The Cabin

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

“I dare you,” my friend laughed, pointing toward the faint flickering light.

I let out an airless laugh, turning toward my friend, whose face was illuminated by her flashlight. “This isn’t some horror movie, Jen. A, I’m not trespassing, and B, I’m not going to get myself killed.”

She rolled her eyes, “you’re right; this isn’t a horror movie, so you’re not going to get yourself killed by looking through the window.” She looked around before leaning in; a smile I know all too well rose along her face. “I’ll help you with you, Rake,” she knowingly wiggled her eyebrows—what?

“I don’t know what you mean,” I bit my lip, “that’s your brother.”

“Oh, come on,” she playfully hit my side, and I could feel my body turning to stone–there’s no way she knows. “I know,” she shrugged, “it’s pretty obvious you like him.”

“Jen, I–”

She held up a gloved hand, cutting me off, “Rose, I’m not mad, and if I’m being honest, I think he’s into you too, so it's whatever….” She must have seen something in my expression because she laughed, “don’t get me wrong, it’s gross. My best friend and my brother,” she shivered, “but I’m not about to stop you two from being happy.”

I swallowed before I threw myself at her, wrapping my arms around her neck, “I love you, you know that?”

“Okay, okay, no need for all the sappiness,” she gently pushed me off her and toward the seemingly now un-abandoned cabin. “Now go on.”

I chuckled, gently swatting her hands away. “Fine, but if I start screaming, call 911.”

She saluted me, and I smiled, turning away. I set my sights on the wooden cabin and the singular yellow light in the window closest to me. I shook my head; I can’t believe she knows? Wait–I turned around, walking backward. “Jen,” I called out, “am I really that obvious?”

I saw her dark figure move, I squinted, and after my eyes adjusted, I was able to make out her covered hands cuffed around her mouth, “no shit,” she yelled back.

I laughed to myself, turning back around. I guess I was pretty obvious now that I think about it. I wiped my hands down my face, sighing, “does that mean Rake knows?” I mumbled to myself. No, there’s no way he knows. I was apparent but not that obvious. Wait, I bit my lip. Did Jen say that she thinks Rake’s into me too? She did, oh, she totally did. I shook my head, “don’t get your hopes up, Rose,” I whispered to the crisp night. Don’t get your hopes up.

With each step, the darkness seemed to encompass me more and more. I zoned in all my senses on the flickering light, the only light. The closer the cabin seemed to be, the slower I walked, till my pace was that of a creep because that’s what I am–a creep. God, what am I doing? This is trespassing! I took a deep breath; I’m doing this for my future. Future–hopefully taken–Rose will look back at tonight and laugh with her head on Rake's heavenly crafted, perfectly broad shoulders…I shook my teenage hormones, and with it, Rake, out of my mind. I have to focus.

I released a breath, and the sound echoed in the silent night. The only noise I could hear was my own feet crunching along the leaves and sticks, the fabric of my sweater rubbing against itself, and my breath against the bitter air. Everything else was as quiet as death; it was too quiet. I swallowed, looking side to side as my shoes scruffled against the cabin's walkway. I slowly stepped forward, ducking my head to the side as I walked up toward the window. The fire seemed to dance more feverishly the closer I came until I could see my reflection in the glass. I could feel my heart beating against my chest, the sound echoing in my ears. I should turn back–

I screamed before I felt hands cuff around my lips, silencing my pleas. I looked up, and my rapid breathing began to slow; I leaned my head back as Jen released her hands from my mouth.

She covered her own mouth to quiet her blatant laughter. “You were genuinely freaked,” her giggles made their way to the surface after each word.

I ran my hand down my face, the same face I’m sure is as pale as snow right now. “I didn’t hear you following me,” I sighed. I could’ve sworn I almost just had a heartache right then and there. God, how did I not hear her follow me?

She scratched her forehead, and I could make out her tilted mouth which was highlighted by the bubbling light from behind me. “It was scary just standing by my lonesome in the middle of all those trees.”

I sighed, “I bet.” Stepping back, I nodded my head back toward the window. “Go on and look; I’m ready to go back.” I tucked my hands in my jean pockets as I let Jen look through the window. I looked around in a circle, bouncing on my heels; I wanted to go back–I looked toward where we started. “Come on, Jen. Let’s go already,” I whispered, annoyance clung to each word.

Still looking through the window, Jen whispered back, “I think we should go in.”

“Are you insane? That is taking it too far.”

She tossed her head back to me, shrugging.

“Jen, we are not breaking into someone's home,” I snapped.

