The sun was shining and there were only a few clouds in the sky. Birds chirped, rustling the leaves of the trees as they moved from branch to branch, tree to tree. The breeze in from the bay was only slightly tinged by salt by the time it reached her through the open window. It brought with it memories of other times.
She closed the window and turned on the fan. After a moment, she tugged the curtain closed over the window.
The small house was quiet. Quiet enough that the birdsong from outside was audible. She turned on the radio. Reception was bad, full of static, but it was human-made sound.
The property hadn’t really been ready when she’d moved out here. The windmill and generator only provided limited power. It had been enough though. As long as she stayed out here, in the middle of nowhere, and they didn’t find her, she had a certain freedom.
Freedom long gone in the cities. She treasured that freedom above almost anything else. She did miss being around other people. The temptation to seek out others who might be hiding out like her wasn’t quite strong enough to overcome the fear of losing her freedom though.
No, it was safer to keep to herself.
She turned up the wick on the hurricane lamp. Flickering light chased away some of the shadows in the corners. Pulling a book from the shelves, she settled down to lose herself in a another world for a time.
The sound of a rising wind eventually pulled her attention away from the story. She reached over and turned the radio off. The wind grew stronger, the whine of engines just audible under it.
There was a knock on the door.
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