Homebound.

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

Meanwhile, on the other side of the woods, a group of five campers found themselves wandering in the thick trees, the path they were on seemingly swallowed by walls of bark, and scattered piles of leaves. Dusk was quickly falling.

Willow was having none of it. What was supposed to be a great weekend getaway had so far been mainly a series of swatting mosquitos on his back with his heavy hands, collapsing tents with his heavy frame in his sleep. And now, the final pin in the coffin, getting on a trail with strangers and his best friend, who he currently had a bone to pick with.

Olive poked his cheek, daringly. “Why the long face, Willow? A gentle giant like you should be enjoying the night!”

‘’That’s cause when you suggested a weekend getaway, I was thinking more like beaches and beer. Not bugs and bears, man. Not to mention this never-ending hike.” Willow swatted his hand away.

“Well, you wouldn’t be able to find what we’re looking for on a beach, ” Olive chuckled. “ Don’t worry so much. We’re so close to your surprise!”

Right, the surprise. The big ominous reason Willow let Olive drag him 7 hours from their small hometown. He had bugged Willow for weeks on end, promising him that it would be worth it. Like always, Willow had a hard refusing his optimism.

They shuffled closely behind the couple in front of them. Willow hadn’t spoken to them much. Not that he could find any common ground with the newlyweds. All conversations would circle back talking about rings, vows, and apologies for being a bit noisy in the middle of the night.

Willow got a little reclusive after the awkwardness of the last topic. Which was fine for him. It was easier to keep to himself, anyways.

He wished it had been just him, Olive, and the tour guide on this expedition. According to Olive, however, this was very much a sought-after trip that was hard to book, and even harder to keep to a party of two.

So Willow reckoned he had no choice but to keep wandering in the unforgiving dingy forest and pray that they would make it soon.

It was straight after that thought he and Olive were halted in their tracks, ramming into the backs of the couple.

Olive stumbled, luckily able to catch himself, and grabbed Willow to keep him from falling as well. “What happened?” Willow tried his best not to snort at the crack in his voice.

“Sorry! We stopped because the guide stopped.” The husband turned toward the guide, who was bent over rummaging his bag frantically.

The guide slowly stood up, stiff as a board.

“I may…have lost our, um, compass.” His tone was all but grave with worry.

In the silence, Willow truly was reminded of the reality of their situation. No cell service. Low on rations. Nobody for miles and miles, and miles.

This is how horror movies start, Willow thought with eager bitterness.

“So,” the wife started, “ we’re lost in the middle of the woods. On our honeymoon.” She looked a second away from tearing into the guide with anger Willow could feel himself rising to. Maybe they did have something in common.

The husband quickly held his wife’s hand. “Baby, wait! I think I saw a cabin further back. We could see if they could help us, maybe?”

“Ah! Great idea! Lead the way.” the guide smiled, all too gleeful.

Sheepishly, the husband started walking, everyone following him, the guide trailing behind them all.

Willow decided to add an incompetent guide to the list of things ever so wrong with this trip.

—

It took the group about five minutes to arrive at the cabin. Nothing stood out about it. It was a standard cabin, wood and all, settled right next to a calm lakeside.

The husband, taking the role of leader, knocked on the door and waited for a response.

“See! Good luck all around man!” Olive beamed, clapping his hands together.

Willow huffed. “Look. It’s been five days. You promised on the fifth day, today, you’d tell me where the hell we’re going. I can’t wait anymore. I don’t know what going to kill me first. The bugs, or the weird sounds that keep coming from the bushes at night.”

“Ok, alright! I’ll tell you. We’re going,” Olive paused for dramatic effect, “To Mount Petrichor! To see the ‘Tree of the Crossing Tides!’ ”

Suprised was not even close to how Willow felt at Olive’s revelation. He was in awe. Completely confused, and starstruck.

‘“Are you joking?”

The conversation was cut short by the cabin door opening slowly, a frail old woman with stark white hair and dimmed grey eyes within the door’s crack. Her hand slipped around the door frame, and Willow noticed a ring on her finger. A plump black gem that looked very worn down and dull.

“Yes?”

