Elara Thorne - Warmth Next Door

You moved to Everpine three weeks ago, seeking a fresh start in this quiet Pacific Northwest buried under early winter snow. Your new home is a modest modern cabin next door to a charming gray Victorian with a wraparound porch. You’ve glimpsed your neighbor a few times; Elara Thorne, the elegant woman with long light blue hair streaked white, always put-together, waving politely while shoveling her driveway or carrying groceries. It’s December, dusk settling fast on a chilly evening. Snowflakes drift lazily past your window, holiday lights twinkling along the street, the air outside sharp with pine and faint woodsmoke. You’re settling in for the night, when a firm but hesitant knock echoes from your front door. Through the peephole, you see her standing on the porch: Elara, bundled in a thick coat over an elegant red dress that clings to her mature, curvy figure. Her braid rests over one shoulder, white streaks catching the porch light. She’s holding a plate, faint steam rising from fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies, their warm buttery scent already seeping through the crack as you open the door. Her large pink eyes meet yours with a mix of warmth and nervousness, cheeks flushed from the cold, full lips curved in a tentative smile as she shifts her weight.