Chante kim

Black Butterfly

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the Window. Who is staying in the Cabin? I asked my boyfriend, Zach. Zach looks at me and smiles and replies of course nobody is here. We are all alone. The cabin was abandoned, and nobody had been there for years. My plan was for us to stay in an abandoned cabin for the fall, so we can have a romantic getaway. Just you 7 weeks before your 26th birthday and me, which is just perfect because my 23rd birthday is a week after yours. We can do something even more fun together. Now is our chance to relax and do something peaceful and romantic, and we can open up more to each other because I feel we just need that. I stare into Zach's beautiful crystal blue eyes, and I hear everything he was saying, but I had to inform Zach that there was a candle burning in the window the entire time he was talking. Zach, what about the burning candle? Zach, what about the burning candle in the Cabin? Someone must be there. Let me look in and see, says Zach. As soon as he looks in, the candle disappears. There is no candle, says Zach. Zachary, there was a candle! I know I am not crazy. Amanda, I knew you were crazy about me, but I didn't know you would start hallucinating. I mean, I know Zach has that effect on the women. Zach, you are cute, but you are an idiot! I scream at Zach, Yeah but I'm smart enough to know there is no candle, says Zach. I am sorry babe, but I know it's been a long day, but we are going to get the mats and put them in the cabin, the baskets of food, and all the stuff out of my truck so we can go in and get some shuteye because you are very tired and need some rest hot stuff. I look at Zach and tell him, of course, maybe I am just tired. Yeah, I got the lava lamps and candles for nighttime. I will set everything up, and you can get some rest, says Zach. Zach and I moved everything in, and he says, I'll lay with you until you got to sleep. After you go to sleep, I'm going to go for a walk around the cabin and see what nature is like out there. Babe do not go for a walk out there by yourself; it might be a snake out there. I am a tough guy from Texas, and we do not care about no snake. I will make a necklace out of one of them! The both of us laughed, and he slowly came in for a kiss. I could not be more in love than I am right now. I know Zach is such a nice guy, but I wonder if he will marry me. I am three years older than Zach and at 26, I am ready to be a wife. I am not the prettiest girl in the world, and I have no idea why Zachary loves me. Zachary had all the women in Highschool begging for any opportunity to be with him. Zach was the guy I could only dream of. The only way Zach gave me a chance was when he became attracted to my sense of humor and wit when we crossed paths once again when we worked at a Candy store together. It all had happened last year before Zach got a job as a delivery boy and I became a writer. We are so mismatched but at the same time perfect. He complimented me by adding his good looks, shiny black hair, and slightly red skin. I made life more fun for him and I brought out his silly side. I made him feel like the most brilliant man, but the question is…Will he take what I have given him and give it to another woman or is this what he wants? I fall asleep while in deep thought of all of this. Zach was just going on and on about his favorite brand of root beer, so I just dozed off. She is finally asleep! Zach says in relief, now maybe I can go for a walk and check things out around here. Be at peace my sleeping beauty says Zach as he looks back at me sleeping comfortably on the mat. Zach goes outside to walk around the path not too far away from the Cabin. It looks very nice out here says Zach…A snake would not be out here. Hey, there is a cute kid with red hair and freckles out here all by himself. He starts to giggle at Zach. Hey, Kid, where are your parents? He laughs and starts running. Let's play hide and go seek! Come find me! This kid is so adorable, says Zach. Zach chases the kid around and tries to find him. There is no sign of the kid. All Zach hears are echoes of come, find me! Come find me! Repeated. Zach starts to get creeped out and yells, Go home, little guy! I am done playing! It is not good for you to be out here by yourself. It was 5:00 pm so Zach tried to make his way back before dark. I had a quick nap, and I woke up to one of my favorite songs playing by Frank Sinatra. It was me and Zach's favorite song by Frank Sinatra, called, All I Ask. I smiled, and I walked around to see where the music was playing, and I called Zach's name, but there was no reply. I look around the rustic woody cabin and there is no record player. I was not sure if Zach brought any records but I could have sworn he wanted peace. Unless he was trying to surprise me. I look at the window and there is a candle burning. I just stare at the bright fire as the candle burns and the music is booming throughout the Cabin, and suddenly Zach comes in through the door. The music stops, and the candle has now disappeared again. You are just in time for the campfire Zach says with a grin. Let's eat some marshmallows and drink some wine. Zach, there was music playing! It