The two girls slowly made their way through the forest, their path marked by scratches on the nearby trees. Alice had known the way by heart (for she had walk the path many-a-time), however little Edelynn did not; as she was never permitted to ever leave her tiny prison in her so-called home. So Alice walked slower than usual, allowing Edelynn the time to take in her surroundings and carefully remember them. The small girl stayed quiet, in awe at the world outside her room; however Alice had mistaken her silence as fear and tried to think of a way to comfort the young girl.
"So, Edelynn, do you know how old you are?" Alice asked, her voice was slightly hesitant. The small child thought about it a couple of moments before answering, "I-I think I'm six now?" Her own tone was questioning and doubtful.
"How old are you, miss Alice?" Her voice sounded more confident now. Alice pretended to think about it for a couple of seconds, throwing in some hmm's and umm's before replying, "I'm twenty this fall." It was spring now; the weather was perfect for the two of them to walk through the woods. The duo was quickly approaching the house Alice called home. The two had filled their remaining trek with small talk, Giving Alice a chance to understand her new companion. The small girl was shockingly wise on her ideals, but they were also laced with her naive innocence.
Before either of them knew it, they were standing out in front of Alice's home. The exterior of the house wasn't in any way eye catching, in-fact, it was quite dull in appearance. Alice had chosen it for just that, along with it being hidden in the woods and hard to find. Alice had found her home on one of her many treks in the woods, looking for shelter of any sort. To her luck she had found this house, empty but still in good shape. She had watched the house for two months, waiting for someone to claim it, but no one came. Finally Alice had claimed the house as her own, venturing in and slowly making her mark on the houses memory.
Alice led the child through the doors of her home, to which the girl gasped in surprise. The exterior may be old and worn, but the interior bordered on indulgent. The floors were hard wood, granted a shade worn. The windows covered with dark emerald curtains, accenting the wooden frame. Though the house wasn't large, it was still equipped with a moderate sized bedroom, bathroom, living room, and a kitchen. There was one more room of the house which Alice promised to show her later, but she was not allowed in there without Alice with her.
"So, do you like it?" Alice's voice was small, still louder than a whisper. "Like it," the young girl questioned in disbelief, "This place is amazing! Everything is so pretty!" Alice smile in relief.
"You and I will be sharing a room; the bed will be big enough. There is a tub in the bathroom, so feel free to take a bath. The soap and shampoo are in there already. The towels are in the cupboard. Before you do that, however, I'm going to town to grab some food for us," Alice glanced down at Edelynn, "-And some clothes for you. So please lock the door after me. Do not unlock the door until you hear me knock thrice, then twice. Can you remember that?"
Edelynn nodded to herself. "Thrice, then twice." She smiled up at Alice. "Alright!" Alice smiled back at the child before walking back to the front door. Before she opened it, however, she quickly leaned down, kissed Edelynn's forehead, ruffled her hair and walked out her door. Leaving Edelynn shocked with a large, toothy grin on her face. Shaking her small head, she lifted her thin arm and flipped the lock.