The cottage creaked and groaned in the wind, its wooden slats worn smooth by years of weathering the elements. Vines crawled up the walls, like skeletal fingers grasping for a hold on the crumbling mortar. The once-white paint had faded to a dull gray, and the shutters hung crookedly, as if they too were tired of holding on.

Inside, the air was thick with the scent of dampness and decay. A faint layer of dust coated every surface, and cobwebs clung to the ceiling like tattered curtains. The fireplace, once a warm and cozy focal point, now stood cold and dark, its stones cracked and crumbling.

A rickety staircase led up to the bedrooms, where musty mattresses sagged against the walls. A child’s forgotten toys lay scattered across the floor, their bright colors faded to dull hues. In one corner, a old rocking chair sat motionless, its cushions long since torn and worn away.

Despite its neglect, there was something charming about the cottage. It seemed to whisper secrets of the past, its silence heavy with stories of laughter and tears, of love and loss. The wind rustling through its empty rooms was like a gentle sigh, a reminder that even in abandonment, there is still beauty to be found.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, the cottage’s shadows deepened, casting an air of mystery over its weathered walls. It stood as a testament to the power of time and memory, a reminder that even the most forgotten places can hold a special kind of beauty. And as night fell, it seemed to whisper one final secret: that even in decay, there is always room for one more story to be written.

https://christinebialczak.com/2024/07/23/simply-6-minutes-welcome-to-the-challenge-07-23-2024/

10 responses to “Simply six minutes – An old run down cottage”

  1. Sadje Avatar

    Such a moving story

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Carol anne Avatar

      Thanks 💐💞🩷🩷

      Liked by 1 person

      1. Sadje Avatar

        You’re most welcome

        Like

      2. Sadje Avatar

        🥰🥰🥰

        Like

      3. Carol anne Avatar

        🙏🙏💝💝

        Liked by 1 person

  2. Ana Daksina Avatar

    You portray very skillfully in your prose the affirmative essences of even conventionally negative situations. Everyone should view the world with such beauty and grace ~ and your readers are that much closer to it each time you gift us with one of these lovely offerings. 👌

    Like

    1. Carol anne Avatar

      Your too kind Ana! thanks! Xo

      Liked by 1 person

  3. rugby843 Avatar

    Excellent post!

    Like

    1. Carol anne Avatar

      Thanks so much, Cheryl! ❤

      Like

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