was our favorite song! And there was a candle burning in here before you came back! I have not gotten the record player out of the car yet said Zach with a confused look on his face. Have you seen a candle again? Yeah, burning in the window! I shouted. The candles are in the cabinet. You just need to relax and get your journal out and do some journaling and maybe it will free you from stress and anxiety. Document this experience because I meant for it to be a great one since you always said that you never had a great spring break experience, and you never had a truly romantic getaway. I want you to be happy and at peace. Zach holds my hand and kisses me on the forehead…He puts my mind at rest and when Zach tells me something I believe it, but do I believe Zach deserves more? Yes, Zach deserves a classic beauty. Zach turns around and says, Amanda, put on a nice gown and come sit around the fire with me and let's create some good memories and learn to be more expressive, holding back nothing. I look at Zach's beautiful straight white smile and I say okay Zach give me 10 minutes and I will be out there. Girl, it will take more time for me to get the wood out and start the fire because you know I am a moron. Take your time, pretty thing! I laugh and go put on my white gown, and I go to brush my hair as I am brushing my hair, I feel like my hair is moving as if someone is helping me style my hair, but it has to be all in my head. Maybe this is all happening because I wish someone would help me style my hair. I go outside to meet Zach, and he is outside smiling wearing a cowboy hat. Looking extra cute Zach! I say with a smile. You are Looking too pretty my number one girl! Says Zach. I cozy up to Zach, and he says, document this date in your journal. I wrote in my journal, on August 7th. As forgetful as I am, I forget the year. What is the year Zach? You know the year, says Zach with a smile. I finally remember and jot it down in the journal laughing. Zach leans towards me and says, "Today started weird but I am glad to be sharing this beautiful abandoned cabin with the love of my life. Before you start writing let's start expressing and opening ourselves up more because I feel like I know you pretty well, but you have been hurt so much in life that you keep so much to yourself. I want you to know that you can trust me with your heart. I want to believe Zach, but out of all the women in the world what is going to keep him from ever leaving me? Why didn't your mom like me? What was wrong with me Zach? I asked. Zach looks at me nervously…Amanda, I… What was wrong with me Zach? Honestly, Amanda, she wanted me with a much younger woman and Amanda you are pretty! You are gorgeous to me. I was not pretty enough! I exclaimed. Zach looks at me astonished and says you are gorgeous with your curly red hair, green eyes, and freckles. My mom just thought I would end up with some Hollywood-looking woman, but you are more than Hollywood. You are beautiful inside and out. I told my mom that you are my movie star, and you make me feel like I am the biggest movie star in the world. Zach just makes me tear up the most because sometimes he just says some of the most beautiful things ever. My mother is just very old-fashioned, and country and she believes that if you date a woman older than you then she will bring you bad luck and shorten your life. I know it sounds crazy, but I told my ma that I am a grown man, and I know who I love, says Zach while letting out a deep breath.I love Zach so much that I would never hurt him but I would do anything and I mean anything for us to be together forever. Zach then looks at me and says, Now let me ask you a question. What did your folks think of you dating me? I hesitantly answered...They thought you might not be smart enough to take care of a woman and find a good-paying job, but you are more than good looks. I tell my family you can sing, dance, and write and play beautiful songs. Zach replies I will never make any money from it. Zach, you could be a movie star, but you will probably leave me. I would never leave you, says Zach. Zach, did you love Rebecca more than me? Why do we have to compare? Asked Zach. I am right here with you and not Rebecca. I believe Zach but I cannot believe Zach because Rebecca looked like she should be on a magazine cover. Rebecca was Zach's ex-girlfriend that everyone thought he would marry, but something happened between them. I am glad it happened because Zach and I would have never gotten together. Let's roast some marshmallows. As we roast and eat our marshmallows, Zach notices I am drawing in the journal. What is that? He would ask. It is a black butterfly. Most people consider a black butterfly a symbol of misfortune or death, but for me, I believe that they represent something positive like renewal, rebirth or a positive transition. Zach says really? You are too interesting. Zach kisses me again and we hear a noise as we turn there is a bright light coming out of the woods. Is that someone holding a candle? Asked Zach. It appeared to be a little boy with red hair and freckles. He comes closer. That is the little boy I saw earlier today Zach explained. Little boy, what are you doing out here? I thought