The First to Find Her

Amanda looked around the cottage. It was devoid of any human presence but it was not, in any way, empty. In the middle of the living room is a low center table made of Maplewood,

surrounded by 3 3-seater upholstered couches. Piles of what seemed like glossy paper-bound tomes were on top and at the bottom of the center table. As she saw earlier, the windows were closed but the curtains were drawn to the side to give a view of the garden outside.

Amanda took a few steps towards the living room and suddenly felt light-headed. It was as if she was transported to a different place- not, to a different time. She noticed a metallic cabinet against a wall on one side. Framed, small realistic portraits lined the top of the cabinet: Of people and places that seem familiar but also unknown to Amanda. She suddenly felt a warm and fuzzy feeling wrapping around her.

As Amanda turned away from the photographs, she found herself in front of a stairway that leads to the second flo