A traveler walks in a cold, dark town at night. He is looking for a cheap room. He is tired and cold. His feet hurt. He wants to sleep soon. The wind is strong and cold on his face. There are no people on the street. It is very quiet. He walks slowly and looks around. He feels a little worried, but he is too tired to think about it much. He pulls his coat tighter around him. His bag feels heavy in his hand. He has walked a long way today. His shoes are wet from the cold ground.
The traveler came to this town by train. He does not know anyone here. He is here for work. Tomorrow, he must go to a new office. He needs a place to sleep tonight. He thinks about a big hotel he saw near the train station. But that hotel looked expensive. He wants to find something cheaper and quiet.
He sees a small house with a warm light in the window. He stops and looks at it. He walks closer and looks inside. He sees a nice room with a fire. The room looks warm and cozy. There are soft chairs and a small table. He sees a bird in a cage too. He sees a small dog sleeping by the fire. Everything looks calm and pleasant. He feels happy when he sees this. He thinks about the warm room and forgets his worry. He decides to knock on the door. He thinks this house looks better than a noisy hotel.
Before he knocks, he sees a small sign in the window. It says "Room for rent." He looks at the sign for a long time. He feels strange, like the sign is calling him. He does not know why he feels this way. But he walks to the door anyway.
The door opens very fast, almost too fast. A kind old woman is standing there. She has a soft smile. "Come in, my dear," she says. Her voice is gentle and sweet. He goes inside the house. It is warm and quiet inside. It is very quiet, too quiet maybe, but he does not think about that. He is too tired. He takes off his coat and hat. She hangs them up for him. She tells him the price. It is very cheap. He is happy about this.
"Thank you," he says. "This is a very nice house."
"I am happy you like it," she says. "Not many people come here."
He thinks this is strange. The house is so nice. Why do not many people come? But he does not ask her about it. He is too tired to ask questions.
There is a big chair by the fire. She asks him to sit down. He sits in the chair. It is very comfortable. She brings him hot tea and a biscuit. He says thank you. He drinks the tea slowly. It tastes strange, but he does not mind. He talks with her a little. She asks about his age. He tells her he is young. She smiles more and looks at him closely, like she is studying his face. She asks more questions about him, and he answers politely, feeling more and more relaxed. She asks where he comes from and why he is in this town. He tells her about his new job. She listens very carefully, nodding at every word.
"You are a very handsome young man," she says.
"Thank you," he says, feeling shy.
He looks around the room again. He sees a book on the small table. It looks like a guest book. He wants to look at it, but he feels too tired to move.
He looks at a picture on the wall. Two young men are in the picture. They are smiling. He thinks he knows their names. But he cannot remember why. He wants to ask her about it. But he feels too tired to speak. His eyes feel heavy. His hands feel heavy too. His whole body feels heavy and slow. He tries to think, but his mind feels foggy and slow. He tries to remember the names again, but it is too hard now.
"Do you like the picture?" the old woman asks.
"Yes," he says slowly. "Who are they?"
"Old friends," she says. "Very old friends. They stayed here too."
He wants to ask more, but the words do not come. His mouth feels heavy, like it does not belong to him. He blinks slowly, trying to stay awake.
He wants to stand up, but he cannot move. He wants to say something, but no words come out. He tries again, but his mouth will not work. He looks at the old woman. She is still smiling at him. Her eyes do not move away from his face. She looks happy, like she is waiting for something.
The fire crackles softly. The room feels warmer and warmer. His eyelids grow heavier. He cannot fight it anymore. He tries once more to move his arm, but it does not listen to him.
He looks at the small dog by the fire. It does not move at all. He looks at the bird in the cage. It does not move either. Something feels very wrong, but he cannot think about it now. His mind is too slow and tired.
The old woman stands up. She walks closer to him. She looks down at him with her soft smile. "Sleep now, my dear," she says quietly. "You are exactly right."
He wants to ask what she means. But his eyes are closing. He cannot open them again. He hears her voice, far away now, like it is coming from behind a wall.
"So many young men come to this town," she says softly. "But only the special ones find my house."
He tries to remember her words. But his mind is too tired. He cannot hold on to any thought.
Slowly, the light in the room grows dark. The house becomes very quiet. Everything is still. He closes his eyes. He never leaves the house again.