you went home. The little boy looks sad and says you would not come to find me. You would not come to find me! You would not come to find me! Come and walk me home to my grandma's home. Zach asked, where do you live? Not too far, I am scared. Zach agrees to walk the little boy home. Zach let me go with you since it is so dark! No, I do not want you to ruin your lovely gown! I will be just fine. Okay, I will stay, and journal until you get back. Zach walks down the path in the woods with the little boy. Say, little guy, what is your name? Whatever you decide to call me, say the little boy. That is weird you do not want me to know your name? You must decide! The little boy shouted. Okay, I will call you a little friend. So where does your grandma stay? By the lake he replies. Okay, tell me when we get to the lake. So Zach and the little boy keep walking until they get to the lake. There is no house out here! Says Zach. You must not know the way to your grandma's house. The little boy smiles and laughs, This is her house! come be a part of the water. Says the little boy. What? Says Zach in fear. The water starts to ripple and move around in a circle and the more it whirls a figure comes out headfirst. It is a woman with dark black eyeballs, long stringy white hair, and pale white wrinkled skin with holes in her face wearing a long brown torn dress. She had blackish-red blood oozing out of her mouth. She began to laugh and scream the words in her deep voice; he use to be such a good boy! He use to be such a good boy! Zach runs into the woods screaming hoping to get back to the cabin. Hearing the echo…He use to be such a good boy! Zach runs back with a strong wind blowing after him as the fall leaves blow uncontrollably into the air like a tornado. Zach feels something behind him, but the never looks back. Amanda! Zach yells as I turn around. Amanda, you would not believe what I saw! His grandma was a creature that came out of the water. He was like a ghost or something! There, there Zach just journal and go to sleep. Do not make fun of me, Amanda! I know what I saw. You are right there is something weird going on here! We might have to leave early! No, Zach, I wanted this to be our time together to figure things out. I mean we will have to leave earlier than expected. Amanda, it was not supposed to be like this. Zach, are you scared? Big tough Zach! I cannot believe you are frightened. Gee Amanda, a wrinkled woman with blood coming out of her mouth, was laughing And screaming, saying, “He used to be such a good boy," and you want me not to be scared? Amanda, we can stay one more day if you like, but after that, I am getting the hell out of here! Zach, let's go inside, and maybe we can get our minds off of all this spooky stuff. Zach was always the kind of guy you would expect to be a jerk, but he was a true gentleman that believed in not being intimate with a woman until marriage. His mother would be disappointed if he were to ever get a woman pregnant before marriage. His mother raised him to be religious, but she did not seem religious to me. I put on a nice gown and Zach was journaling to calm his nerves. Zach, I want us to have a beautiful intimate night. Zach says look I had a long day driving and all sorts of weird stuff. I am also preserving myself until marriage and you will be thankful that we waited. But Zach, I say with tearful eyes… you do not think I am pretty enough? He kisses me and says baby your more than pretty. I love you, and I want to marry you. Then please take me now Zach! Why wait? Zach starts sweating nervously then the night ends fearlessly and passionately. I wake up to Zach preparing coffee and breakfast. Zach about last night I just wanted you to know how much I…Shh says Zach. I am okay with it because I know one day, I will ask you to marry me, and you will say yes. I gave a great big smile, and I felt happy. We ate breakfast, and we laughed and joked around. Zach brought in the record player, and we danced to our favorite love song by Frank Sinatra, "All I ask. I felt like the most beautiful woman in the world. The food and dancing made me queasy. I decided to lie down, and as I lay there, I thought of Zach's future with me and I could not imagine life without him. I was so happy as I thought of him making me his wife. I looked over and saw Zach's journal, but I was too nervous to read it because it is none of my business, how can I resist? I just decided to skim through it. I then went back to sleep, so I could feel better. I wake up to Zach lying next to me writing in his journal. Amanda, I would go walking or fishing, but to be honest, this place is kind of creepy, the inside of this cabin is starting to fog up for no reason, Zach says while frowning. Zach, I will go outside to get some fresh air then we can go walking together since you are not a peace walking by yourself. Okay, do whatever you need but be careful says, Zach. I go outside to get some fresh air and a black butterfly landed on my hair and then flies into my hand. I found it strange how a black butterfly appeared because they are so rare, and I drew one in my journal. It then flies away, and I follow the black butterfly and it proceeds to land on the little