“This isn’t anyone's home; there’s no furniture. Come on; I know you secretly want to.” She smirked.

“No, no, no.” I shook my head. “I do not want to,” I wrapped my arms around my chest. “Can we just go?” I nodded toward where we came.

She mimicked my body posture, “do you want Rake or not?”

“What?” I let out breathlessly.

“If you want my help with Rake, you must go in with me.” She shrugged again. Why is she keep shrugging? “You want him or not?”

I sighed, looking at the surrounding darkness and then back at Jen’s waiting face. This is a bad idea. A terrible idea. I bit my lip, but what's the harm? Nothing that bad can happen, right? Then after this is all said and done, Jen can help me Rake. The pros outweigh the cons, right? No. This isn’t a good idea. What if we get caught, we could get arrested, I–

“Are we going in?”

I looked up at Jens's black eyes and nodded. She smiled before clapping her hands softly. “Okay, let’s do this.”

I stepped toward her, hesitant. “How are we going to even get in?”

She winked before turning back toward the window. She slowly pushed the frame upward, and I couldn’t help but marvel at how easy that was. “Here,” she whispered, handing me the still flickering candle. She ducked her head through the window, using her arms to push herself inside. Once I heard the quiet thump of her shoes against the floor, she reached her hand back through the window, “give me the candle.”

I handed her back the flame before I pushed myself inside the cabin, cringing as my feet touched the creaking floor. I looked up at Jen, who was practically beaming. She twitched her head toward the closed door in front of us, “come on,” she whispered.

For Rake, I thought as I followed Jen to the door and then out into the darkened hall. For Rake…

Minutes passed of Jen and I walking through the seemingly empty cabin, and the sounds of our shoes along the creaky floorboards filled the lack of words. The windows along the living room and joining halls were boarded, so even the moon's blue light was blocked off from us. I made sure to step right behind Jen, needing to be as close to the light as possible. “Jen, you were right. There’s nothing here. Can we go now?” I whispered to her back as she continued to venture deeper into the cabin.

She stopped walking, turning her head back to me. Her face shimmered with the flame, and her eyes were wide. “Did you hear that?”

My stomach dropped. “Hear what?”

She nodded toward the shadows in the corner, “come on.”

“Hear what, Jen?” My quiet words were clipped.

She held up her hand, gesturing for me to be quiet. I rolled my eyes, tucking my hands across my chest in an effort to comfort my rising chill. Why are we doing this? Why are we doing this? Why are we doing this?

She stopped walking again as she motioned with her hand for me to follow like I wasn’t already following her! Once I stood next to Jen, the fire seemed to shrink; I leaned toward her, whispering, “I have a bad feeling about this. Please, Jen. Can we go?”

She shot her eyes at me and scoffed. “I didn’t know you were such a baby. Rake hates girls who complain as much as you do.”

“Jen-”

She sighed, “I just want to see what's down here. Then we can go.” She moved the flame in front of her, illuminating a wooden door with a broken silver lock on the handle.

I swallowed my gut feeling, the feeling that was screaming in my bones to leave and never look back. I can’t believe she called me a baby. I’m not a baby just because I have issues with trespassing! And I’m not complaining! I-

“Come on,” Jen whispered, her voice no longer calm but rather annoyed? Is she mad at me?

I felt the hairs on my neck stand up, and I had to suppress the shiver that rose in my body. I bit my lip, stopping myself from saying anything that would make me seem like “a baby” as I followed her down the curved wooden steps and into the dark cellar below. The air seemed to drop at least five degrees once we stepped foot on the cellar floor.

I took a step toward Jen right as a big BAM rang through the dark space. I yelped, clinging to my friend. “What was that?” I breathed out, feeling my eyes brim with tears.

“I- I think that was the cellar door.” Jen choked out.

Oh my God. “You- You don’t thin-think someone locked us in here, d-do you?” My lips quivered with fear. This was such a bad idea.

I felt Jen’s head shake, “it was probably the wind.”

“All the windows were boarded,” I whispered, my breathing slowly escaping me.

“Then the door was heavy and rolled back.” She shimmed herself out of my grip. “Come on; we're already down here. Might as well look around.”

I felt my fingers shake but not from fear, “Jen-”

The fire went out, and I held my breath as we were now fully encompassed by the darkness. I heard feet shuffle just as a scream sounded from right where Jen was standing. “Jen!” I called out, looking around in the pool of blackness. I felt tears make their way down my cheeks, “Jen!” I began walking deeper into the cellar, needing to find my friend. Why wouldn’t she just listen to me earlier? Why? Why? Why? I felt a hot breath along the backside of my neck. I jumped, screaming. I felt large hands grab hold of my wrists; I tried to pull out of their grip, “let me go! Let me go!” They twisted me around, so my back was to their chest. “Let me go!”

