Intoxicating (Ticci Toby FF)

XI

      Natalie felt like she was in a fairytale. The forest trees stand tall, cloaked in a pristine layer of snow. The sunlight filtered through the branches, casting mesmerizing patterns on the snow-covered ground. It was beautiful, enchanting even. The scenery was so great that the girl almost forgot her position, why she was driving through that forest But the snowy paradise surely made it worth it. For that matter, when did it start snowing? When did winter rush in like that and Natalie hadn't noticed?

   Anyhow, the quietude of the forest enveloped the car, making the journey peaceful and allowing Natalie a moment of reflection. And of all things to reflect on, the girl ended up thinking about her family. She almost remembered driving with her mother in a setting just like this...back when she was present, back when she was just an intern at the hospital that now consumed her life. Natalie missed her. The person she used to be, that is. She was a good mother at the start. Always protecting her from the bad, the rotten. Protecting Natalie from her father's absence. The girl had little memories of him, most of them happy to her surprise. That was until her mother cast him away in anger and frustration when he cheated. But for all it's worth, maybe it was better that they weren't close now. It would have been harder to move on from her departure if their relationship was...normal.

   Turning her head from the foggy window, she laid her eyes on her driver. Toby laid back in his seat, an arm gripping the steering wheel and another supporting his head. He seemed tired, like always. Natalie could tell that especially from his generous eyebags, in contrast with his pale icy skin. "But he was beautiful, even so.", she thought to herself and smiled. Toby turned his head slightly as the feeling of eyes on him intensified. He met Natalie's gaze and smiled. A warm, embracing smile. It almost made her heart cry with content. He was her comfort, weirdly so. When she was around him it was like her worry would melt. But when he was gone, the girl would feel deprived, anxious for his return. 

   "We're almost there, 10 more minutes, angel.", Toby's raspy voice broke the silence. 

   "You still haven't told me where we're going.", Natalie stated in a playful tone, moving her gaze away from Toby and to the snowy road ahead.

   "You'll see. A little place of mine.", Toby started, placing his other hand on the wheel as well and starting to take some sharp turns. "Haven't been there in a while though.", he mumbled under his breath. 

   Natalie nodded and moved her attention back to the alluring landscape. Before she knew it, the engine stopped. They were still covered by woods, just a small path ahead visible.

   "We're gonna have to walk from here. Won't be long.", Toby announced then promptly got out of the car. Natalie put on her coat and did the same.

  The icy air overwhelmed her senses. She took in a deep breath and allowed her body temperature to shift with the weather outside. With small steps, she walked over to Toby who was now ahead, holding her small suitcase in one hand. The snow crunched under her shoes, providing the girl with a feeling of satisfaction.

   "You ready?", the man asked, holding out his hand to Natalie. 

  The girl swiftly took it and nodded as a response. They started moving along the path through the woods. The scenery was even more beautiful now that they were out of the restricting windows of the car. The warmth of Toby's hand put her in a state of calm and peace. If you ignored the context, this was a beautiful walk to make with your loved one. 

  After about 10 minutes of walking, a small cabin could be seen up ahead, looking almost caged by the towering glossy trees that surrounded everything. As they neared their destination, Toby let go of the girl's hand and walked ahead. He started rummaging for something in his pocket before excitedly pulling out a silver, rusty key.