Behind the door I heard rustling. I was expecting the sound of at least a few locks but the door instantly opened. I jumped slightly. Standing in the doorway was a tall bear nonferal. His face had white and rust orange markings like that of a mountain dog. He had a broad chest and a simple shirt along with jeans. One of his large eyebrows raised as he looked down at me with a smirk. A tinge of spite hidden in his tone, “So what’s your triggers?”
The sudden remark left me quiet for a moment while trying to gather my thoughts, “-Uh. I was- what?”
He leans in inches from my face and smiles as I take a step back, “Triggers. You know. What makes you ugly cry? Maybe you’re insecure about your height? Feel like everyone around you notices it's raining before you do?”
I only look more confused as I respond, “Uhm… I’m here for a room?”
He huffs and stands back up right as he folds his arms. He sounds a bit irritated, “Great. Not a snowflake. I’m Wendell. The rent is 200 on the first of the month. You make the mess, you clean it up or I will clean it with your pelt after I skin you alive.” He then spits on the doorstep. Wendell turns and walks back inside, leaving the door open.
Hesitating a moment I quickly followed in to catch up with him, being sure to step over the spit on the ground. I spoke up to ask a question, “Why only 200?”
They head in through a short entryway before reaching a line of numbered doors. He slams a hand on door 4 and looks down at me, “Here’s your room and no I will not add locks to any of the doors. Fuck off and sleep your pathetic life away.”
The slam on the door makes me jump slightly as the end of his smile curls a bit. He chuckles as his hand slides off the door, “Loud sounds. Got it.” He turns and walks towards the first door, “Hope I don’t see you tomorrow.”
He slams the door behind himself, rattling some picture frames on the walls. I jumped a bit again and sighed. Another door creaking open for a moment only to peek outside at the sounds and myself before closing again. I took another moment to look at the surroundings now that I had time. The inside of the cabin was just as rustic. Its walls had the same sealed wooden logs along the entryway that was connected to each of the doors. Adjacent to the entryway was a more narrow room split in half with a simple kitchen and small bar. Past that was the final room, a large spacious living room with the antler chandelier dangling in view. Most of the living room was hard to see from the other side of the kitchen, so I went to my room.
The door opened without even a creak. The walls were covered in intricate wall paper and the back wall was part of a large glass window looking out into the treeline of pine trees and bushes, leading into the woods away from town. The room itself only had a wooden bed, a wardrobe, and an empty shelf. The only light in the room was from a nightstand with a lamp whose base was made of resin antlers.
I closed the door behind myself and went towards the bed. Its blankets were plush and well cleaned. Though with the luxury building and bedding, the cheap price only made less sense. Though at this hour I wasn’t much for questioning it all right now. So, I dug out the few items I took with me out of my pockets and set them on the bed. All I had on me was a pocket knife, my phone, and the small plush. My eyes stuck to the plush a bit. It was a fuzzy teddy bear. Its fur was brown at the base but grey towards the end of each strand giving it a dusty look. It’s name however made no sense. I had called it Grumble Snort as its name doesn’t matter if no one is going to know it but myself anyways.
I move my phone to the night stand and slip the pocket knife between the mattress and the bedframe. Grumble however, I grabbed and thought a moment before setting them upright on the empty shelves.
I climbed into bed and looked ahead at the bare shelves. Seeing the one plush alone instead of by its hoards of replacements felt surreal. Come to think of it, the entire room felt this way, me alone in it. Being in a new place for the first time made my old home feel so much more full and cluttered. I could remember my dad’s fishing supplies taking up a whole side of the garage. Even mom’s dresses sometimes spread outside of closets from time to time. My own things taking up the corners of the living room floor. Small projects like pointless crafts and gifts. Enough dwelling, this is it now.
I pulled the string on the lamp to shut it off. Even the pullstring on the lamp was next to silent.
Thoughts about the place's price ran through my mind as I closed my eyes. Was it the cranky owner? Surely that’s not enough alone to make a place so cheap. I had seen even expensive places back at home have the crudest landlords and still get income.
I tossed a bit in thought before I managed to sleep. My dreams were a strange veil of confusion in the air, meshes of pointless dull colors. My arms below me melding into the atmosphere around it until my mind decided what to make of it. The smears all started to sharpen their edges until the scene before me was understood. Like that of a deer in headlights I was crossing a path, facing the car. The same dream over again. Even in a new place it stays. Unable to speak, stuck in confusion, unchanging, and a bright light violently approaching.
I could suddenly feel my limbs around me. Long and not a single patch of fur. A pale and frail creature’s fingers with flat nails. My eyes are somehow able to see my own face. An eye, scared, crying, and looking alien compared to what I was. No fur to hide me and nothing familiar. Only a light in my eye before it hits me. The next day running me over like a truck.