The Coffee Shop in The Woods

A Creative Short Story by Madison Stewart

I woke up to the sound of birds chirping outside and the bright light beaming through my window pane. I sat up and stretched, making an annoyingly loud groan of pleasure. I looked towards my clock, which read exactly 11:00AM, it was the start of summer and I was not used to the luxury of waking up so late. I got out of my unbelievably creaky gray, metal bed and walked towards the bathroom to brush my teeth and start my day. The bathroom was small, the white painted walls chipped at the corners, the shower tile stained a tint of brown and there was nothing on the green countertop but my toothbrush and toothpaste. I sighed as I looked at myself in the mirror, my brown hair was in a mess of curls, my figure stood tall and slim and my eyes glared at myself through a mask of deep brown. I began to brush my teeth as I noticed a yelling coming from downstairs. This was not anything new to me though as my parents have literally fought for as long as I can remember. It was quite sad actually, because of it I hated it here. I have begged and begged to move in with my aunt, who only lives a half an hour away but they insist I stay. I made myself a promise that when I turn 18, no matter what it takes I am getting out of this hell hole.

 

My 18th birthday came sooner than I thought, which excited yet scared me in a feeling I just can’t seem to explain. I woke up in the same creaky metal bed with a giant pit in my stomach, it didn’t feel like my eighteenth birthday and I knew my parents did not have anything special planned, as always. I think the last time I had a memorable birthday was when I was 7.  I let out the loudest sigh, and stood up and stretched. I opened my old wooden dresser to my right and began to pick out my outfit, knowing today was going to be the day I moved out and started my journey to my aunt’s house I was very specific and picky about it. I choose a light brown tee shirt and some plain blue denim jeans and opened my door to walk downstairs. As I stepped downstairs I heard nothing but silence and the cracks of the brown distressed stairs and I walked down them. This was confusing as I always hear something, whether it’s arguing, the laundry machine rumbling or the kettle on the stove boiling. As I got downstairs and turned the corner I noticed a note on the light grey countertop, I approached it with fury burning through the top of my head and spreading throughout my body. It read:

 

“Adam, we had to head out for a few days we needed some time away from the house. I’m really sorry. Happy Birthday, I hid a surprise for you in the fridge.

Love – Mom”

 

I didn’t want to open the fridge but as I turned around my hand began to reach and I opened the white painted door and saw a small cupcake. It was vanilla and had chocolate frosting, I hated chocolate. I couldn’t even be happy that she at least remembered my birthday, I was filled with rage. This was the perfect time to run away, I ran as fast as I could up to my bedroom and grabbed the small, dark green duffle bag I had packed the night before and proceeded back downstairs, ran out the door and didn’t even bother to lock it, there was nothing in there to take anyways.

 

It was late afternoon and I could see the clouds starting the shift. I knew I had been walking for a little too long, I had no idea where I was and the cell service on my phone was cutting in and out, my battery was near dead. I have to admit I was scared, I was in the middle of a forest with trees taller than I could see and there leaves were so full that they made my sight look darker than it really was. I tried to look far into the distance and I noticed something peculiar, it looked like a small building, sort of like the ones I see in town. It had a small sign but I could not seem to see it from where I was, I kept approaching it. I was hoping someone in there could guide me to safety or at least somewhere I could find my own way to my aunt’s house.

 

As I was almost on the steps of the building in the forest I realized the sign I had saw earlier was the sign to a coffee shop. I thought how weird that was that in the middle of nowhere there was a coffee shop, but not thinking in my state of fear I walked up the short, grey, stone steps and headed inside. As I stepped in my nose immediately filled with the smell of brewed coffee beans and freshly baked goods. This scent and the warmth surrounding this place gave me a sense of relaxation and I quickly become calm.

 

I sat down on a comfortable looking black bean bag to take in what I was truly seeing. Nobody else was in here but me, which didn’t surprise me knowing the location but there were also no employees in sight. The walls were painted a light grey and the ceiling was lined with string light bulbs which made the room glow like a thousand fireflies. The counter was a shade of light brown with baskets of chips and freshly baked cookies on each end, there seemed to be a lot of them left.

 

“Hello?” I heard a quiet voice coming from the distance, it was timid but startled me a little bit.

“Hi?” I replied, not knowing where the voice was coming from.

 

I kept glancing around until I saw a figure appear from around the light brown counter. My eyes immediately widened. She was beautiful. Her skin as light as snow, her hair long and blond and her eyes were a gorgeous shade of hazel green which resembled the trees in the forest around us. She was wearing an oversized brown shirt tucked into light blue baggy, mom jeans all under her dark green apron.

 

“Oh my gosh, a customer!” She laughed, her voice was so sweet and calming.

“Hi, I’m Adam, and you are? I replied

“I’m Primrose!” She giggled

“That’s such a beautiful name,” I said shy like.

“Thank you! Would you like something to eat, drink?”

Before I could reply I could not help but think I was in a fairytale and she was the fairy, how does one have a coffee shop in the woods and looks this beautiful I wondered. Her eyes were still staring at me as I look into the distance.

