Morning in Millinocket

Posted on Fri Apr 28th, 2023 @ 12:35am by
Edited on on Fri Apr 28th, 2023 @ 12:35am

591 words; about a 3 minute read

Mission: Bangor or Bust
Location: Millinocket, Maine
Timeline: 25 AUG 2010 - 6:30 a.m.

A few swaying beams of sunlight crept threw the window, gently rustling the sleeping woman awake. Brushing her blonde hair to the side and squinting her way to consciousness, Kara Sloane sat a bit more upright, taking in the scene around her. The room, she'd reserved wasn't what anyone would call luxurious. But the quaint little hotel room was comfy and perfectly serviceable for what she needed. Perhaps she'd misjudged Maine.

The cool breeze coming through the window and rustling the curtains was the perfect alarm clock for the morning. No loud blaring alarm. Just the chirping of the morning birds and the gentle babbles of the stream running by outside.

It was the perfect distraction from the last few days. She still wasn't sure why she'd allowed her mother to convince her to head to Bangor and visit her father. The visit had gone as expected. The man might be dying but he was still the same man he'd always been. His expectation that she would be the one who needed to apologize was the final icing on the cake.

Following the disastrous meeting, she'd decided to make the most of her time away from the ranch and had headed here to Millinocket. The town was very small, but the drive here had been extremely good for clearing her mind. This Trail's End Festival might be just the reset she needed.

After debating for a moment whether she wanted to simply lie in bed and enjoy the quiet ambiance, she instead decided to make the most of the day. Heading over to the window, she looked out at the seemingly endless trees outside. The wind picked up for a second, catching her hair and carrying the scent of the leaves to her.

"This place certainly has its charms," she said to herself, before ducking back inside. She couldn't exactly get a feel for the town from this little room alone.

After a brief, refreshing shower, she donned one of the only two outfits she'd packed in her bag and decided to head out and explore the town a bit. After a brief moment of hesitation, she pulled her hat from her bag and headed out.

---Outside----

The small wooden porch on the building was empty when she arrived, so Kara took a brief stroll around the place. Up and down the street, hikers and visitors were going about their mornings. She'd slept past sunrise, so many of the locals had already headed out for morning hikes.

On her drive in, she'd spotted a quaint little diner near the center of town. If she was going to find a good cup of coffee anywhere, it would be there. Tipping her hat to the man tending the landscaping, she made her way down toward the small brick building in town square. With any luck, she'd be able to snag a trail guide here and see what shorter hikes were available.

The Appalachian Trail itself was a bit beyond her. Too long for her to focus on and too long to abandon her life back in Colorado. After all, she had a rental car that she was only allowed to hold on to for a few days. Checking the time on her phone, she quickly set it back in her pocket. It'd be a few hours before her mother was awake anyway.

A small bell dinged as she opened the door to the cafe. Grainy radio music met her ears, bringing a slight smirk to her face and she stepped inside.

 

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