"You should see Helene—"
"No." I interrupt her a bit too harshly, immediately regretting my tone. "A doctor’s visit is unnecessary. It’s nothing, trust me," I continue much gentler. I even smile a little for her sake.
"But she could at least rule out..."
Her sad gaze doesn’t fit the vibrant shades of green in the meadow and the forest behind her. She swallows hard. "You can't outrun your shadow, you know?"
"Let it go, Hanna." It would be better if she dropped the subject. This won't lead anywhere. "Which was the cabin with the broken stove again?"
"I’m here for you. You can trust me." She nibbles on her lower lip, reaching out her hand toward me but then lowers it again.
Even though she has never betrayed my trust, I can’t give it to her. In the past few months, it has been broken so many times that only shards remain.
"Cabin five," she says with a saddened expression.
I nod briefly and make my way toward the forest, carrying the toolbox as twilight descends upon us.
The darkness weighs on me even more than the earlier exertions of the day. Yawning, I knock on the door of cabin five. It's silent inside. The guest must be out. However, since they requested the repair, I’m allowed to enter.
"Hello?" I call cautiously into the dark hallway, but there is no response.
I step inside and stumble over something on the floor. Almost losing my balance, my tired legs barely under control. Swearing, I reach for the light switch to reveal the culprit.
It’s a shoe. But not just any shoe—it’s a stiletto made of shiny black leather that looks so dangerous you ought to need a permit to own one.
Wait a minute. Cabin five? This is where the city girl is staying. Feeling a little proud that my mind, despite the dense fog within it, is still functioning somewhat, I pick up the shoe and examine it closely.
What the hell does she need these high heels for in the mountains?
"Do you want to try it on?" a cheerful voice asks, and I suddenly realize she is standing behind me.
As if her words set the shoe on fire, I hastily drop it. "It was in the way," I reply without turning around and rush toward the kitchen. "I’m here for the stove."
I've barely reached my destination, and the blond beauty is already by my side. Just like before, she’s dressed as if she’s going to a fancy party. One hand casually leaning on the countertop, she looks at me with her radiant blue eyes.
"The front one is the culprit." Her fingers keep playing with the honey-blond strands that have escaped her bun.
With a curt nod, I open the toolbox. There’s probably an issue with the connectors. With all the concentration I can muster, I lift the cooktop off the counter and disconnect the wires.
"Are you an electrician?" the city mouse asks while I unpack the multimeter to measure the current flow. Although I don’t directly look at her, I notice her leaning beside me at the stove. "My father is an electrician, but he never let me watch him work. He thought it was too dangerous, but it can’t be that complicated, right?" The words seem to bubble out of her in an unnaturally fast manner.
I grumble in agreement and place one of the measurement probes on the heating element. The other one needs to be grounded.
"It was probably for the best. Otherwise, I might not have found my passion." She sounds so dreamy that I even glance over at her for a moment. Indeed, there’s a radiance on her face that could rival any summer day.
Confused, I blink. What was I about to do?
It would be really helpful if my brain would function properly. I quickly glance down at myself.
Right. The stove element.
With a hasty movement, I manage to touch the yellow grounding wire with the second probe. The multimeter shows a current flow. "The burner needs to be replaced. Florian will order a new one, but it will take a few days."
"No problem, I’ll just have something delivered." She cheerfully pushes away from the kitchen counter and crosses the room.
Home delivery? She obviously hasn’t understood that we’re in Semmtal. And this amusing remark isn’tthe only clue. Even the fancy earrings dangling from her slender neck seem out of place. Not to mention the unnecessary makeup. "I suggest you use the other burner instead."
She stops halfway through the room, turns around, and furrows her brow. "No delivery service?" she asks, disappointed.
