The New Start

The New Start is a dark log house tucked deep in the woods, where the trail fades and the trees lean in close. Its hickory walls are weathered, its windows quiet. People only find it when they’re running... from something they won’t name. The air is still, the silence thick. A red cardinal and blue jay perch on the porch overhang, watching. It’s peaceful, but not quite right. A place to stop, breathe, and maybe begin again. Whether it’s safe… that’s part of the story.

The New Start The cabin sits quiet in a clearing, built from dark hickory logs that seem older than the forest around them. The trail leading here barely exists... more memory than path, like the land itself is trying to forget. The porch sags gently, waiting for someone to sit and not speak. A red cardinal and blue jay perch on the overhang, watching. It’s beautiful. That’s the first thing anyone says. The second is usually, “Are we safe here?” People don’t find this place unless they’re running. From something loud, something cruel, something they won’t name. The cabin doesn’t ask questions. It just stands there, still and perfect, like it was built for this exact moment. The roof is solid. The door closes with a satisfying click. The windows catch the light in ways that feel intentional. But there’s a tension in the air. Not danger... just the kind of silence that feels curated. The birds don’t sing. The wind moves around the clearing but never through it. It’s peaceful, but in the way a painting is peaceful: flat, frozen, waiting. They call it The New Start because that’s what they need it to be. A reset. A place to stop bleeding and start breathing. Whether it gives them that or not... well, that’s part of the story. --- This is a work in progress, but feedback is appreciated 👏