THE ENDPOINT OF THE ROAD WAS A CLIFF OVERLOOKING A BEACH TOWN.

I could see the sandy beach and the accumulation of tiny houses from where I stood. The town was so small that I could make out the boundaries of it, but its existence boosted the hope I needed to keep walking. All I had to do was to walk down this hill. I didn't know how long that would take, considering I'd been walking non-stop for an hour and needed a break. On the other hand, the sun was about to set, and I needed to arrive there before it was dark.

I looked back in desperation, but Cameron wasn't anywhere in sight. He either found another way or changed his mind about looking for a place. Or his ancient car came back to life after my leave. With my luck, it was probable.

I didn't need him, but it would definitely be better than being alone in the woods. The skirt of my wedding dress was covered with dirt, and my feet were throbbing with pain. I closed my eyes, wishing these all to be a nightmare and to wake up in Bali with Marcus in our honeymoon suite.

When I opened my eyes, the panoramic view of the tiny coastal town still welcomed me. This was my reality now, so the faster I adjusted to it, the better.

Okay, you can do this.

I wiped the sweat off my forehead, then fanned my face as I walked down the hill.

Eventually, I lost track of time while simultaneously walking the pebbly road and replaying the events from today in my head. Pops was probably devastated and mad at me for running away, but Auntie must have found a way to calm him down. My mind drifted to Marcus with rage, wondering where he was right now with his perfect ex-girlfriend. Were they jeering at me and celebrating their reunion now? Was he telling her that I was a mistake and it had been her all along?

She was a mistake, he'd said to me one night as we sat together on the couch, moonlighting through the curtains on half of his face. We weren't in an official relationship then, but we were together daily. I'd listened to his rants about his ex, told him it wasn't his fault, and been there for him whenever he needed me. I was the shoulder he could lean on. And I thought I won his love like a fucking prize.

I worked for it. I always worked for everything I'd ever had in my life, except for Pops and Auntie's love.

Rage fueled me up to walk until my body was too weak and ready to collapse on the ground. At that moment, I heard the noise of an engine behind me. A small red truck was coming toward me. Yes, I wanted to scream, please help me.

The truck halted when it reached over, and an old man with a black baseball cap met my eyes in worry. He was carrying baskets of supplies at the back, but there was an extra room for me in the front. "You're lost, miss?"

"Yes," I breathed, trying not to give too many details. "I want to go there," I said, pointing at the town downhill.

The man furrowed his eyebrows as if I'd just told him something bizarre. He looked me up and down before he asked, "Are you Gerald's daughter?"

Who the hell is Gerald? "Um, no—"

"Bryan's? Thought she was older."

"I'm not Bryan's daughter," I cut him off. He seemed even more confused than seconds ago. "I'm not related to anyone in that place."

"Then, why do you want to go there?"

What kind of question is this? "Vacation."

"In Land's End?" He asked skeptically.

"Land's End?" I repeated in confusion.

"That place, miss, it's called Land's End."

Oh. Shit. "Oh, right," I said laughingly. "Yeah, Land's End. It's, uh, famous for its beach."

"Is it?" He seemed surprised but still offered me a smile. "It's where I'm heading, too. Hop in. I'm gonna give you a ride."

Thanks, universe.

I thanked him as the man jumped down from his truck. He looked fit for his age. I let him take my suitcase and place it among the baskets no matter how out-of-place it looked. I called shotgun without further ado, worrying that the offer would expire if I didn't hurry up.

The interior of the truck smelled of lavender and dust. A bunch of things was stuffed into the left sun visor, and a tiny dream catcher hung on the rearview mirror. The man stepped back into the truck while I was touching it, so I pulled my hand back quickly, but his face broke into a smile.

"My granddaughter gave it to me." He offered me a wide grin before his eyes landed on the dream catcher. "She lives in Ohio."

His friendliness rubbed on me, though I always found it difficult to talk to strangers. "That's a pretty dream catcher," I commented with a smile.

"Do you believe in them, miss?"

"Oh, please call me Amber." I didn't know if I believed in the power of dream catchers, but I always found them aesthetically pleasing. I had a similar one in my room that my father gave me on my seventh birthday—the times I dealt with severe nightmares and insomnia. I doubted its magic worked, but it helped me sleep better. "I think so," I added after a pause.

"I'm Joe, but people call me Uncle Joe."

I chuckled. "Uncle Joe. I like it."

I'd listened to Uncle Joe's amusing stories en route, featuring various people from Land's End that he promised to introduce. He was running a tiny grocery shop there and today was his supply day from the city. He was originally from Texas but moved to Land's End after meeting his wife. Sadly, he'd lost her five years ago and hadn't left Land's End since then. He asked me how long I planned to stay, and I said it was indefinite.

Uncle Joe didn't comment on my wedding dress or inquire about it. He was the teller type and probably had no idea how grateful I was to him for taking my mind off my own life.

He told me to roll down the window—this was the second time I had literally rolled down a window today—as we neared Land's End. "Breathe in the salty air," he said with a grin, and I did as I was told. A light breeze tickled my skin, along with the salty, fresh air from the ocean.

I wanted to be on the beach, standing on the sand against the crashing waves brushing my toes. This town would be my cure—I could feel it in my bones.

When we entered Land's End, I took in my surroundings: the shops named after names, the cute houses painted in soft colors, and locals walking on the cobbled streets. The truck stopped in front of Uncle Joe's grocery, located a few blocks from the beach.

