A traveler walks in a cold, dark town at night. He is looking for a cheap room. He is tired, and 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. He wants to stop walking soon.
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.
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.
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.
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 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.
The fire crackles softly. The room feels warmer and warmer. His eyelids grow heavier. He cannot fight it anymore.
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.