Face Thief

The cabin in the woods had been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. Night after night the candle would burn from midnight until dawn. When the first signs of the sun would peek through the trees the candle would flicker out. It had become a local legend and kids would dare each other to watch the light spark to life. The large ravine separated the cabin from the nearest path, so the onlookers could never get close to the cabin. No matter how long people watched, they never saw anyone go in or out of the cabin

One night Augusta Warren carried a group of friends out into the woods to see the light. Augusta was a bully and often made fun of the others around him. On this night he was particularly focused on Brendon Wong. As the group stood at the edge of the ravine waiting for the candlelight, they traded theories of what was causing the light.

“My mom says it is probably a homeless person.” Suggested one girl.

“That’s not scary,” mocked Augusta, “I think it is a ghost. The ghost of some old woods man who starved to death years ago.”

“I read in an old paper that a serial killer was once around here,” Brendon said.

“There was not,” Augusta interjected bitterly.

“I want to hear it” a said another one of the kids.

“It was back in the fifties. The cops kept finding bodies scattered all over these woods,” Brendon went on. The other kids listened closely in the glow of their flashlights. “The only thing the cops knew was people kept reported seeing someone wondering the woods by candlelight. After each report they would find new body. The strangest part was, all the bodies were found without their faces.” Augusta rolled his eyes as the rest of the people were captivated. “The cops searched the forest many times but never found where the killer was staying. Eventually the kills stopped, and people forgot.”

“That is made up,” Augusta complained.

“No, I read it at the library for my history project.” Brandon said.

“No, you are a liar.”

“It is true,” Brandon protested

“If it is true, prove it,” Augusta egged Brandon on. “Prove it by going to the cabin when the candle flame lights up. Find something of the killers and bring it back.”

“How? I can’t get past the ravine” Brandon asked

“Ha, you are afraid. You are scared of the light, or a liar.” Augusta was standing close to Brandon. Pressing his chest against Brandon’s. There was a clear height difference between the two. “A tree fell across the ravine last week. You can use it to walk across.” Brandon looked around. Everyone was awaiting and answer.

“Fine” he said snatching the flashlight from Augusta hand. “I will get the proof.”

“The fallen trees that way,” Augusta pointed down the trail. “Don’t chicken out”

Brandon headed down the path. The beam of light bouncing as he walked before disappearing around a bend.

Just as expected the candle burned int the window at the stroke of midnight. Augusta and the other kids saw no sign of Brandon. They watched for a few hours, but Brandon never came back. They never saw the light of his flashlight in the woods. They started to worry by three a.m.

“He must be messing with us. He must have gone home.” Augusta insisted. “He will turn up tomorrow.” Everyone got bored of waiting and headed back home.

Brandon didn’t turn up the next day. He didn’t turn up the day after that either. The kids told the police what happened. The kids were told not to go see the cabin’s candle anymore, but Brandon was still missing.

The town was a buzz for a week or two after Brandon’s disappearance. A month went by and the buzz died down. People of the town moved on to something else. Everyone but Brandon’s mother. Her car was parked on the trail every day as she searched the woods. Eventually she stopped going to work.

Augusta never moved on either. He thought of his words to Brandon that night. It kept him awake. He couldn’t show his face to Brandon’s mother anymore. Finally, one night he decided to go out and find Brandon himself.

Augusta headed out into the night. He crossed the fallen tree to the other side of the ravine. The walk to the cabin wasn’t very long. The walk was covered in old growth. It was past midnight when Augusta arrived at the cabin. It was covered in moss but looked sturdy. The windows were all intact. The candle burning in the window.

Augusta pushed the door open with a creek. The dim light of the candle bounced off the only thing in the single room cabin. A human body laying propped in the corner. It was limp and still. Augusta rushed in. The body covered in body. They were dead. It wasn’t Brandon. It was the body of a woman. It was Brandon’s mother. The worst of all someone had peeled away the skin of her face.

As Augusta examined the body, the cabin door opened. Augusta turned to see something tall and thin. It had long arms and legs. Its’ hands were dripping with body. When Augusta looked at his face the pale of Brandon’s looked back at him.