Crash

"The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window."

It had been an interesting headline in the newsletter a few weeks ago. One that a person would pause at to read then carry on to the next interesting headline. Being an officer I had just assumed it was some rampant teenager who broke into the place just to mess with people. There had been an older couple about two years back that had lived in the place but they had both been pronounced dead leaving the house vacant. The wife had passed and the husband passed about a month later in his grief according to officer Frank Bennent. He always said it was a pretty gruesome case to handle. I can only imagine what it had to be like. Anytime the newsletter story was brought up his face would become gaunt looking. He would gaze off looking at some hidden traumatic memory playing behind his hard eyes. I would feel sorry for him, no one should have to witness such a tragic sorrow. It really makes one think about their life.

Today I received a call saying that the candle was once again lit, this time the caller identified a child behind the glass. It’s my job to go usher or otherwise “spook” the kid out and make sure the property is locked tight, for good this time.

The gravel crackled loudly under my tires as I drove along the winding dirt road that lead to the small cabin. I took in the warm weather that blew through my drivers side window. The tree shade brought with it relief from the glare of the setting sun and cast a magnificent view of light beams through the branches. The river raged below the cliff side that wound beside the path. I could smell the salt from it that bled from the ocean not too far out. It was a nice day for a drive like this. I should do this more often.

About 10 minutes of driving and I found myself pulling into the dirt lot beside the cabin. The cabin sat in a meadow patch just outside the forest on a cliff side that overlooked the vast Pacific Ocean. The coolness of the ocean blew over the cliff and cast a constant but welcome chill to the place.

The first odd thing I noticed is that the door is closed and the candle isn’t lit. In fact it looked like it had never been lit ever in its life. It was one of those candles you’d place on a shelf or mantle for decor. There was certainly no melted wax running down its side either from what I could tell.

The second odd thing is that the door is locked when I try it. I knock on the door to see if anyone is home. There, of course, is no answer and no lights. I grab my flashlight from my belt and flash it in the window. Just as I’m about to look in the window, the door lock clicks.

The door cracks a bit to reveal an adult woman’s face. Her face is sallow and gaunt. She looked as if she hadn’t slept in a week….no….scratch that, months.

“Can I help you officer?” Came her frail voice. I switched off my flashlight and put it back in its holster. “As a matter of fact ma’am yes. First off I apologize for any disruption of errrr….peace. Secondly, and I’m sorry I have to ask this, did you know this cabin is private property and that you are trespassing on such property?” The woman’s face turned from exhausted to confused to one full of rage then back to exhausted all in the span of a few seconds. “Sir I can assure you that I own this property.” She said in a cold and paper thin voice. I straightened my posture and tried to pull an understanding face. Over the years I had come to witness many confused or desperate individuals that claimed an abandoned house their own. I knew how to swiftly take care of these situations. “No worries at all ma’am.” I replied, “May I ask that you show me the deed?” She seemed to contemplate her options a bit, then she shifted in place like she had decided that fighting this wasn’t necessary. “Of course, one moment.” Before she could close the door I put my foot in between the door and the frame. “Ma’am is it okay if I wait inside? It is a bit chilly out here.” The woman paused, face turned away from me. Suddenly in one swift motion she turned her face right towards me and shifted forward to where our noses just barely would have brushed. A cold chill shot down my spine and instantly I could feel myself trembling in place. Her cold eyes seemed to stare right through me at a distant point. “Why, of course, just wait right here.” She opened the door wider and side stepped away from me (to my great relief) and gestured to a spot inside right beside the door. “Thank you ma’am.” I said and gingerly stepped inside. She closed the door and disappeared into one of the rooms. I waited there for a good bit in awkward silence.

A quick movement at the window caught my attention. It was a little girl sitting right next to the candle. She looked like a smaller version of the woman but had a more lively look about her. She was thin, a little too thin. It was getting darker and it was a little harder to make out any good details. The little girl didn’t seem to notice me at all. She held out a box suddenly and struck a match. Lifting the match she lit the candle.

“You’re the one lighting the candle I take it?” She didn’t budge, not even so much as shift to acknowledge me. Maybe she was deaf? “Ma’am? Who is this minor to you?” I called out. No answer.

“Ma’am?” I called out once again and waited. Still no answer.

I left my spot and made my way to the room. When I peered in I found an empty room with only a dusty metal framed bed to comfort the space. The window had been boarded up so there was no way out and no place to hide. More importantly there was no woman. “Ma’am?!” I called again a bit more concerned and even more so confused. I turned around and just about jumped sky high when I found the little girl right behind me.

“Good heavens child! Are you trying to give me a good fright?!” I exclaimed as evenly as I could muster.

The girl just stared. “I am waiting for daddy.” She said in a small voice. I took control of my rapid breathing. “Where is your dad?” I asked, “also where is your mother?” The little girl turned around and headed back to the window. Some instinct told me to follow her so I did. “I light the candle so he can see us from his boat.” She sighed looking out into the darkening horizon.

“Does he come back tonight?” I asked. She looked at me and nodded. “He’s down by the cliff now. Would you like to meet him?” I thought about the woman and continued to wonder about where she had gone too. Maybe the father could explain a few things. “I would be happy to meet him.” I answered. She smiled and took my hand. Her hand was dainty compared to my own and felt as cold as ice, colder actually. It made me feel cold inside. We made our way to the path that lead down the cliff side. I took a peak down and noticed the waves crashing against large, sharp spires of rocks that seemed to reach up into the sky like fingers. “Hey kid, I don’t think it’s safe for a boat too-“ before I could finish the sentence the child pushes me with unnatural strength. Off and over the edge of the cliff.

My back connects with the tip of one of the spires. There was fire, terrible and scorching fire. Then there was darkness and coldness seeping from every direction.

I’m back on the cliff.

Only this time I’m staring at my impaled corpse as blood drains down my old appendages. My back aches, my old back, I can still feel it a bit. The little girl looks up at me with her one good eye. There is a hole where the other one should reside. A bullet hole to be exact.

“There you are.” Came the woman’s voice from behind. I drift around to look at her. She holds out a hand, in it a deed. “I’ve found it, now will you leave us alone?” Her chest also contains bullet holes, her wrists carry dark bruises. Beside her are two individuals whom I recognize only from the photo IDs. The older woman, although mangled as if torn apart by a pack of wolves, is still recognizable as the older woman from the news report. The old man carries his head at and awkward angle from his broken neck. Even he I recognize.

“Is there a problem here sweetie?” A gruff voice sounds beside me. The woman flinches and answers in the smallest voice. “No honey, no problems at all.” The little girl tugs on my conscious form. “Look daddy I found you a friend!” The man drifts next to the woman, who seems to shrink a bit. “Is that so sweetie? How thoughtful.” The man has a bullet hole in the side of his head. I can only guess at what happened.

“I think two was enough.” He deadpans. She looks at me and then back at them. “They’re just so quiet.” She sulks. I look back at he the water and my body, I am trapped. The candle catches my attention from my peripheral. It starts to flicker and fade. As it fades I feel myself do the same. Eventually darkness creeps in as the candle goes out.