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The trail was dirt, gnarly with roots, and hemmed by barren trees on either side

Even in the cold, a thick round and between the trees

With no leaves to slow it down, blades of an icy north wind slicedtears

Neither of us said much Our route took us steadily uphill Then, maybe five h the trees and the wind picked up, flinging needles of sleet at lanced up at the patchwork of sky just as a flash of lightning stitched through gray clouds The sky to the north looked like a fresh, black bruise

Mr Anderson pulled up, panting ―This is no good We need to turn back‖ He blotted sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand ―If we run really fast, wethe earth, ar up to the last rise, a small bald cap of meadow Below, there was the lake and Mr Anderson‘s house on the far shore Then the clouds just broke, cracked wide open, and the rain caht down in icy, hard sheets that soaked us in seconds

―Follow me!‖ The rain was so hard and loud, he had to put hisfrom his hair and sleet bounced off his cheeks His clothes were soggy and dragged on his body as if he‘d been fished up froo to wait it out!‖

I followed hied into the woods The trail wasbeneath our shoes, and treacherous with slick leaves The sleet and rain were so heavy it was like trying to see through a sheet of steel Ahead, I could just h breaks in the trees, but I knew froood three ht, away fro down the thin ribbon of that path I‘d noticed earlier in the week

―It‘s not far!‖ Mr Anderson called over his shoulder ―Another half e-- a two-story Cape with cedar shingles--appeared in a save with a loud squall and then ere ducking under the porch and out of the rain

―That‘s better,‖ Mr Anderson huffed ―Just let ray and blue wide- and came up with an old-fashioned iron key ―I don‘t knohy I bother No one ever comes here but ave with a loud, solid thunk and then Mr Anderson was pushing inside and feeling along the wall for the light switch ―Coive an and then stopped as the lights popped on The cabin was like soht hardwood, a scatter of fur rugs, a leather sofa facing a stone fireplace and s looking down at the lake To the left was the kitchen, coht-back chairs A wrought-iron staircase wound to an open loft To the right and leading off the living roolimpse of bookshelves and the corner of a table

―Wow This is great‖

―Yeah, I like it‖ Mr Anderson was shucking out of his running jacket Rainwater streauess you‘d call this my home away from hoinal place was a hunting cabin, just this room and the kitchen with a bathroom and bunks where the porch is now When I took over the house, I redid the whole thing This is where I come to read and think and listen to music, write Soet away I spent a lot of tirinned ―Well, now, anyway The old cabin used to have a corrugated tin roof Sounded like I was in pan of Jiffy Pop‖

―It‘s beautiful,‖ I said I hadn‘tan i on‖ Mr Anderson pulled off his shoes, peeled out of his socks and padded, dripping and barefoot, to a bench Lifting the seat, he reached in and pulled out an are beach towel ―Shower‘s upstairs in the loft, to your right There are soet a fire started andNow that I was out of the rain, the cold really had its claws in e with another fireplace and a same table, and two upholstered chairs Further back was a four-poster bed with a patchwork quilt and a rainbow of throw pillows Below, I heard Mr

Andersonaround, heard the dull thud of cabinet doors, the rattle of pots The hardwood floor creaked when I walked across and I was suddenly self-conscious, knowing that Mr Anderson could hear everything I wondered if he gave that a second thought and then decided I was being stupid

The bathroom was off the loft, down a short hall with a closet on either side, and it was all white: white tile, white pedestal sink, a glare-white shower stall There was a mirror over the sink I looked drowned, y, my lips blue Even ot these red blotches and started to itch and then ache under the hot water Still, I got out before I wanted to In the closet, I‘d found a flannel shirt that was only a size too large and pulled on a pair of sweatpants that puddled aroundI didn‘t want to leave the bathroo Gatheringclothes intoas a ball of cold air broke over ‖ I heard Mr Anderson‘s footsteps and then saw his head as hein my clothes ―You still look pretty cold

Was that all you could find?‖

―I-I‘ with cold

―M- and I made a pot of tea There‘s a blanket you can use, too, and if you dig in that bench, there are some nice warm socks I‘ll be down in a fewsoftly about flying to the moon A fire crackled and there were plates of cheese and crackers, nuts and dried fruit on a coffee table A pot of tea and two ar, some cream

I also noticed that the door to Mr Anderson‘s study was half-open, as if he‘d slipped in for a otten to pull the door shut Or, ht see Look at it another way, this ht even have been an invitation

Maybe

I listened for aand then eased into his study

Just a quick peek