Grand Passings Cabin

Down the mucky gravel road they went. Heads turned out the window –they were finally there. Their perfect getaway, Grand Passings Cabin –family heirloom. In silence, they jumped out of the SUV in unison, boots slapping the ground. Their Bernedoodle cried from the backseat to join them.

“Alright, alright Ally.” Amelie grabbed her backpack then opened the door for Ally, as her husband walked into the cabin. “Not grabbing any bags, huh?” she asked, annoyed.

Ignoring her, he proceeded into the main room of the cabin. “Nice,” he said, admiring the high ceiling and smooth finishes.

Amelie let out a large sigh as she dropped two bags at the door. Martin brought them into the bedroom. He examined the room slowly. A brown safe built into the wall caught his eye.

“Hello? There’s still more bags,” Amelie called from the door.

“Exactly why I didn’t want to overpack.” Martin groaned, walking back to her minutes later.

“Don’t worry, I got them now.” She didn’t get them. They were on the entry steps, still holding the front door wide open.

Around 10 p.m. the couple found themselves sitting together on the couch. Noticing this, Amelie stood up.

“Going to the kitchen?” Martin asked.

“Bathroom.”

Another hour went by, Amelie listening to podcasts while Martin read a book. Joyfully but slightly uncomfortable they sat there careful to not make eye contact or more sudden movements, for they hadn’t sat together for more than 20 minutes without an argument since their honeymoon. Amelie and Ally flinched at Martin’s sudden yawn.

“I think it’s now my bedtime,” Martin sighed. “Un-”

“Fortunately,” they both spoke at the same time. Martin looked at Amelie with a slight shock, then disappointment.

“It’s just-” Amelie searched for words. “I want to watch T.V. but you were reading.”

“Oh,” he said with a lighter face. “Well, you could’ve asked.”

“Please, you know how you are.”

He contemplated for a moment and elected to not further the conversation.

The next morning Martin and Ally woke up with the sun while Amelie slept in. Feeling excited, for the first in a long time, Martin only glanced at the safe as he hurried out the bedroom to the deck with coffee in hand to meet the sunrise. Outside the cabin, he and Ally gazed at the sky and into the crowded woods. Birds sang and flowers swayed from the cool early morning breeze. The sun peeked slightly over the horizon.

"Beautiful, ain’t it?” Martin chuckled at Ally while she snuggled up between his feet. “I’d miss it.” He stared down at his cup and wept.

Hours went by without him noticing, the sun now fully out, scorching his neck. He’s in a daze.

“Martin!” Amelie screeched from the doorway. “Your back is bright red, what are you doing!”

Martin flinched at her cry. Snapped out of his anxious misery, he quickly checked his watch. 11:57 p.m...It had been six hours. He sat up and touched his neck.

“Ouch ouch!” he yelped.

“That’s why we brought the sunscreen Martin!” Amelie said while walking back into the cabin.

Following her, amd Ally following him, Martin stammered, “Sure yeah, but maybe if you would’ve-”

“Maybe if I what? What, now I burned your neck?”

“If you would’ve just-,” He paused for a moment reflecting on the last six hours. His stomach quickly turned sick. And now here we go again, he thought bitterly.

“No no, go on!” she screamed.

Martin dropped his coffee down on a glass side table in the living room, spilling bits out and onto his hand. With no attention to it, he slumped down into a nearby chair.

“You always find a way to become the victim, don't you Martin! So go on,” she walked around the kitchen counter. “It was my fault right? I had this coming, so go on! Blame me!” Now they were officially in combat mode.

“Oh, so you can read minds huh? You know how I feel right?” He stood tall at once and sternly walked towards her. “Wanna know what I have to say?”

“Yes! Say it already! I know you’ve been dying!” She turned away from him, crossing her arms impatiently.

“You have no idea what it’s like to be in my position!” he cried, standing close. She turned back quickly with a gasp. “You have no idea how hard it is to try to work with someone who doesn’t want you, who doesn’t car-”

“Oh so now you’re saying I want a divorce? I’m hard to work with? Have you seen yourself lately? You’re always so worke-”

The dog began to cry.

“See I can’t even finish a sentence with you! You are the most selfis-”

“Well, maybe I’d care more about what you have to say if it were true!” She began walking towards the dog who was scratching the back door. “All you do is twist the truth to match your agenda!”

“You’re crazy! Crazy! You know that?” he said, following her. “I don’t care what you say! I’m the only one who tries! You can ask anyone! I bet you can ask Derrick, I’m sure he’d know!”

Amelie paused at the door. “I knew you’d bring him up! You’re so predictable Martin! You’re sick! I can’t beli-”

Ally continued to weep.

“Look! You’re stressing everyone out!” she exclaimed, pointing both hands towards the pup. With the door open again, Ally ran out into the woods.

“You kill me -kill me!” he groaned, picking up his coffee once again.

