work to do. I need some coffee.”
Mac makes his way to the wood burning stove to only find he is out of coffee beans. He shakes his head, lets out a heavy sigh and makes his way over to the tiniest of pantries – Mac is all about the simple life when he’s up at the cabin.
“Of course it has to be on the top shelf. Dammit. Why can’t things just be easy for once,” commented Mac, as his disgruntled attitude was now hard to hide.
As he climbs the chair, he has always refused to use a step stool, he reached and reached and…
Boom!
Mac fell and hit his head on one of the shelves before falling onto the floor…
*****
“Where am I,” questioned Mac, as he gazed up towards the sky, his back laying firmly in a pile of the fluffiest of snow.
He slowly stood up and began looking around.
“Why!”
“I don’t have time for this bullshit. How did I even get here?”
“Wait…” Mac paused as he honed in on what he thought to be a light.
“That must be my cabin.”
Off he went. He was dead set on getting back to his cabin. He didn’t even care about the cold or wet snow, he just wanted to get back to his cabin to finish his work to get his publisher off of his back once and for all.
As quickly pulled himself together, realizing his mistake, and continued on his journey.
Shortly thereafter, he began walking towards another light.
As he neared the cabin, which he had already realized cannot be his, he bumped into the property owner who quickly began sharing with Mac his love for this beautiful, untouched land – even before Mac could breakaway.
“I had the opportunity to spend a special week over New Year’s with my family and friends at the cabin. We were unplugged and off the grid for seven days – no cell, no wifi … nothing! It was incredible for everyone.”
“We all came together over conversation, games and delicious meals. We left questions un-googled and unanswered; we focused on each other and invested in our relationships. We chopped wood and reconnected with the land. The solitude of this place healed us throughout the week and was an incredible way to start this new year.” – Noel Hendrickson
Above Location: Gulf Islands, British Columbia, Canada
Mac left unimpressed. Sure, he understood why most people come out to their cabin, but for him it was an opportunity to get away from the nagging wife and focus on his work. Although, his publisher has become just as nagging as his wife.
Then, he saw more lights…
Above Location: Lake Louise
Nothing. This was not his cabin.
He begrudgingly continued on his journey.
Above Location: Sawtooth National Forest
And, he stumbled on another cabin. And, slowly, Mac began to change his tune.
“I can’t believe I’m going to say this, but, there is something so special about the solitude and peacefulness of this all. How could I have missed this all before?”
Mac takes a moment and just pauses. He gazes all around him – not once, not twice but multiple times.
He then sets his sight on his next destination.
Above Location: Trout Lake Cozy Cabins
No luck.
Finally, he stumbles on something that seems out of this world.
“Why hello!” a stranger called out to Mac.
“Over here!” she yells.
Mac pretends to not notice and then realizes he has no choice. He makes his way over to the cabin.
“Hi. My name is Sylvia. What are you doing out here in this cold?”
Mac responds simply, “Just enjoying the scenery.”
“Well, you must come in and warm up.”
Once again, Mac knows that Sylvia will not back down.
He makes his way into her cabin, only to be greeted by her husband, two children and her parents – it was a family escape, that’s for sure.
Before Mac knows it, the sun has set, and they were far beyond the hot chocolate. He was drinking whiskey and laughing like he hasn’t laughed in years, which he hadn’t laughed in years.
Then, Mac left the cabin he referred to as “Narnia,” only to trip over one of the kid’s toys and fell face first onto the cabin floor.
*****
“My damn head hurts.”
Mac makes his way off of the pantry floor and looks around.
“Thank God I’m home.”
After picking up his coffee bean bag that fell to the floor, he goes to make his coffee. As he returns to his desk where his adventure began, he sipped his coffee and had a smile on his face that would not leave.
Mac would go on to write another best seller, and he got another book contract – with the same publisher.
Next time he would return to his cabin, he brought his entire family.
To create your own escape, be sure to check out:
Samuel Elkins, a photographer based in Oregon, on Instagram @samuelelkins
Maggie Sfingi, a photographer based on the West Coast, on Instagram @maggiesfingi
Andrea Dabene, a French photographer based in Los Angeles and currently in Montana, on Instagram @andreadabene
Stay tuned for more short story adventures.
