Novel & Cerita A Short Walk In A Pretty Town

Bett and I driving around would have been nice if we weren’t just stuck in the vehicle for hours, but mom doesn’t normally ask for time to herself, so we are sucking it up and driving around until the pizza is ready to be picked up. It’s about a four-minute drive until we are in town and you can already tell it’s a small town where everyone knows each other. There are people walking on the sidewalk in front of all the old shops or building they stop and talk to each person they walk by.

I cleared my schedule for the day due to that, as was proper. And so the afternoon found me walking through the sunlit streets of the small town in the company of Rachel. The town bustled with life, its streets lined with charming boutiques and cozy cafés. The air was filled with a symphony of cheerful chatter and birdsong, creating a vibrant backdrop for our leisurely stroll.

I just needed to come up with a plan to get away. Before Callan woke up I quickly got dressed and texted Maeve asking if we could go get coffee. Maeve: How did you know that I needed some liquid gold? I chuckled at her text. Me: I guess I can read your mind. We met downstairs 10 mins later and began walking down the packhouse’s steps to the downtown area. It was quaint with its’ brick buildings and freshly groomed hedges and flower beds. The town reminded me of every small town movie that I watched. Although instead of people being happy to see me, they all looked at me with skeptical glances.

We walk through the grounds, past the fencing, and along a path into a quaint little town. The buildings are all brick just like the packhouse. The streets are immaculate and lined with well-trimmed trees. If you stumbled on it in your travels, you’d likely think it picturesque, a simple country place with kind down-home folks—but I know better of the things that lurk here.

Willow I step off the bus, clutching my small hand luggage by my side, and shut my eyes, breathing in the familiar autumn breeze. Slowly, my eyes flutter open, taking in the busy street around me. It doesn't seem like anything has changed since I left this town ten years ago. I start walking across the cobblestone path, passing by some stores that displayed shiny little trinkets in the display window and cosy restaurants that offered delicious-looking desserts. I can't help the smile that tugs at my lips as I take everything in all at once.

“I’m so glad. Now, how about I give you a quick tour of town? It’ll be fun—just us girls. We’ll be back before you know it.” I opened my mouth to say no politely, and firmly, but she was already grabbing a light cardigan from the hook by the door. “It’s tiny, Lila. One main street. Ten minutes, tops.” I sighed. No choice. We walked. The town was exactly as small as she’d promised. One dusty main road with a general store, a post office, a feed supply shop, a diner with a flickering neon sign, and a big community hall at the end that looked like it hosted everything from weddings to livestock auctions.

Which, let’s be real, was a statistical certainty if I wore it now. As I locked the door behind me, Pinewood was waking up. The little town always smelled of pine needles, cinnamon from the bakery, and occasionally wet dog - the last one being a little too on-the-nose considering what lurked under my skin. The campus was only a ten-minute walk, tucked between the town library and the sports field. I waved at Mrs. Donnelly watering her flowers, dodged a cyclist who clearly hated pedestrians, and ducked into Moonlight Café long enough to grab a latte.

They walked to the apartment. It was a twenty-minute walk through the March city — south along the river path, the Hartley Bridge visible in the middle distance, the may-blossom not yet arrived but the trees along the path having committed to their intention, the green running through the canopy in its earliest form. The city at its Saturday morning pace: unhurried, the week's obligation set aside, the day available to be inhabited rather than navigated. Catherine walked between them. She looked at the river. She looked at the bridge.

“We are going to take a walk around the town for a bit. We thought a change of scenery might be good for you.” I nodded, feeling unusually excited. “That sounds like a good idea.” “Shall we?” Ophelia asked. °°°°°°°°°°°°°°°° Ophelia and Celeste flanked my sides as we walked down the rather bust streets of the town. Everything seemed peaceful. The sun was setting, so the sky took on a yellowish pink hue, which painted the town in its beautiful colours. Shop sellers sold their goods and chuckled loudly with the customers they interacted with. A family passed by, their little girl jumping up in front of them and showing the toy she held in her hand.

Faith's POV: The evening was unusually quiet as I walked down the street, my footsteps a rhythmic beat against the cracked pavement. It was one of those rare moments when everything felt still—almost too still. I couldn't shake the feeling that something was about to change, but I couldn’t quite place why. As I walked past row after row of identical homes, something about this small town seemed... off. The air was heavy with secrets, and the quiet seemed to speak of things unsaid.