J Dutkin

Cruel Chilling Campfire

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. That was the only hope, the light of goodness of the evening. I knew I shouldn't have went I had that gut feeling like a fist clenched in my stomach that is telling you secretly, silently no. But I let my bohemian and uninhibited friend talk me into it. She said, "Let us get back to nature, raw and natural." I drove to her place to pick her up. All the signs were there. Even the crow that was at her door mantel I can see now, mocks me. It started innocently enough, I let her command the radio. She settled on a tune, the lyrics filling the car with a cosmic vibe. She sang along, "... the dark moon rising and I am surprising!" I have to admit that night's full moon added extra energy to the evening. When we drove into that wooded thick forest soon to be nightmare, I could feel the lack of hope but she kept smiling. She said, "I brought a bottle of whiskey!" While leading me to her favorite spot. A clearing deep in the forest so remote she promised nobody would bother us. A layer of moist air had reached the heated ground and made a rare fog as we entered the cabin's helm. As my unbridled friend Rachel got her belongings from my car I could swear I heard owls stuttering, "Who, Who?" She started with purpose fearless with her bongos and incense in hand into that dilapidated shell of a structure. She looked back at me as if a dare, as she lit that candle in the window while glaring at me with a wicked smile. Little did I know what evil truly was. The cabin walls showed trophies, animal kill. Their heads on plaques and eyes of dark vacuous yet still looking alive black holes. Curious the counter displayed a dusty empty jar and a 1940's newspaper. No wonder the owner never came back it felt like sadness as if time stood still. But Rachel didn't seem to notice and I was trying to be a good guest. As I rested my hand on a beam I felt a sharp prick! I shouted, "Ouch!" And Rachel laughed, grabbed my finger yanked it to her mouth and sucked on my blood while looking me in the eyes. And with the most unusual smile it was almost flirtatious, it would have been calming if our surroundings had not been so bleak and foreboding. She poured me a large cup and said, "Drink up this is going to be a night to remember." Walking outside, her jet black hair shinned blue in the moonlight. She prepared an enormous fire pit and placed planks across the center and laid on top of them giggling. Making it back to her seat before she lit the blaze. She glanced with laser focus at me, almost hypnotizing, drawing me closer. I was still standing taking it all in. She held me captive with her drumming. Stupefied, I was staring as a snake came out from under the grassy rotten debris going right towards her as if summoned. In shock, I saw she wasn't even phased and thought I didn't think snake charmers really existed. At that moment I knew when she wasn't even scared that she was unnatural with a caliber of fairytale like power. She started chanting and whipping her hair around it became unruly as she made incantation. I thought Rachel was only a wild gypsy! I was recalling that I had drank almost half that bottle she generously granted while she started pulling out a packet. Sprinkling, she was throwing incense into the flames. Rachel was now in some sort of a trance giving an oblation to who I do not know. I looked around and could see the evening's eyes peering at me as if an invisible enemy was lunging and leering. The hair on my neck stood straight up! I could see shadows start to dance. Had she put something into my drink as part of the night's libation? The wind now howling through the trees sounded like moaning. Trying to focus I could see Rachel's irregular thrusting moving back and forth as she pounded her drums in what seemed to be an ancient calling. The fire would peak, rage and roar back at her. And that's when it happened. The most bizarre experience, the moon looked closer and pulsating as she gained the attention of a wolf that suddenly appeared. It started to observe oddly in reverence. Right at that moment I could see Rachel turn into something other wordly. My once trusted companion was now an ogre, green and scaly, a lizard like serpentine. I looked back at the cabin as if I had not noticed and just then the flame went out of the candle in the window. Sadly and with caution I understood my friend was now a fiendish foe. Her actions turned aggressive. She started crouching as if to hunt me, screaming like a banshee! Frantic, I took off running into the pitch black forest. Regretting the evening fully, I tripped on a dead fallen tree log. Wondering, would I die there too? Was this going to be my grave? And would anyone ever even find me? My breathing now shallow and my heart pounding out of my chest I was up and running. The branches were lashing my legs and scratching me. I caught a spider web in my face. And then another. I could hear Rachel chasing me but could not see but a few inches in front of me, it was so very dark. All at once, a bright light pierced my eyes! I was closer to a road than I thought. I leaped in front of that truck waving for dear life and they stopped. I knew what was happening was so surreal no one could believe it. So when the man inquired I said I had been at a campfire and decided I didn't like the person that invited me so I ran off. He said, "I am a Forest Ranger we should probably go back and put out that fire." I knew my car was there and it would provide a safe locked door for me and a way back home. So I agreed and described the cabin and he said he knew that trail. So grateful once in my vehicle I locked the doors looking at what little remnants of the belongings of Rachel that were left. While driving I wondered if her plans were to seduce me, use spells and intoxicate me, offering me up on that moon lit night. That cruel and chilling campfire had become a horror story. I never heard from Rachel again. Every sign of our friendship and her existence had disappeared. It was almost as if she was a ghost.