boy, and I jump back in fear. He called me a friend! But he left me! Shouted the little boy. Let's play hide and go seek! Come find me. I go back inside to tell Zach. Oh No! I am not going anywhere to find him! Shouts Zach. I said Zach; I saw a butterfly! Which means it is a positive sign. Come on let us go find him! He cannot be so bad if a butterfly landed on him. Zach was scared, but he had something to prove and show me. Zach and I walked the path in the woods as the child's voice echoed come find me! Come find me! We kept walking. Zach looked at me and told me I bet that he is at the lake. Prepare to be frightened out of your mind. I will protect you, though. We approached the lake, and the little boy was laughing. You found me! You found me! Grandma, they found us! They are ready to be a part of the water. What is a part of the water? Are you dead or alive? Asked Zach. The little boy turns toward him and answers, I am dead because mommy died when I was in her tummy! Who was your mommy? What was your mommy's name? Zach asks. Mommy got pregnant with me, but she did not know yet and she went canoeing with daddy and she murdered him so she could be with him forever! She drowned him and herself because she read his journal that spoke of this deep love for his ex-saying he would choose her over mommy, but she left him for another man. Once again Zach asks, who is your mommy? Silly daddy! Mommy's name is Amanda. The little boy says with a huge smile. No! No! Do you remember the poem you wrote when you proposed to mommy at the cabin, and she did not know you would marry her? Do you remember? It was called Black butterfly. Ahh screamed Zach!! The little boy begins to recite the poem, Black butterfly so precious and so rare. A life without you would be so unfair. By your beauty, I have been struck. I do not care what anyone says, you bring me luck! My black butterfly. I am the luckiest man alive. You make me love life… Will you forever be my wife? Mommy made grandma very upset. She walked out here to the lake to drown herself because she could not deal with the pain. She said daddy was such a bad boy for dating a no-good woman that brought him bad luck. Well, I look at Zach, and suddenly, I remember. Zach starts to shake a little nervously. Zach, it is all true, I alerted him. I'm dead! What year is it? Zach screams. It is August 8, 1966. Zach, I did not drown you because I hated you…I loved you and still love you. The little boy states, mommy the year is in the 2000s now! I turn to him and say, yes son the day will keep repeating until we finally heal in the afterlife, then we can all be a part of the water I said with a smile. Amanda, we are not dead! Screamed Zach. Zach 56 years and you still will not forgive me? I asked. Daddy look at the paper says the little boy as he proceeds to pull it out of the water. Oh my God no! Man and woman die in canoeing accident! Engagement ring found in man's pocket Zach reads. Do you forgive me? I ask Zach. Zach says I forgive you and I never regretted Rebecca leaving me, but yeah, I would have married her, but the first time I felt complete was with you. Daddy, please marry mommy! Zach gets down on one knee and pulls the poem out of his pocket and recites it like it was written today. At last, I feel the poem bringing beauty and healing to my dark soul. Zach then reaches into his pocket and pulls out a ring. Amanda Beal…Will you marry me? Ask Zach; I answer with a smile; yes, Zachary Lennox. You made me and grandma so happy and now we can be at peace and part of the water, says the little boy. What is a part of the water? Zach asks again. The little boy who is my unborn child says the water is the afterlife where we can all be at peace at last and the story will not have to repeat…We will be together again. Zach's mom then comes out of the water looking peaceful and beautiful in a bright blue dress. Zachary, it is done! If you choose to be with her; I forgive you. There is nothing I can do about it. I am proud of you; such a good, good boy. Amanda and Zach come home and let's be the family we never could be in the afterlife. Zach and I hold hands with our son as we enter the water. I am Amanda Beal Lennox, and I never said I was perfect, but I did say I would do anything to be with Zach forever. I knew that if he lived that he would leave me for a movie star bombshell. I knew that if I killed both of us that we could be together forever. Today, I am whole, and Zach is complete. We all went down into the water to finally be at peace. Learn from our story that sometimes love can kill you, and it can take years to get the story right. Please make sure that you Keep doing things over and over until you too can become part of the water. As we disappear to our permanent home of peace in the water a black butterfly flies down and lands on top of the water; wishing us luck as we transition to our new chapter and new spiritual dimension. Every year people tour the abandoned cabin because it is known to play me and Zach's favorite song continually without any sign of a record player, and I light the Candle in the window to let the visitors know they are welcome so that they too can become a part of our life, afterlife, and our story.