The Abandoned

"The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night a candle burned in the window." It had been over ten years since they had been there. The first thing Chelsea did was walk over to the dust filled mantle and lit a single white candle and placed it in the window. Shortly after staring at the flame, she lit a cigarette.

Chelsea was the baby of the family. The only family she had left, was her older brother Charles, and her stepbrother, whom was the youngest, Simon. At the tender ages of 10,9, and 7, they were all introduced during a dinner that Charles Sr. was hosting. It was on that day they explained to the children that he would be marrying Ms. Sylvia. Ms. Sylvia had a son, Simon; who was, well, different.

They had coexisted until that day. Why they came back to the cabin would always be a mystery to Chelsea. Simon, persisted that the trio stay in the cabin. Why would anyone want to come back to a place like this?

Because Charles was the oldest, he took Simon under his wing. After the death of his mother and the funeral, Simon of course, was not the same. He seemed relieved; advantageous even. Chelsea always thought it was peculiar that Simon began to "liven up" and become happy after it all.

Nonetheless, in the back of Chelsea's mind, it repulsed her, that Simon would think visiting the home of where his parents were brutally murdered would be therapeutic.

Simon had always been a bizarre child. Most times he seemed quiet and withdrawn; always writing in a journal; Ten years ago, when they first met each other, Charles and Sylvia had taken them all to the local Ponderosa to have lunch. Over salad and chicken wings they explained to a 10- year old Charles, a 9- year old Chelsea, and a 7- year old Simon that they loved each other.

Charles and Chelsea were a little older, and were excited to have the opportunity to have a new mother. Simon, on the other hand, was not so privy to the idea. He just stared at his plate. Chicken wings, untouched.

The young couple had wed at the local courthouse, and was not worried about paying for a huge wedding where people they didn't really like or "sort of" liked, would attend.

They had planned a family wedding that summer. Nonetheless, they did plan to take the children to the family cabin that Charles Sr. had acquired through an inheritance from his father, Charles the 1st.

Chelsea always thought Simon was strikingly handsome for a seven year old. He was just quiet and weird. Chelsea was determined to get him to lighten up to the idea that they would be brother and sister.

Charles tried desperately to get Simon interested in sports but Simon wouldn't budge, to no prevail. Charles had developed a few friends of his own and so, while Charles was running around with the neighboring boys, Chelsea was playing the role of big sister.

Chelsea caught Simon staring out the window once. When she approached him, she noticed that he had been crying. "What's wrong Simon?" Chelsea whispered. Simon just stared out the window. "I just feel out of place here." he said, Chelsea walked over to Simon and wrapped her arms around him. "Well, you are family now Simon." Chelsea said. Remember, she was 10. He was 7.

Chelsea had no idea that Simon, had fell in love with her the first time he had saw her. He knew he could never disclose this information, not even as a child. He knew his parents would look down on him, had he expressed this feeling he had, for his stepsister. The older he got, the more intense the feeling became. However, he knew he had to keep these "emotions" in tact for as long as he could.

Now, they were back there. Back at the place they had visited frequently, but it only took one visit, for them to detest it. What had really happened to their parents? It was a conundrum of confusion that haunted each of them through their childhoods.

Simon, Charles and Chelsea began to tidy up the cabin and began preparing supper. Simon seemed especially excited and told his brother and sister that he had something he wanted to tell them.

Once dinner was prepared, The trio sat down to what appeared to be a normal family feast. They spoke about what they had all been up to, and had even managed a few laughs between them. When out of nowhere, Simon presented a journal.

Chelsea recognized it straight away. It was Simon's journal from their childhood. The one she always saw him writing in. He was obsessed with it. Always noting every detail of the small amount of time they shared as a "ready made" family.

Simon sat across the table from Charles and Chelsea. He stared at them a few moments and opened the journal. A glazed, wild, look appeared in his eyes before he began to speak.

" I know you both are wondering why I asked you to come out here with me." Simon began. "It's important for me to tell you what was really going on with me back then. As much as I loved mom, it's important for you guys to know that mother was not always nice to me." Simon mumbled.

Simon now fully had both Charles's and Chelsea's attention.

Simon's eyes watered before he began to speak again. "Before my mother met your father, she was very hard on me. She hated that I had no friends and she always thought I was retarded because I didn't do what "normal" kids do, I guess." Simon said.

Tears were streaming down his face now. Chelsea got up from the table and joined him at his side. She gave him a hug, and looked him in the eyes. He stared back at her; showing a hidden confession in his dilated pupils.

Simon started again. "Your father was good to me. But before he met mother, before she learned how to love again...she used to beat me." Simon murmured.

Charles stood up from the table. "Now Simon, I don't know about that. Sylvia was good to us. She never spoke unkindly of us or put her hands on us." Charles stated sternly.

Simon mugged Charles. "She was good to you guys but she was not good to me. If you heard some of things she used to say to me, your feelings would be hurt. But its over now, I made sure of it." Simon whispered.

Chelsea slowly dropped her embrace from Simon.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Chelsea said. Simon grabbed Chelsea hands and stared at her intently. "Chelsea, I love you so much." Simon confessed. "I love you too Simon." Chelsea uttered. Simon stood boldly from the table. "I love you in a different way Chelsea. The way my mother, loved father. I always have." Simon said as he looked away; embarrassed, but feeling vindicated.

Charles began to laugh madly. " You gotta be friggin' kidding me! Is this why you tricked us into coming here? To tell your sister you're in love with her?!" Charles yelled. " You cannot be serious." Charles shrieked.

Chelsea was shocked, but still wanted to hear what Simon had to say.

Simon slowly sat back down at the dinner table. He lifted his fork...biting slowly into a piece a prime roast they all had prepared earlier.

"Have either of you ever read my journal without my knowledge, when we were kids?" Simon said. " Because if you had, you would have known that it was me."

Chelsea and Charles stared at each other in bewilderment.

" See, mother had read my journal that night at the cabin while you all were out on a hike. She saw what I had wrote and I could not let anyone know, I loved Chelsea from the first time I saw her! I wanted and still want a life with you my love." Chelsea began pacing. " Stop all this talking and just spit it out Gotdamn it!" " I killed mother and father. I killed them so we can be together."

" You did what?!" Charles said. Simon turned to Chelsea. "Chelsea, you were always there for me. You never abandoned me. It was me. I couldn't live a lie anymore."

Things would never be the same. Simon had turned out to be more, than just bizarre or weird. He, was in fact...a killer.