Chapter 8
We arrived at the town in the later hours of the morning. It was quaint, most of the residents either sleeping or opening up their small shops along the main road. The black asphalt was filled with potholes, but besides that, the town was pretty with its well-kept outdoor restaurant areas and townhouses. The sidewalks were scare, save for a few store owners getting ready for the day and some cars on the road.
A familiar smell caught my attention, pulling me away from the main road and into a small, clean alleyway between a pottery shop and a postal service. It was a café, I realized, and that smell was coffee. I checked the operating hours sign before pushing the door open, a bell jingling to announce my arrival. I drew in a deep breath, savoring the rich scent of freshly brewed coffee that hung thickly in the heated air of the café.
Papa loved coffee, I remembered that very clearly, always waking up to the delicious fragrance of his favorite drink. I could almost see Papa sitting at the breakfast table, a cheap paperback novel in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other, smiling warmly and gesturing to the plate of pancakes across from him when he noticed me in the doorway. He let me try his coffee once, but my five-year-old self didn't care for the sweet bitterness that loved so much. As soon as the smooth, dark brown liquid met my tongue, my nose wrinkled up. Papa had just laughed at my reaction, ruffling my hair and pushing a glass of chocolate milk towards me.
"Welcome," the person behind the cash register greeted me. "What can I get you?"
"Umm. . ." I squinted at the menu, drawn with colorful chalk. It had been so long since I've last read something, let alone ordered at a café. "Something. . . sweet? Do you have a sweet coffee?"
"Certainly," they answered smoothly. "You can add toppings such as caramel, chocolate chips, and whipped cream. Do you have anything in mind?"
"A small mocha, then, with extra milk, sugar, and whipped cream."
The cashier nodded, typing something into the register and promising me it would be ready soon. I handed them some cash I found in an envelope in the backpack and went to go sit down at one of the small tables by the window.
The shop, although small, was decorated nicely with strings of lights strung across the rafters, and with the many windows letting in a lot of natural light, the place seemed more open. I was so distracted by my surroundings I didn't even notice the cashier set my drink onto the table, only realizing it when they spoke.
"I added some extra chocolate power, free of charge," they winked. "It looks like you could use it."
I patted down my clothes self consciously, combing some fingers through my hair. "Is it really that bad?" I winced.
The cashier just laughed. "We have restrooms in the back if you want to freshen up," was all they said before walking away to prepare for the next customer.
Chocolaty flavor filled my mouth, the sweetness soon chased away by a thin layer of bitterness. This time I didn't wrinkle my nose. No, this time I think that I quite like it, even taking another gulp before setting the cup down.
I bounced my leg, beginning to get anxious as more customers slowly filtered in for brunch. Once I couldn't take it anymore I left, taking my unfinished coffee with me, sipping at it as I resumed my walk through town.
My question as answered as I stepped into the threshold, taking in all the small trinkets and souvenirs and trail maps. It was quiet, a bit dusty, as if people rarely came here. I made my way through the aisles to what looked to be the front desk, where an old lady sat, knitting. I cleared my throat, catching her attention.
"Excuse me. Would you happen to know where this is?" I read off the address slowly.
Silence from Echo's end; as I thought.
The old woman set down her knitting needles and grabbed a nearby map. "This town is small and in the middle of nowhere," she smiled, "so we have quite a bit of beautiful hiking trails."
"That sounds lovely."
"That place you said. . . that's in the city." She tapped a wrinkled finger on the map. "Around here, not to far by train."
I breathed a sigh of relief. "Can I buy a ticket there? Is there a station in this town?"
She nodded, circling the location with a bright red Sharpie marker and pushing it across the desk to me. "Just around the corner, to the right" she said kindly.
I thanked her before rushing out, making my way to the train station. Who knew trains still operated these days? The inside of the station was even smaller than the café with cheap plastic chairs and wooden benches. The ticket seller looked bored, his monotone voice telling me the train schedule as he handed me ticket in exchange for most of the cash I had left.
I sat down on one of the benches near the door, staring at the arriving time of my train so hard I was surprised it didn't burst into flames. An hour and a half, one hour, forty-five minutes, forty-three minutes, thirty-nine minutes. . .
Echo sighed, standing up to pace in a line.
Twenty more minutes. I clenched the ticket, tearing my eyes from the clock in hopes to make time go by faster. It worked a bit, and soon I was boarding the train, sliding down into the leather seat. Despite the caffeine I had earlier, my eyelids felt heavy and soon I was lulled to sleep my the gentle swaying of the train.