155783 Zip -

"You're late," the man said without looking up. He wore a uniform that hadn't been standard issue since the days of the pony express.

Before Elias could ask what the message was, the porch was empty. The post office was nothing more than a collapse of rotted timber, and the pond was gone, replaced by a dense thicket of pines that looked like they hadn't been disturbed in a hundred years. 155783 zip

Here is a short story inspired by the mist-covered lakes and dense pines often associated with that northern range. "You're late," the man said without looking up

He tucked the letter into the satchel and stood, his form seemingly shimmering and fading into the fog. "Tell the folks back in the five-digits that the message finally arrived." The post office was nothing more than a

"I found this," Elias said, holding out the envelope. "The ZIP code... it has an extra number."

Driven by a restless curiosity, he drove north toward the lake country. The further he went, the thinner the trees became, their spindly branches reaching through a low-hanging fog that smelled of damp earth and cedar. His GPS flickered and died just as he passed a rusted sign for .