The Candlelight Killer

The cabin in the woods has been abandoned for years, but one night, a candle burned in the window. The bare tree branches scraped against its windows like nails on a chalkboard.

Delany moved quietly, stopping just before she reached the uneven porch. She had heard many stories about this very cabin. A ghost tale of her town, she wanted to see it for herself.

Her cousin Nolan was a few steps behind her. He made one final plea, "Are you sure you want to do this, Delany? We could turn back now and make it home by dinner." She faked her confidence, "Absolutely not. I want to see what this place is all about." She turned around to face Nolan, "If you want to leave, you can." He took a reluctant breath, signed loudly, and trudged forward.

She had heard the many stories told of the cabin's victims. What happens inside its old wooden panels is scarcely unknown. According to the local paper, 13 people willingly entered through the front door, never to be seen again- or, so the legend says. Today, on Friday the 13th, Delany was determined to solve its mystery.

Chills coursed through her body as she brushed her hair behind her ears. The brisk October wind cut through her jacket like a knife. Nolan caught up to her, "Okay, now what?" Delany continued surveying the cabin. She shrugged, "Let's walk around and see if there are any other doors to exit in case of emergency" Nolan nodded, turned his back to her, and began to walk in the opposite direction. In a matter of seconds, Delany was alone.

Before moving, she reached into her pocket and pulled out her dad's old pocketknife. Although it was small, it offered some sort of protection, albeit small. One step at a time, she shifted to the left side of the cabin, looking and listening intently. Any small sound or rustle of the trees seemed to startle her. Her breath hiccupped as she recentered herself.

It was a small two-story cabin. Many of its wooden panels were rotten and had fallen off, leaving holes in the sidewall. In what seemed to be the upstairs corner room, a small candlelight showed through the broken window. For minutes, she stood mesmerized by the candle's existence.

A loud scream brought her out of thought. Delany gripped her knife tighter and began to run around the house. "Nolan!" she yelled, desperately praying for an answer. No luck. When she reached the front of the cabin, her blood immediately ran cold. The front door was wide open. I have no choice, she thought to herself. Holding her breath, she darted up the stairs and through the front door. The moment she cleared the doorway, her world went black, and the door slammed behind her. And then- silence.

For what seemed like hours, she heard nothing but her rigid breaths. Thoughts flew through her head. Should she yell or whisper for Nolan? Would it make a difference at this point? Wherever he was, she couldn't rescue him if she made the same mistake he did. She must stay quiet, be calm, and move slowly.

She gained enough courage to take a step forward into the black abyss. She gripped her knife with both hands, holding it at arm's length in front of her as she shuffled her feet along the dusty floor.

Dizziness overtook her as she moved deeper into the darkness. She screamed when something suddenly bashed her leg, shattering her knee. She dropped her knife, collapsing to the ground. Her hands were forced behind her back and zip-tied together, and a burlap sack was aggressively wedged over her head. Large, rough hands grabbed her by her waist and threw her over very broad shoulders. In shock, Delany lay limp as she was hauled upstairs.

Her head hit the ground first when she was dropped. She moaned in pain as the hands sat her up against a wall. The burlap cut her cheeks as the sack was ripped off her face. She opened her eyes cautiously and expected to see nothing. What she saw instead frightened her even more.

There, in the shadows of the windowsill candle, sat her cousin. His eyes were cold and dark, something she had never seen before.

She stared at him in bewilderment, trying to process the recent events. Her voice was shaky, "Nolan? What are you doing?" He was silent. Her eyes traced his silhouette, stopping when she saw the kitchen knife in his hand.

The chair creaked when he stood up. His laugh was gut-wrenching before he spoke and his words pierced her heart. "Welcome to the family business, Delany."

Tears filled her eyes. Please, no. This can't be real.

She was in excruciating pain. At that moment, she accepted her demise. Nolan took a step closer, adjusting his grip on the knife. Delany began sobbing, squirming to her feet. A forceful punch landed on the bridge of her nose, knocking her back to the ground. She immediately tasted blood.

"I gave you a chance, dear cousin. You should have taken it"

And there in the quiet October woods, Delany became the fourteenth victim of what would soon be known in history as " The Candlelight Killer".