“I’m okay” I replied, I really had no appetite from all the nerves.

“Oh..okay,” She said.

She sounded a little disappointed.

“Where did you come from exactly?”

“Oh, I live a few blocks away on Maple Street” I replied

“Wow, that’s quite far how’d you end up here?” Primrose asked

“Well I am kind of running away from home, I’m going to live with my aunt and I got lost trying to get to her house,” I said.

“Oh wow, most people don’t come here unless they’re lost, homeless or found us on a weird hippie site on the internet” Primrose replied.

“Yeah, I thought it was in a weird location” I laughed

“My great grandfather built it back before he died, he always wanted a place where lost people could come to get help, just relax or if people need to get away from home for a while but not really be leaving town.” She said.

Right when she said that my eyes started welling up with tears, did I really want to leave my moms house or did I just need a break.

 

It was a while later, Primrose and I had been talking for hours, she is such a cool, interesting person.

“Well, It’s almost time to close shop,” Primrose said as she struggled to get up from the bean bag she had been sat in.

“Do you need help getting to your aunts, or you could stay here for the night?” She said.

I so wanted to take her up on that second offer, but I knew what I had to do was the right thing.

“Uhm, can you help me get back to Maple Street,” I said nervously.

“Oh, you’re going back home” She replied.

“Yes, I think it’s the best thing for me right now,” I said.

“Of course, let me go grab my jacket, Maple Street is on the way to my home as well so it’ll be easy to take you there,” Primrose said happily.

 

We had been walking for what felt like only five minutes now but in reality, it was a lot longer, with Primrose time went so quickly through our fun conversations and jokes. I was sad to have to leave her right now.

“Well, here we are.” She said

“Wow, I didn’t even know we were this close yet already here.” I laughed.

I saw my house in the distance, my moms car was in the driveway yet she said she was going away.

“Ok, I guess this is it!” Primrose said as she reached her arms around me and engulfed me into a hug.

“Bye,” I said

“Bye!” She replied, still so cheerful.

As she turned around to walk down the street as did I. Still pinching myself for being too nervous to ask for her number.

 

I walked up the steps to my home and as I opened the door my mom came running to me and gave me a hug. I noticed a piece of paper slip out of my jacket and it had a number on it. I quickly picked it up after being released from my mom’s tight hug and put it in my pant pocket.

“Where have you been Adam, I’ve been worried sick!” Mom said loudly.

“I-I” I couldn’t seem to form words.

“I’ve been calling you, why haven’t you answered your phone!” She said.

“My phone was dead, sorry I thought you were going away for a while?” I asked.

“I had to turn around halfway, I couldn’t leave you alone, and especially not celebrate your 18th birthday with you. I felt so bad I was crying the entire way back.” She said.

Wow, she really did care and this made me extremely happy.

 

It was a while later and we were eating cake and mom had ordered pizza. I was watching my favourite show on TV and my mom was laughing along as I heard a beep come to my phone, the number matched the one on the note.

“Hey, It’s Primrose! You’re so cool, wanna hang out again sometime?”

I smiled, and right then the doorbell rang for the pizza. I was so happy I came back, life was good right now.

Fade

A Creative Short Story by Madison Stewart

 

9:00PM

I sat on the edge of my best friends bed, her name was Magnolia but I called her Mag. I have known her all my life – literally and it just hit me that today may be the last day I spend with her, forever. I felt a cold chill across my back as I thought about it. I knew I wasn’t real or seen by anybody but Mag.

I was different, my skin was violet, my eyes a bright aqua blue and my long hair, curly and light pink. My body was plump and I wore the same clothes every day, a patchwork dress with faded colours, and different shapes scattered about. I’d like to think I represented Mag in a way, she loved everything colourful, bright and was always such a happy child. Although over the years she has deteriorated, gone sadder, less outgoing and never talked to me anymore. It’s like she’s ashamed of me.

Magnolia was a chubby girl, she was made fun of yet she embraced it. She was gorgeous, she had short blond hair and bright brown eyes. She stayed the same her whole life, which she hated. She never really got much taller and stayed a little overweight, but to me, she was so perfect. Her mom claims this is the reason for her beginning depression. I hated seeing her this way, sad, crying and never talking to me. She avoided me, whenever friends came over I hid in her closet so I couldn’t interrupt instead of her trying to introduce me, like she used to try, even though her friends could never see me, I missed when she tried.

9:30PM

I noticed a tear drop onto the palm of my hands as I came out of my thoughts and back to reality as I looked down. Moments later I heard the door creak open. Magnolia walked in. As she looked toward me I noticed her face drop even more than what from what it was.

“Hi!” I said in a cheerful voice trying my best to cheer her up. I hated seeing her like this.

“Hey” she replied simply.

She walked in and immediately plopped on her bed, propped a pillow up on her headboard and grabbed her phone from the side table to her left. I looked over my shoulder and saw the glow of the phone lighting up her face, her fingers moving at rapid speed as she was typing.

