Lakehouse

Unknown 1

As I walk onto the front porch of my newly purchased home, I take in the breathtaking sight of the lake at the edge of my property. The light breeze causes golden ripples to cascade over the lake as the sunlight glistens on the water. It’s mesmerizing.

The white, cottage-style home sits atop a small hill with the greenest lawn I have ever seen stretching down to the lake. At the very edge of the water, there is a small dock, perfect for lounging on sunny days such as this one. The home boasts three full bedrooms, all with en-suite bathrooms, a beautiful study, and a spacious, modern kitchen that has my baker’s heart singing.

The estate agent mentioned that this property has been vacant for many years. That may be the reason why it was so affordable. I cannot understand why anyone would pass up the opportunity to buy a property as stunning as this one.

A warm breeze moves over my skin as I close my eyes to breathe the fresh air. I have to enjoy the last few moments of warmth before Autumn finally begins. The forecasts indicate that cold weather is quickly approaching. With this thought in mind, I make my way down to the dock to soak up the remnants of the summer sun before it vanishes for good. The cool grass under my feet is a stark contrast to the warm breeze washing over me as I make my way down to the water.

I step off the grass onto the dock and it creaks underneath my feet. This sound, old structure still stands proudly as small waves crash against its weathered posts. My mind wanders to the families that may have lived here before me. Children laughing and jumping into the water as parents watch nervously from the kitchen windows. The thought brings a smile to my face. A sense of home fills my body as I lower myself to the edge of the dock to put my feet in the water. The frigid water wraps around my feet causing me to hiss at the sudden cold. Summer has most definitely come to an end.

I lean back and lay down on the dock. Letting the cold water caress my feet as I stare at the clear blue sky. I watch as birds float above me, no doubt collecting food for the approaching winter. As I lay there listening to the sounds of nature, I close my eyes and drink it all in. My breathing becomes shallow as I feel myself drift off with the sun caressing my skin.

The air on my skin feels chilly as I slowly open my eyes, quickly realizing that the sun has gone down almost completely. The only reminder of the warmth that previously moved over me is the stunning orange and purple hues left on the horizon. I sit up slowly and take in the breathtaking sight before getting up and walking back to my new home. Looking up at the property, the colours of the setting sun dance over the white walls and a sense of pride fills me. I stop and stare at the beautiful sight. This is all mine. I bought this. This place is mine and no one can take it away from me.

I make my way back up to my home and turn on the porch light before moving inside to turn on the lights in the rest of the home. As I reach the guest bedrooms, all the joy from the day drains from my body as I look at the stacks of unopened boxes waiting to be unpacked. I sigh as I make my way into my bedroom to change into something comfortable. If I'm going to be unpacking for the rest of the evening, I may as well be comfortable while doing it. After opening my closet I pull out a pair of comfortable white sweatpants and an oversized t-shirt. I walk over to my full-length mirror and begin braiding my hair. Once my hair is braided I giggle as I look at myself in the mirror. I am a petite woman, barely 5ft 5. This T-shirt looks more like a dress than a shirt. My long black braid hangs over my shoulder and ends in the middle of my torso. I've always been proud of my appearance, but right now I look homeless. Which is ironic.

I started unpacking the boxes in my study. This is the room I will spend the majority of my time in since I am a full-time writer. It needs to be perfect. I spend the majority of my time organizing my floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, categorizing the books by genre and then by Author. Once I'm done I step back and admire my hard work. Perfect. The rest of the room is easy. I move my desk in front of the large window facing the back of the property. The view of the forest in the distance will surely inspire me. After another twenty minutes, I have successfully finished my study. I glance back at my hard work before turning off the light and closing the door. One down, four more to go. The rest of the evening I spent decorating and unpacking the other rooms. I don't need four guest bedrooms. Two of these four rooms will be guest bedrooms, so I start with those. I make the beds and decorate the rooms so that each room has its unique style. I want my guests to feel comfortable and cared for. I place extra towels and blankets in the closets and stock the bathrooms with any supplies a guest might need.

After finishing my guest rooms, it is time to tackle the other two rooms. I have decided to turn the smaller room into a home gym and since I don't have a lot of equipment, this room will be perfect. I stack the weights on a rack that I bought recently and move the treadmill in front of the window. It will give me something to look at when I torture my lungs with cardio. No one loves cardio. Only crazy people love cardio. By the time I am done moving around the equipment, I am sweaty and out of breath. I really should have had the moving company move these for me. The equipment is a lot heavier than I could have ever imagined. I guess I don't have to work out tomorrow since I already got a good workout this evening.

The last of my four rooms is only slightly smaller than the master bedroom. I left the best for last. There are few things in this world that I enjoy more than painting, except maybe writing. I place the easel right next to the large bay window. In the daytime, the view from this room is almost as breathtaking as the one from my front porch. In the distance, there is a small clearing and in the middle, there is a pond. I saw some ducks swimming there earlier today. A small family, no doubt the family will need a warm place for the winter. I make a mental note to do some research on how to care for wild ducks. The view is stunning. Aside from the creepy-looking shed that peers through some trees at the edge of my property. The estate agent informed me that it didn't form part of my land and that the local council would have it removed if I wanted it gone. I think the creepy little shed gives the view some character. I unpack my paints into a beautiful wooden cabinet that came with the house. The wood is heavy and the craftsmanship is stunning. I can tell that this cabinet has a rich history and I wouldn't dare throw it out.

Once I have unpacked everything in my home I decide to take a quick shower and change into something warm. I head to my kitchen and make myself a cup of ginger tea before heading out to my front porch to breathe the night air.

I grab the blanket next to me on my swing chair and wrap it tightly around me before sipping on my tea. The way the moonlight dances over the lake makes me feel at peace. This place is home and I wouldn't want to be anywhere else. After finishing my tea, I neatly fold the blanket and drape it over the swing before grabbing my cup to head inside.

As I reach the door I hear a loud snap of a branch in the distance. The sound echoes through the forest and out over my open lawn area. A chill creeps up my spine as I look over to the forest that no longer seems so friendly. The trees cast long shadows like creepy crooked fingers reaching out to grab me. I shake my head at my childish thoughts and make my way inside. This is my first night in my own home and I cannot wait for what the future might hold.

Once I reach my bedroom I realize that I never closed my curtains. As I approach the large open window I notice some lights shining through the trees. Could that be a neighbour? I stand at my window silently contemplating their life. Who are they? Do they live alone? What is their story? I sigh as I slowly close the curtains. Maybe someday I'll find out.