Summer that never happened

"I'm sorry we're unable to go to Greece this year babe," Josh attempting to cheer up Amber.

Amber looking out the window of the car, a little bummed out for not going on the trip she anticipated; "It's fine. At least we are still going away though. It's not the trip I thought we were going to do but at least we are still going on a trip."

"I've always wanted to go to the Appalachian Mountain's. There are special rules for the Appalachian Mountains. I'm curious on what will happen," Amber trying to make herself feel better about the last minute change of plans.

"Well, Alex and Sara have been many times to the cabin we are going to. Which means that we should be okay," Josh agreeing and trying to look at the bright side.

After a three hour drive Josh and Amber pull up next to Alex and Sara's vehicle. Once they parked everyone got out of their vehicles and greeted each other.

"Hey!" Alex called out. "How was the drive? Hope it wasn't too long for you guys."

"Nope, not at all. The drive wasn't too bad actually!" Josh replied.

Sara stepped out from the other side of their car, while putting her bag on her back and pull her hair out from putting the bag on; "You guys ready for this hike? It's like a 3 1/2 hour hike, kind of want to get going before we loose the sun."

"Of course," Everyone responded in-sync.

With in 10 minutes everyone grabbed everything from their cars, locked them and started on their hike.

About an hour into the walk Amber realizing how much stuff everyone is carrying and they are supposed to be at the cabin for almost three months; "Hey, question. Are we going to have enough supplies for this trip?"

The men chuckled and Josh says; "Well, It's a 3 1/2 walk and a 5 minute drive into town. I think we will be okay. It would be the same thing if we were in Greece or at home."

"Yea but towns not over 3 hours away," Amber laughed.

"True, think of it as a little day trip," Josh trying to see the bright side of things. "Since it is a hike, mail and packages won't be delivered to the cabin. Everything will be held at the post office in town."

"Why are you looking at me?" Amber sounded almost offended.

Josh laughed; "Because I know how much you love your online shopping and uber eats-"

"Heyyyy!" Amber laughed while playfully punching him in his arm.