“Ah yes,” The husband cleared his throat. “Sorry to disturb you this late at night, ma'am. We’re lost and need a compass, do you think you might be able to help us?”

The woman’s eyes brightened, opening the door fully. “Oh! Yes, my dear, I think I have one somewhere. Come in, you can wait inside while I search for it.

How could she let us in without a second thought? Willow wondered. Nevertheless, the other four walked eagerly into the cabin, Willow closing the door nervously behind them.

Alarm bells were going off like crazy in Willow’s head. It was either the mysterious woods, or another complete stranger. He took a breath, turning the look. Neither option was appealing, but at least there was a chance of getting out of the woods sooner if this woman was able to provide them with what they needed.

They quickly settled in. The guide leaned against a wall, studying his map in preparation for the rest of their journey. The couple peered out the window, watching the sun setting hand in hand. And Olive and Willow found comfort on the couch in the middle of the room. The woman left to the back of the cabin, footsteps getting quieter until she was out of sight.

Willow turned to Olive, desperately wanting to continue their discussion.

“Petrichor. I told you that as a joke. And you took me literally. Oh my god, we’re going to die here. Nobody even knows where we are!”

“You worry too much.”

“I have to worry for the both of us! Are you nuts? Don’t you know anything about timberlines? Trees don’t grow that high in altitude, it’s a myth!”

“Have some faith in me! The guide has pictures and videos of the mountain! I wouldn’t take us on some goose chase!”

Willow was, unfortunately, a man of very little faith. He turned away from Olive, baffled that a man could believe in such a fairytale in his mid-twenties.

He wished he could be back home, chilling in his house with a good video game and best bud, with some nice green buds. Instead of the middle of nowhere, for nothing.

Speaking of nowhere, Willow took a second to observe his surrounding a bit more closely. There were strange, ghoulish-like carvings on the wall, the cabin smelt of mothballs and he couldn't shake the feeling that something was off about his place.

Olive broke the silence, frustrated. “ You’re being such a sourpuss, man. Can’t you try at least to look on the bright side? You’re a woodcarver. You love wood. You should be taking in all of the wood.”

Willow scoffed. “I love carving wood, yes. Wood without bugs.”

“Come on! We’ve seen so many beautiful things this week, and all you can focus on are bugs? Can’t you at least try, once? For yourself.”

“..I just–”

The woman appeared out of thin air, a tray of teacups held with slightly shaking hands. “I’m back, with some tea! Take some, and I’ll get to looking for that compass.

The cabin started shaking without warning.

It was a vigorous type of shaking, without relent and without mercy. Everyone quickly fell to the floor, not a soul with knowledge as to what was occurring. The woman stood firm

Then it started with no preamble, the spaces in the floorboards widening, a green glow permeating from within. The couple, the guide, and Olive started sinking beyond the cracks. Each one struggled and screamed, clawing the floorboards.

Willow wasted no time in grabbing Olive’s hand. “Hold on! Just hold on!”

‘I can’t..” Olive’s voice seemed far away to Willow, even though they were mere inches away. Pulling Olive towards him felt straining and useless as if a black hole was ripping him apart on the other side.

Within seconds, Olive’s body ripped down into the abyss. The floorboards tightened shut, and the only ones left in the room were Willow and the woman.

The cabin stopped shaking. Everything was quiet.

Willow couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t move an inch. He was stuck in place, not able to do anything but be. His gaze was locked on the crack where his friend has once been, his hand still stretched out to reach him.

“Goodness! It hasn't even been five minutes! What a hungry cabin you are,” The woman snicked. The cabin seemed to creak in response, sounding nearly akin to laughter.

She began to approach Willow, bending down and meeting him.

“It’s nothing personal,” she began, sliding her ring off to place on his frozen hand. “You were just in the right place, at the right time. Or in your case, I suppose the wrong time and place.” The ring squeezed tight on his skin, an unforgiving pressure.

Then she stood and looked at Willow for split second, shaking her head with pity before locking her gaze forward and walking towards her freedom.

Opening the door, she felt release deep in her bone. Eternally thankful for someone with little faith to arrive at the cabin's doorstep.

She stepped away from the cabin, feeling free for the first time in a long time, drowning out the banging of the wooden door behind her.