As the man released my arms, I heard a burst of sick laughter against my ear. “Rose-”

I twisted around just as the cellar light buzzed throughout the room. Standing there, dressed head-to-toe in black was Rake. His red cheeks were darker than usual, and his lips dropped once he saw my face. I sniffed, “what the fuck, Rake?” I wiped my eyes with my sweater, my fear still raw.

“I’m sorry,” he reached out his hand, brushing his hand up and down my arm. “Jen and I thought it would be a funny prank. I didn’t think you would actually buy it.”

I couldn’t help the tears that started to run down my cheeks; this was all some sick prank? Rake wrapped me in his arms, pulling me against his chest, and as mad as I am at him right now, I relished in his embrace. “I’m so sorry,” he whispered his lips against the top of my head.

I pulled back, needing to see his kind eyes, not some psychos. I tried my best to smile, but by his expression, I failed miserably. “You got me,” I breathed out.

He winced, “I wish I didn’t.” He tucked a piece of my hair behind my ear, and I leaned into his touch, our eyes never leaving each other. He swallowed, and the red on his cheeks deepened.“Rose, there’s something I need to tell you.”

“Wha–”

Rake turned his head around at the sound of sinister slow clapping, the kind of clapping that is only seen in movies when the villain got what he wanted. I stepped toward his side, shaking my head at Jen. “You totally had me fooled, Jen,” I sighed.

“Shut the fuck up,” she bit out.

I flinched at her harsh words. “Hey, don’t talk to her like that!” Rake spit back.

“Aw,” her face twisted into the most grotesque expression I had ever seen. Something isn’t right. I shook my head, tears threatening the walls of my eyes once again. “Don’t tell me your her knight and shining armor.” She tilted her head to the side, locking eyes with me. The black hole of her pupils swallowed her eyes. “Little ol’ Rose. Will your thorns prick me if I pick you from the ground?” She seemed to mumble the last part to herself.

“What?” I looked from Jen to Rake, whose face went as pale as death, then back to Jen again. “What’s going on–” Then that’s when I saw it. The black object dangling in her right hand. I looked back up to her face, my eyes wide with fear. “Jen–” my voice cracked as I felt my lips quiver. “What are you doing?”

“You want to know something,” she clicked her tongue off the roof of her mouth and began to wave the gun around aimlessly, stepping closer to us. I slowly reached for Rake just as his arm wrapped around my front, pulling me behind him. What is she doing? Jen zeroed in at his hand and scoffed. “I can’t have one thing. ONE THING!” She shouted, pointing the gun at Rake’s hand, the same hand that was resting along my stomach. I jumped, unable to help the sob that escaped my throat. Jen stepped closer, her eyes widening with mania. She’s fucking crazy! “I had a brother. I also had a best friend.” Her brows furrowed. “But then my best friend started liking my brother and slowly my family. The one person I thought I could count on more than anything betrayed me. My own flesh and blood betrayed me!” She screamed, her voice cracking with emotion. “How could you. Both of you.” She narrowed her eyes.

I heard Rake’s audible swallow. He stepped forward, putting his hands up between Jen and me–between my best friend and me. “Jen, we can talk this out,” his voice was solid, but I saw the fear in his shaking hands. I covered my mouth to stop my whimpers.

“Shut up!” Everything slowed as the bang echoed in my ears; I looked first to Jen, whose eyes were wide but no longer with mania; I watched as she dropped the gun and ran somewhere, somewhere I assume far from here. My eyes slowly moved from the gun up to Rake, whose face was quivering, and tears were running down his cheeks. Why is he crying? I reached my hand up to wipe his tears when my legs gave out. I swallowed; darkness seemed to cover my being every other second. I felt arms wrap around me, and I looked up at Rake, my Rake.

I smiled, opening my mouth to speak, but my breath escaped me. “Shh, don’t try to talk.” Rake’s voice was cracked. Why is he so sad? I looked down and tried to swallow again, but my throat was too full. Is that blood? Is that my blood? I watched as the dark red pool grew and grew. Am I dying?

I used all my strength to look back up to Rake, who had the most pitiful smile on his face. His lips kept quivering, and my lips couldn’t help but twitch. “So, you like me, huh?” I breathed out. My words felt far.

He let out a choked laugh, “yeah. I like you, Rose.”

I smiled at him before my eyes shut; he really likes me…