“I know! I know Martin! I’m a horrible meany that should be locked up at once!” She walked towards him. “And you know what you are? Insecure!”

And that’s when he snapped. He stared for a moment, then in a quick second turned -and walked to the bedroom. Accustomed to him leaving arguments abruptly, Amelie paid no attention. I won, she thought.

He visited the safe then walked out of the cabin into the woods. About 50 feet away he paused and looked back for a split second. All of the curtains previously opened were now closed. She doesn’t want me, he thought. He continued trudging through the dark green woods noticing Ally straying not far behind him.

Many hours passed. Amelia put some cookies into the oven and checked the time. It was 9:30. Oh my, she thought. “He’s been gone all day.” She peeked outside. The car was still there. He’s on foot? she thought. “Well, suits him right. He’ll call if he needs help.”

By 11 p.m. Amelie received a call from Martin. “Well look who decided to call. Whatcha, lost?” she said sitting up from the bed.

“Oh I am anything but lost,” a muffled voice murmured into the phone.

Alarmed, Amelie said “Huh? Martin, are you there?”

“Are you Mrs.Finch?” the voice asked.

“I don’t know, you tell me, Martin! Now stop playing around in the dark!”

“This isn’t a game, Mrs. Finch,” the voice said sternly shoving a tremble up Amelie’s spine. “I have your husband, –and your stupid dog too.”

“Wha- what? Who is this?” Amelie stammered.

“Now we’re asking real questions,” the voice snickered.

“Is this some kind of sick joke? My husband and Ally have been gone all day, this isn’t funny! Goodby-”

“For the last time this isn’t a game! And if you love your family you wouldn’t be so quick to hang up the phone,” the voice shouted.

“You don’t have my family!”

“No?” the voice asked. “Come Ally!” they called. “Say hi to mommy!” Ally cried a little. Amelie recognized her whine but was still unsure.

“Okay well let me speak to my husband then.”

“No can do,” the voice said. “I’m making the orders.”

“Means you’re a fake!” Amelie shouted.

“You want your family or not, lady!” The phone went silent for a moment. “Listen-” the voice hesitated. “I got two of yours, and one of them-” they paused again.

“Yeah?” Amelie asked nervously.

“-isn’t making it out of this situation alive. Now you listen to me.”

Is this real? Amelie thought to herself. She went to the living room and peeked out the window. Nothing.

“What do you want then?”

“To ask you a question.”

“Fine, what?” she asked, trying not to show how paranoid she was at this point.

“I see you peeking out the window.” Amelie quickly shut the curtains. “Don’t worry, you won’t be able to see the slaughter from here.”

“What do you want?!” Now she was terrified.

“A simple answer.”

Amelie ran for the safe. “Yeah?”

“Who do you love more?”

No gun. Amelie fell back.

“Hmm? You still there?”

“Y-yeah. What do you mean who do I love? I love my family!” Amelie cried while looking through the luggage. He must’ve never taken it out of the car, she thought.

“I said,” the voice started once more. “Who do you love more? M- Martin? Or Ally?”

Amelie ran out to the car practically slamming the unlock button with her fingers.

“You better not run Amelie! Answer the question!”

How does he know all of our names? she thought. “Can I have a second to think?” she asked

“You actually need to think about this?” he asked.

“I’m scared, okay! One second!” she cried. She dropped the phone on the car seat and locked the door behind her. She then opened the glove department. Nothing. She opened the passenger glove department, nothing.

“Amelie, if you're looking for the gun, I have it.”

Amelie froze.

“Now I’ll ask you one more time, and you better answer. Who do you love more?”

Now fully realizing this might be real Amelie, tried her best to think intelligently. If I pick who I love more he might kill him. If I pick who I don’t he might still kill him, she thought.

“Time is up Amelie.”

“No wait!”

The call went silent for a split second.

“I choose Ally.” she said.

Amelie shivered but felt grateful she made the right choice.

“You kill me-,” a familiar voice said into the phone. It hung up.

“No!” Amelie shouted.

A single gunshot fired. Ally yelped.

“Wait! Wait!” Amelie called the number again. No answer. No, no, no, no, she thought. She got out of the car. “Martin!” she ran towards the direction of where she thought she heard the shot. “Martin!” she cried out. “Martin!”

Ally then ran up behind Amelie, jumped on her, scaring her. Ally’s back was covered in blood as she let out a worried cry. Then she ran back in the other direction. Amelie followed after her, weeping.

After about a minute of trailing behind Ally, she saw him. There he was bleeding out on the ground, gun in hand. Amelie screamed in anguish and humiliation, for she knew he was dead. She fell to the ground, face in hands

“Pronounced dead at the scene, 11:57 p.m.” the medic said to the officer taking notes. The officer glanced over at Amelie, sitting in the back of an ambulance with three covers wrapped around her and Ally laying at her legs. Making quick eye contact with her, the officer quickly turned back to the medic.

“A suicide.”