Micah

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

I had always been a sucker for a good scary story or a romp through a graveyard at midnight. So, when my brother, Eugene, wanted to tell us the story of this cabin, I was all in.

"Oh let me guess," I laughed tossing more popcorn into my mouth, “Neighbors began hearing noises like scratching, knocks on the walls, and chains being dragged across the floor."

Outside the moon was high and full. A slight breeze rustled the tree branches near us. Now and then, one odd branch scraped across the roof of the tree house.

"Eva, I am being serious," Eugene stood up, pushing his wire-rim glasses higher on his nose. Eugene was my tall, lanky, and...very nerdy brother.

"Come on, " I pulled at the sleeve of his shirt. "Sit down and tell us. I will stop."

"Ya Eugene, ignore your sister. I want to hear about this," Darlene shot me a glare. I shrugged her off and continued diving my hand into the big, barrel of popcorn Mom had made us for tonight.

"Ok," He sat back down on the thick, red-flannel comforter we had spread out on the tree house floor.

"Eva, no more wisecracks." He shook his pointer finger at me.

"Okay, okay!" I snapped, slumping back on my beanbag and folding my arms.

Darlene pulled her long, black hair into a tight bun and slipped her hoody over her head. She leaned back against the other beanbag, ready to hear the story.

"Years and years ago, when I was in grade school, and Eva wasn't even a thought--" he laughed to himself, "the neighborhood always talked about that cabin. They said two hunters use to go there every winter." Eugene took a sip from his can of soda.

"Two hunters?" I asked. "Men?

"Yes, Joseph and Micah," he leaned back and lit the candles on our little stand. The dark was closing in more now as the moon faded behind thick, black clouds.

"Joseph and Micah were avid hunters and life-long best friends. In forty-some years, they never missed a winter. During the rest of the seasons, they were rarely seen. Micah chased off anyone who came near the cabin. Some people say he even used to sit on the porch with a shotgun.

Eugene took a break to eat some popcorn. I got up and went to the window and stuck my head out to see the moon. It was barely visible. Bats swooped back and forth from the barn to the house.

"Mom must be in bed. All the lights are out except the hall light." I said walking back to my spot on the floor.

"Go on!" Darlene urged.

"So one year, there was a rumor they were out hunting and got into a fight over a deer. They both pulled their guns and shot." Eugene made a loud popping sound with his mouth. We both waited for Eugene to finish.

"Well, what happened?" I asked.

"They killed each other." Eugene stood up. "I am hungry for some real food. Does anyone want a bologna sandwich?"

"Are you kidding me?" I kicked his shin. "That's it? What about the cabin and the candle? That wasn't even scary."

"Well, no one ever went to the cabin after they disappeared. No one really knows who is lighting the candle. But a lot of people say it's Micah."

Darlene pulled her hoody off her head and reached for Eugene's arm.

"It has to be Micah, " she said, "cause he never wanted anyone near the cabin," Darlene gazed off in deep thought, as if she had just solved the world's deepest mystery.

"Oh, so a dead man decides of all the things he can do in the afterlife, he wants to come back to haunt a tiny hunting cabin that no one really cares about anyhow?" I laughed.

"Is the candle lit every night" Darlene inquired with a curious smile.

"Yes." Eugene turned slowly and looked at Darlene.

"Let's do it," she said. Eugene's grin grew bigger and bigger.

"We're all insane, but I'm in!" I jumped and grabbed my hoody.

The cabin was nestled in solitude and was surrounded by dense trees that swayed in the wind. The full moon cast the shadows of the trees onto the roof. The shadows danced like gothic souls.

We paused at the porch stairs for what seemed like an eternity. I ran my fingers along the railing and firmly gripped it and then took a step.

The others followed close behind.

I opened the creaky door, that barely hung on its hinges. I pulled my mini keychain flashlight from my pocket and flicked it on. I slowly walked through the doorway.

Each board of the floor seemed to have its own personal creaking sound. A tiny window cast a small ray of moonlight directly at the room in the back. The room where the candle was seen at night.

We all stole glances at each other.

Darlene gripped my arm. I jerked my arm away.

"Stop it," I whispered.

"I'm scared," she said, "let's leave, it's getting dark out."

"It's been dark, you goober," Eugene snickered quietly, "and this was your idea, remember?"

I walked around, swiping away cobwebs in my path. I tried not to think about all the creepy, crawly insects that could be in here.

"Please," she pleaded.

"No, I want to see this ghost for myself." My light followed the back wall where several small shelves were stocked with canned goods.

By itself, almost in the middle of the main room was a table with a book. I wiped some dust off the book. It looked like an original copy of Moby Dick.

"Look," I smiled at Darlene. She was all about the classics.

"Alright, I admit that is cool," she caressed the book's cover.

A tiny squeal had me spinning on my feet, just in time to see a mouse scurry in a hole beneath a cabinet. Darlene gripped my arm, nearly cutting off my circulation.

"Oh my gosh, you guys," Eugene snatched the light from my hands. He swiped the entire room with the light.

The sight of the mouse didn't frighten us near as much as the flashlight did. Yesterday's newspaper was laying open on the tiny kitchen table. Next to it was a half-empty cup of coffee. We looked at each and for a moment I wanted to bolt out the door.

I was afraid to move, though. I was afraid to leave and I was afraid to go any further.

A crack of thunder sent us both to a corner of the room.

"Now can we leave?" Darlene growled.

"NO!" Eugene snapped. "I've been hearing this story half my life and I want answers."

We turned to face the tiny room. In unison, we all gasped. A soft yellow flickering light lit the walls inside the room.

"Guys, that wasn't lit when we got here," Darlene said in a hushed tone. "Do you think--"

"No!" I snapped back in a fierce whisper. "Don't even go there."

The light grew brighter, escaping into the main room where we all stood huddled like frightened babies.

"I'm leaving," I turned for the front door, but Eugene grabbed me.

"You really want to leave now?" He asked.

Suddenly, there was a loud creak, and then another-- coming from the room. The rhythm picked up. It was a rocking chair.

"It's probably some old, homeless person." Eugene declared confidently." But he wasn't moving any closer to the room either.

"I think we should just go," Darlene stepped closer to me.

"Whatever!" Eugene let out an angry grunt. We tiptoed to the front door and slowly opened it.

"Thanks for visiting," a quavery, deep voice called out. We all bolted out the door and down the steps. At the first tree, we stopped and looked back. A distorted figure was looking out the window.

A misty figure that had no depth to it.

"Micah?" Darlene asked Eugene.

"I don't know and I don't want to find out!" I said and turned to run.

At the edge of the woods, we stopped.

"We will never know now if that was Micah or some homeless person," Eugene said breathlessly.

Unless one day, we went back...