Travis stood outside the trailer. The dim shape of Otter Lake was on the left and the Town of Otter Lake in front. The stars were glaring points of white in a clear, black sky. There was just enough light to make out the open spaces. The remaining snow was thin and coarse. Travis walked the dirt trail he had driven the previous day. The air was still and bitter cold. He stopped and exhaled a cloud of warm breath. It left his mouth and hung in front of him as it evaporated into nothing. He did not mind the solitude of the walk with only the crunch of frozen earth for company. A place to stay and his friend in the trailer had changed the game and he now felt like a man back in the world after a long illness.
The way to Otter Lake led down a gentle hill. From this vantage point he could see the dark outline of the entire town. With only a summer park and a few stores it seemed curious that there even was a town. Maybe a gas station and a party store or more likely a gas station with a mini mart inside, but not a functioning town. “Nothing happens without a reason,” popped into his head. It seemed the sad observation of a man clawing for understanding where there was none. He told himself to quit thinking.
Travis emerged from the dark into the harsh blue-white illumination of Main Street's only street light. Down the street and around the corner Candy's Café was again the only place open.
Through the window Travis could see the only customers were an old couple eating breakfast. They seemed to be having fun. He stood at the door for almost a minute before deciding not to intrude.
The Café was on the corner of “Detroit and Burnett”. "Why would anyone name a street in this place Detroit?” he thought already breaking his promise to stop thinking. Disturbingly, the fact that the street name didn’t fit this place, seemed to fit perfectly. He begin to walk towards the dark.
The way to Otter Lake led down a gentle hill. From this vantage point he could see the dark outline of the entire town. With only a summer park and a few stores it seemed curious that there even was a town. Maybe a gas station and a party store or more likely a gas station with a mini mart inside, but not a functioning town. “Nothing happens without a reason,” popped into his head. It seemed the sad observation of a man clawing for understanding where there was none. He told himself to quit thinking.
Travis emerged from the dark into the harsh blue-white illumination of Main Street's only street light. Down the street and around the corner Candy's Café was again the only place open.
Through the window Travis could see the only customers were an old couple eating breakfast. They seemed to be having fun. He stood at the door for almost a minute before deciding not to intrude.
The Café was on the corner of “Detroit and Burnett”. "Why would anyone name a street in this place Detroit?” he thought already breaking his promise to stop thinking. Disturbingly, the fact that the street name didn’t fit this place, seemed to fit perfectly. He begin to walk towards the dark.
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