One week ago, Cathrina and Alexander Wooblershield decided to give it a go! Cathrina had inherited Seagull Cottage Bed & Breakfast after her great-aunt Gloria Moonster, and the young couple were now heading for Town of Galucca. They both had made arrangements with their part time jobs in Bridgeport, to have one week off. Will seven days be enough to decide whether they should stay or not?
When they arrived Galucca, a woman named Emma Hydront picked them up on the harbour. After some quick, formal hand shaking, they got seated in her car, and drove off.
Emma Hydront: I'm sure you will like Seagull Cottage! It was Gloria's life work, and still is!
Cathrina: Was it left empty for long?
Alex: Are you sure you know the address? We left town!
Emma: Of course I know the address! I know this area like my own... area! And no, Seagull Cottage was never left empty! Never!
Cathrina: Oh... okay...
They turned right, then left, and drove up the steep road, and there the dusty road ended, next to the orange brick stone house. Cathrina gazed at the weird building.
Cathrina: Oh... this is it?
Emma: Sure thing! Best bed & breakfast in the entire Town of Galucca!
Alex: Oh... out here in no man's land?
Emma: It's not very far off, this is 4 Moon Trail, I'll give you a quick tour of the place!
Emma: You will love it! This place used to be packed, and still would have been, if it wasn't for Gloria's death. The lady turned 107 years old! Did you know? This is more than a life's work!
Cathrina: Ah, the entrance looks nice...
Alex: Look, there IS a garden, Cathy!
Emma: The garden of the Black Rose... sigh. Well, you can inspect it later. Come!
They walked inside, met by bright purple walls and faded window frames. The room was filled with old smells, and it felt like the much needed fresh breeze from the open door was about to cut through whatever was sealed in there.
Emma: Welcome to Seagull Cottage Bed & Breakfast! And please close the door!
Cathrina: Oh, geez... I think I need my sunglasses...
Emma: What?
Cathrina: Nothing... tell me, is this a public hangout spot, like a countryside bar?
Emma: Oh yes, this place was packed! This is where Gloria served her lodgers, and quite a few locals would stop by, too. I tried to tidy up a bit for you, but it needs some more cleaning. I trashed the old coffee machine, it was broken and practically produced tea for the last ten years.
Alex: Shouldn't we bring our luggage inside?
They carried all the trunks inside. Cathrina had packed a little more than she needed for just one week. She was determined to stay, but judging from what she had seen so far, she had no clue why she felt this could be a once in a lifetime chance.
Emma: Opening hours used to be from 2 PM to 11 PM, five days a week! Normally closed on nights with a full moon.
Alex: Uhm, why?
Emma: Oh, this area... Moon Trail residents needed no watering hole on those nights. Things have changed, though. History won't repeat!
Cathrina: History?
Emma: Eh... you know! Let me show you the rooms that your guests will rent!
They walked through the double door, into a short corridor leading to the four guest rooms, then into a room containing a bed, table, chair and a desk.
Emma: This is the red room! Can you feel the energy! Each of the four rooms have their own colour, that was Gloria's idea! The Blue room is still locked off, I'll stop by some day with the keys, I'm sure I got them but I just couldn't find them before going to pick you up. Gloria's last guest died in there, I think the room was locked off ever since.
Alex: Cathy... psst... Cathy...
Cathrina: That's fine, we won't open for lodgers during the first week anyway.
Alex: I need some fresh air! And so does this room!
Emma: Not so quick, young man! I'll show you upstairs, and then I'll be off and you can check the garden for the rest of the day if you like!
So, they walked upstairs to the private section, into a rather big, but not too cozy, livingroom. Cathrina couldn't really see herself living there, but maybe a few upgrades would make a great impact...
Emma: The private section covers the entire story. Gloria slept in the red room downstairs for the last years because of the stairs. But in the earlier days, she lived up here when she wasn't busy with her guests... and her hubby, well I never really met him.
Cathrina: I think this house looks more like a town house than a cottage. So why is it called Seagull Cottage?
Emma: You will find out, soon enough! But the house itself was much smaller in the early days. Then the bar was added, and of course this part of the private story. Listen, I put a little food in Gloria's fridge... your fridge, just enough for your first day. The nearest grocery store is in Old Town, just ask your way. It's only a good 30 minutes walk...
Alex: Hey, a study with lots of books!
Emma: Oh yes, Gloria read a lot when she found time. I think.
Then Emma left Seagull Cottage, and Cathrina and Alex walked outside to inspect the garden.
Cathrina: Oh! Alex, look! The garden is wonderful!
Alex: Oh, it looks pretty much neglected to me! It's even hard to see its potential.
Cathrina: Look, a flying seagull, did we scare it up?
Alex: And there's another seagull on the path in front of you, it looks dead...
Cathrina bent down to check on the bird, then it jumped and flew over to a corner of the garden.
Cathrina: The garden is perfect, Alex! I mean, it will be perfect!
Alex: You mean after you spent weeks working on it?
Cathrina: I spend weeks? WE spend weeks, Alex, you will be part of it all!
Alex: Shouldn't we tidy and clean indoors first, sweet silly? It would be wasted to upgrade this garden if we decide to return to Bridgeport in a week, don't you think?
Alex: I really think you should have asked for Emma Hydront's phone number. Did she say when she will be back?
Cathrina: Nope. She seemed a bit confused, I won't be surprised if she needs a few days to find those keys. In the meantime we can get familiar with Seagull Cottage. We'll go grocery shopping tomorrow, checking out the neighbours... We'll need to clean, doing just a little gardening...
Alex: No gardening until we have decided to stay, okay?
Cathrina: Okay. Ah, can you hear those seagulls?
Alex: Sure! Who can not? I don't think I can sleep in this room!
Cathrina: Yeah... even with the lights turned off, I won't be able to forget these wall patterns.
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