It was after dusk when they had reached the cabin.

~~~~~~~~~~~

A little over a week a motorcycle came ripping throw the woods like the person riding was running for their life. Josh and Amber were sitting on the porch when the motorcycle pulled up in front of the cabin.

Josh stood up first and stepped to the edge of the porch. Amber stood up from her seat and crossed her arms Josh yelled out to the man; "Hey, can I help you with something? Who are you?"

The man got off his bike, took off his helmet and sat it on the seat of the bike. He reached down to the bag on the side of the bike.

"I have a package," the man walked over to Josh and Amber hand them the package.

Josh looked down at the package and the address was to the cabin they're staying at. The man turned around, got back on his bike and left before Josh could finish reading the address and ask the man about the package.

"Hey, wait!" Josh called after the man. "I thought we don't get mail or packages delivered out here?"

Josh turned around to ask Amber if she knew anything about the package.

Sara and Alex came back from their hike.

"Was that a motorcycle I heard," Alex asked stepping on the porch. "What's that your holding?"

Everyone walks closer to Josh to get a better look at the package; "I don't know. That guy just rolled up, says he has a package, handed it to me, then he left."

"That's weird," Amber said, turning the paackage toward her in Josh's hands. "It doesn't have a name."

"I thought there wasn't mail or package delievery out her?" Sarah asked.

Alex pulling out his pulling out his pocker knife; "So did I. Been coming coming here for years. Every time I rent this place I'm told they don't deliever anything out here. Mostly because of the forest we are in and it's hard to drive to this cabin."

"Well, that man managed to take his motorcycle out here," Amber pointed out.

"Motorcycle is a lot smaller than a vehicle," Josh stated.

"Well, yea! Obviously but why say you don't deliver when they actually do?" Amber annoyed. "Which means that this isn't an ordinary package. I don't think it's a good idea to open."

"Aweh, don't be a baby-" Alex took his pocket knife and cut through the tape.

"-Hey, do not talk to her like that," Josh spat back to him.

Alex finished cutting his way through the tape and started to open the box; "Whooaaa, I'm only teasing. I didn't mean anything by it, I'm sorry."

Amber ignored his empty apology; "What's in the box?"

Puzzled, Alex reached his hand into the box; "It's just a piece of paper with a warning on it."

"A whole box just for a note?" Sara takes the paper out of Alex's hands. "Leave now before it's too late. What the fuck does that mean?"

"I thought you said it was safe to be here?" Josh agitatedly asked Alex.

Alex through up his hands in defence; "Hey, man. Sara and I have been coming here every summer for the last five years. We'd spend a whole month and nothing happens. We've never planned a trip for three months here before but we've only been here a week. I'm unsure what kind of practical joke someone is playing but it's not funny."

"What should we do?" Amber asked nervously. "We can't go into town today, it's already too late out. Sun has started to go down, we shouldn't be out in the forest after sunset-"

"-Yeah, yeah. Follow rules of the Appalachian Mountains." Alex said mockingly. "We have no cell service out here to call into town and Amber is right. We may of been lucky so far for the forest leaving us alone but that' the thing. The forest is always watching."

"W-w-what do you mean the forest is always wathing?" stuttered Amber.

"Haven't you got the feeling someone or something is watching you? You look around but you don't see anything. Knowing if you give yourself the chance of truly looking, you'll see something you didn't want to?"

Amber just watched Alex as we went on. Too afraid to look around the forest because she had felt that way. She started to feel that way once their car pulled on to the road leading to the parking lot.

"The rules exist for a reason," Alex continued. "Unfortunately, we can't do anything about the warning today. First thing tomorrow morning I think it might be a great idea we all take the hike into town to speak to someone. Maybe they'll know something."

Everyone agreed pretty quickly on this idea. They went to continue their evening.

"I think we should put the box and the note in a safe spot. Where it's not inside but at the same time wont get ruined over night by being outside. Put it in a place it won't suddnely disappear," Sarah suggested. "There's no way I am sleeping under the same roof as that."

"Fair enough," Alex grabbed the note, placing it back in the box. He walked around the corner of the cabin, where there is an attached shed. Alex placed the box with the note in the shed and locked it.

"There. Nothing should be able to get it and tempar with it," Alex called out.

"Should?" Amber did not feel reasured by this.

"Yes. We are the only humans out here. It's only until the morning, than we are all going into town. We haven't been bothered by the forest all week. As long as we just continue to do our thing and take precautions for tonight, we will be okay till the morning," Josh wasn't sure if he was trying to make himself feel better or Amber.

Everyone had this uncomfortable, awkwardness between them. Like they no longer know how to act. Within an hour they finished up dinner and everyone worked together to clean up from dinner. By sun down everyone was inside the cabin. Josh and Alex made sure all the windows and doors were closed and locked up tight. Sara followed behind them and closed the blinds, and curtains to make sure nothing can peak in.

"Would it be too childish to ask if we could bring the mattresses out in the living room and we all can sleep together? In the same room?" Amber tried to laugh this idea off but was also serious.

The men both looked at each other and shrugged. Secretly both of them are relieved but "too manly" to say it out loud.

"That actually sounds like a great idea," Sara feeling relief by this idea. The fact everyone will be sleeping in the same room seems comforting.

~~~~~~~~~~

1am everyone is passed out in the middle of the living room. A loud bang outside the front door followed by a loud screech startled everyone from a dead sleep.

The men quickly jumping up out of bed and grabbing the nearest weaping they could reach for. No one daring to move. Not even daring to look out side where the bang happened. No words have to be said out loud for everyone to understand what they are all thinking.

Three bangs on the door followed by voice that sounded just like Amber; "Hey, let me in!"

Everyone slowly turned to Amber. Amber looking mortified in the middle of the cabin; "Come on. Let me in."

The voice was flat and quick.

"What the fuck is happening," Sara said at a whisper berly audible.

"I don't know," responded Josh, as him and Alex moved closer to the women.

"What do we do?" asked Sara.

"We have to wait it out. Do not look, do not open doors or windows," Alex finally saying something. "There's nothing we can do besides to stay put."

"What is that?" Amber shakily asked, as the banging continued with the plea of being let in. "Why does it sound like me?"

"It's a mimic. Remember we are in the middle of the Abalachian mountains," Alex explained. "Mimic's and skinwalkers live out here. We are to ignore everything out here no matter what. You would know if it was a human or not."

This went on for almost two hours. Amber started to fall asleep or she thought.

Amber not understanding what is happening started to hear faint beaping and chattering in the background. As she opened her eyes a doctor saw she was walking up.

"Hey, Amber. I'm Doctor Smith. You're in the hospital. There was an accident."