I didn’t know if I should say much to her, I knew she was getting over me, each day passes and she starts to become so unattached and it feels so horribly distant. I miss the days when we would play together, draw and dance, now she rarely wants to talk to me, in fear of looking weird in the case there are bystanders. But I have to understand there is no way around this, I will be leaving her soon.

10:00PM

I finally decided to talk to her, I needed to.

“Want to dance? Like we used to!” I asked, ignoring all the sad thoughts that cramped my mind.

“I’m good” She replied

“I’m tired”.

“But do you know what tomorrow is?” I said, holding tears back from my now dark eyes.

“Yes, my 13th birthday, I know Hazel” “Can we stop talking about it?”

That was the first I’ve mentioned of it.

“Don’t you know what that means Mag?” I replied shakily.  

“This will be the last time we see each other, before midnight and it’s already 10. ”

I saw Mag look up from her phone, her eyes glossy.

“All these years of having fun, hanging out and being best friends, and you don’t even want to play a final game, do a final dance together?” I started tearing up again and I stumbled on my words as I spoke.

“I’m growing up, H. Nobody ever believed me that you were real. I looked insane trying to go outside or introduce you to people, I got over it and I am becoming a teen. I don’t need to dance or play anymore, nor do I want to. I need to grow up, get a job and focus on school and that means I can’t give you all the attention you need. You are disappearing on my first birthday of becoming a teen for a reason” Magnolia said strictly.

My eyes filled with tears, my heart full of anger, how could she be so rude? I knew she was going through a lot but this really upset me. I stayed silent.

11:00PM

“I’m really sorry, H. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings. I know what I said was harsh but it is true. I need to grow up at some point.” Magnolia said

“I understand I guess, I just wish we didn’t have to leave like this,” I replied

“Can we please dance together one last time?”

“I-don-” Magnolia hesitated.

I could tell by the look on her face she really didn’t want to, it would probably make her feel like a child again when all she wants is to grow up. But I didn’t care, we were going to leave on a good note, because after I fade away who knows where I’ll end up.”

“P-l-ease” I said shakily.

“Ok, why not,” Magnolia replied, then proceeded to turn off her phone, set it aside on her small, white side table beside a small succulent and slowly stood up.

11:56PM

I grinned as I walked over to her bright pink CD player that doubled as a radio, and began to open the top and insert our favourite song. “I Got a Feeling” By the Black Eyed Peas.

“I gotta feeling…… that tonight’s gonna be a good night

That tonight’s gonna be a good night

That tonight’s gonna be a good, good night”

As the music echoed through the house, we both started jumping as high as we could, singing along the lyrics at the top of our lungs. We held hands and jumped in a circle. Both laughing and so excited. This was the happiest I’d see Mag in years, I never wanted it to end. “Tonight’s the night, let’s live it up

I got my money, let’s spend it up

Go out and smash it like oh my God

Jump off that sofa, let’s get, get off”

As the music continued to play I felt pins and needles everywhere, from the tips of my toes to the centre of my head. I looked towards my feet and saw as they started to disappear, it’s as though they were fading away and it was happening fast. Magnolia looked concerned and sad. She reached to hold me but her hands slipped through mine.

“I know that we’ll have a ball

If we get down and go out and just lose it all

I feel…”

“Thank you for everything Hazel, I’ll never forget you!” Magnolia screamed over the music and through her tears.

I tried to reply but I could not seem to form any words. The music continued to play and I kept seeing less and less until I fully faded away.

12:00AM

“Cause I gotta feeling, woohoo,

That tonight’s gonna be a good night

That tonight’s gonna be a good night

That tonight’s gonna be a good, good night”

Magnolia was in disarray, she ran over to the CD player and slammed the off button. She could not bear to listen to the lyrics “tonight’s gonna be a good night”. Because in fact, it was the worst night of her life so far.  

Magnolia immediately regretted everything she’d said to Hazel, she never truly realized how happy she made her when they danced together. Magnolia had never felt so alone and her room is so quiet. She sobbed into her pillow until she fell asleep, as she awoke the same quote get repeating itself in her mind.

“You never really realize what you have until it’s gone”.

 

    

 

“No”

A Poem by Madison Stewart

No,

She said it once again yet they did not seem to understand,

Her words became slow and her tongue froze.

No,

She knew no more what she had to show,

She felt as though she had a lack of airflow.

Her body becomes numb,

Her head felt dumb.

No,

She laid there, eyes closed until it was over,

They would not listen to her though.

As she awoke, she felt her body was revoked,

She lay there on the cold kitchen floor, having no one to call for.

She cried for a while,

Then walked up the steps to her home,

She hated this lifestyle.  

An Ode to The Road

A Poem by Madison Stewart

The Road

Oh..road

You have the perfect mode,

When I drive upon you I just can’t help but feel bestowed…

Through the hills and valleys, we flow,

In and around the caves we go..

To sunsets and sunrises

And hilltops plus surprises..

Road…

Oh, how you help me unload,

As my hair pillow’s around my neck,

And the window catches my breath,

I look outside every time I almost cry,

At how fun twas this ride.