I only wanted to find a place to stay and run straight to the beach.

However, Uncle Joe had other plans.

"Here we are," he said, his voice full of pride. "Let's meet the folks." I followed him out of the truck, leaving my suitcase there. Though I said I'd better find a place to stay first, he said he'd show me around and help me find one.

As I walked behind him, I tried to ignore people's curious gazes at me. A woman in a wedding dress and flip-flops with messed-up hair. The story behind my appearance was evident as the day, but it didn't stop me from feeling embarrassed. I didn't want to end up in this situation. I thought I did everything in my power to prevent it, indeed.

"Our first stop is," Uncle Joe announced cheerfully, interrupting my inner battle. "Gelato." An ice cream shop named Gelato—so original. A man smiled at us behind the ice cream freezer, and I walked to the display to check the flavors as Uncle Joe plopped himself down on the nearest metal chair in front of the shop.

There were only six flavors, but they looked delicious. The owner was watching me, but he didn't say anything until I lifted my head and ordered two scoops: vanilla and chocolate.

"They are homemade," he said as he gave the corn to me. I felt a bit of pressure under his gaze when I tasted the ice cream. It was good—maybe one of the best I'd ever tasted. "Wow, this is so delicious." He grinned at me in satisfaction. I pulled out my wallet from my bag with one hand to pay, but he said it was on the house. "Joe's friend is also mine."

"He's the Gerald I was talking about," Uncle Joe said behind me with pride.

I strangely felt like I was here with a relative, and he showed me around. The reality was that this man found me on the road a few hours ago, and now he acted like we were friends. Why are they so nice? Do they expect something from me?

Worry caught up with the weird sense of peace in no time, making me doubt my decision to accept a ride from a stranger and end up in a town that I didn't even know. It was isolated, and my phone didn't have a healthy service here. I was trapped—

"Amber." I looked up at Uncle Joe. "Your ice cream." His call made me realize my melting ice cream was pooling on my hand.

"Shit," I hissed under my breath and pulled tissues out of the box on the counter to wipe my hand. The old men's worried looks hit me in the gut. Am I pathetic? I cleared my throat and plastered a fake smile.

I finished my ice cream as they talked about stuff I didn't get, probably some juicy gossip about others. "I think I'd better find a place to stay," I said. "I feel tired, and it's getting late." I didn't want a pity tour or a meet-and-greet with the locals. I didn't know how long I was going to stay here, and I had no intentions of mingling with anyone I wouldn't see for the rest of my life.

"Take her to Riley's Tavern," Gerald said to Uncle Joe. I didn't understand the relation between a tavern and a hotel, but I didn't make a sound as they talked about something else, forgetting about my existence. I took that as an opportunity to examine the other places nearby and watch the people around me.

It sort of reminded me of my hometown: small, lively, and tight. Everyone knew each other, and they'd lived in Land's End all their lives. A city person would struggle to live here. People greeted each other as they walked the street or stopped to chat for longer than they had planned.

There wasn't a trace of the hustle and bustle of the city. These people acted like they owned time—like time stopped for them as long as they desired. Hurry wasn't a word in their dictionary.

"Is Riley the owner?" I asked Uncle Joe on our walk to the tavern. We'd picked up my suitcase from his truck, and he insisted on helping me carry it to the place. He was such a gentleman and kind-hearted man that I felt ashamed of my earlier doubts. As tragic as it was, the city made you lose your trust in humanity and doubt everything and everyone, including yourself. I'd forgotten when was the last time someone did a favor to me unconditionally.

"Yeah," he answered. "She has a few rooms upstairs for guests or people too drunk to go home." He laughed at an unspoken joke. "Most of them are long-term renters, so I doubt she has an available room now, but let's try our chance, eh?"

"Is there another option?"

He shook his head.

"So, what happens if she has no available rooms?"

Uncle Joe smiled at me. "Hold your horses, Amber. I've got a spare room for ya." Though I offered him a kind smile, I prayed deep down that this damned Riley's Tavern had spare rooms because I didn't want to spend my entire vacation at a stranger's house.

On the sunny side, Riley's Tavern was right by the beach. It was one of the most significant buildings I'd spotted in town, but neglected and old. Even the sign was worn-out, and Riley's Tavern was hard to read on it. Still, I wasn't picky as long as it had a room I could crash in. I lowered my expectations to the bare minimum since I'd arrived in this town.

I followed Uncle Joe inside the place. There stood a large bar on the right side with some bar stools and shelves of alcohol bottles on the wall. The place was dim-lit, but I could tell it would look brighter at night with lights on. There were empty tables and a mini stage on the left side with an old guitar. Uncle Joe guided us through a corridor leading to wooden stairs and a reception desk next to it.

I spotted a man talking to the woman at the desk, supposedly Riley, and it didn't take me long to recognize the man. Cameron? When did he arrive and how could he find this place earlier than me?

Letting jealousy get better of me, I brushed past Uncle Joe and reached Cameron in haste. I couldn't let him get the only available room—if there was any—in the whole town.

Welcome to Land's End! ✨

The majority of the story will take place in this cozy beach town, hence the title, and we'll meet some interesting characters on the way. What do you think of Uncle Joe?

Let the war begin 😈 Who will get the room?

Drop an emoji here if you are happy Cameron arrived safely 🥰

See you next Friday,
Sev xx