The Cabin That Love Built

Thinking it would be a good place to study, Jeannie arrived just before dark and an impending storm. The four-hour car ride had been uneventful until the last ten miles. It was then the radio station cut out in the middle of a talk show, pissing Jeannie off. She hated when she lost reception close to the cabin, but, on the bright side, it meant she was getting close. But when the check engine light came on, her stomach sank. Dave was always on top of routine car maintenance stuff, so a suggested next oil change was probably not the cause of the light. Hopefully, it was not a big deal. These days, it’s almost impossible to fix your own car due to all the computers. Jeannie shook her head and sighed heavily at the thought of possible car trouble.

The test was two weeks and a day from tomorrow. Studying at home was nearly impossible. The libraries were all closed. Phones, kids, household chores, and work were never ending distractions. The refrigerator packed with food didn’t help either. Never mind the Covid-19, she was working on twenty-five extra pounds at this point. If she was ever going to pass this final certification exam, she needed to be alone and away from home. After making all the necessary arrangements to avoid Armageddon at home, she eagerly set out on a study vacation of sorts to the family cabin.

Fifty years ago, her grandfather and uncles had worked tirelessly building the hexagonal cabin in the woods. If the weather was good, every weekend the family travelled hours to build the cabin. The basic structure took about two years to complete. Mothers and cousins camped out in tents and mostly enjoyed the outdoors and the primitive conditions. There had been no running water, electricity, or phone service. The talents of the men and women were many. Engineers, electricians, and carpenters were trades well represented in the family. Talented, hard-working women and children cooked on camp stoves, brought water in, and even built an outdoor toilet. The men built the roof on the ground first and raised it, with the help of a rented crane, and lifted it atop the walls of the cabin. It was a beautiful structure inside and out. Much love, blood and sweat went into the building of the cabin by so many family members. The family created many happy memories within those six walls.

Today, memories were the only things left. Over the years, the family experienced deaths and divorces.  Family members moved far away from the little cabin in the woods. Except for the occasional maintenance check by some of the cousins left in the area, the place was vacant. Faced with a task at hand and nostalgia as a best friend, Jeannie eagerly arrived at the cabin.

She parked close to the cabin, and turned off the engine, and she breathed a sigh of relief. Outdoor lights were on and that meant the electricity was working. She couldn’t remember the last time she was here. Was it one of her Uncles’ 60^th birthdays or one of her cousins 21^st birthdays? Now that she and Dave had moved out of state, it wasn’t convenient to come here. Not with three kids and a part-time job anyway. Half the time the weather was a factor, and the other half the time, well, time was a factor. She had wanted to get married here, but that had just been a pipe dream from a long time ago.

She breathed in the dry, cold air that bit her nose and burned her throat as she inhaled. The silence hummed. There were no other houses close by. The neighbors across the road, the James’ had long since passed on. With no heirs, their house lay dark and waiting for the town to claim it. Sadly, she missed the “greeting” on the way in from Mr. James. He always came out when he heard a car, to make sure only authorized persons were coming to the cabin. Unfortunately, a few unsolved burglaries had occurred in surrounding towns, and well you couldn’t be too careful. Jennifer had a license to carry a small handgun and that made her feel safe. She had promised to call home as soon as she arrived. There was a light dusting of snow on the peaked roof and the deck that wrapped around three quarters of the house. The waning light and clouds cast what looked like footprints on the deck, but that could have been shadows and tricks of light. 

I carried my backpack and sleeping bag up the steep wooden steps after retrieving the hidden key from behind the second step. Although Grandpa was long gone, the hidden key had been his idea. He wanted the family to be able to use the cabin whenever they wished and not have to worry about handing off the key. After all these years, the simple system still worked.

The lock opened easily, and some less cold air greeted me. It was only a bit warmer than outside and I could still see my breath. I switched the light on and was relieved to see everything looked to be in good shape. The first order of business was to light the wood stove for warmth. A small electric heater at the bottom of the water tank kept the toilet and sink water from freezing. There was anti-freeze in the toilet as well. I remember what a momentous occasion it was when we got electricity and phone service installed at the cabin. I longed for the absolute retreat that the cabin was before utilities, but it was still rather good as is.

Great quantities of firewood lay stacked near the stove by the last guests. Matches lay on top of the stove. There was a small can opener left on the table that seemed out of place. The stove felt a bit warm as I started the fire, but maybe that was my imagination because I was so cold. I ran back to the car to get a cooler and bag of groceries. There were some domestic beers and wine among my provisions. After all, I wasn’t planning on studying for thirty-six hours straight.  

I called home to let everyone know I had arrived safely. I purposely didn’t bring up the engine light. Dave said he had tried to call earlier but was getting a recording saying that all circuits were busy. Maybe the weather was a factor? After saying goodnight to the kids, I hung up, eager to begin my study vacation. The drive had made me hungry, so I ate one of the two huge sub sandwiches that I had purchased in town and cracked open a very cold beer. I checked to see that the toilet worked and then happily used it. The fact that it was full of water struck me as a bit odd, but I didn’t dwell on it. Now it was dark, and I was at peace.

I awoke suddenly to the sound of knocking on the front and only door of the cabin. I couldn’t figure out why someone was knocking, still in my sleep state. Sitting in a deep three-legged classic suede chair, I hadn’t meant to fall asleep. The ride, the cold, food, and beer, must have contributed to my deep sleep in the chair. My heart beat loudly in my chest and I went numb. I couldn’t understand what was happening. I instinctively ran to the phone, picked it up, but it was dead. 

I tiptoed to the door as the knocking continued. I could barely breathe; my mouth was dry. I heard another loud knock, but my brain was still not fully functioning. I could see nothing but a small flashlight thru the peephole. Luckily, there was only a small light on in the house and the curtains were dark so no one could see in. “Who’s there?”, I asked weakly. “Please open the door”, a man said. “It’s the Police.” I opened the door slowly and saw a local Police Officer. “Sorry ma’am to disturb you, but we wanted to let you know that there had been an escape from the local prison, about fifteen miles East of here earlier tonight. We wanted to warn everyone in the area to stay inside until we call to let you know it’s safe. We saw your light on and car parked from the road. You may be hearing search helicopters and police dogs in the area tonight. Do you understand?” “Yes”, I said,  while shaking my head is disbelief. The officer also asked if I were to see anything, to please call 911, but until then to stay inside. I explained the phone was dead,  maybe due to the storm. He nodded affirmatively. He would try to stop by again tomorrow to give me an update. I thanked him and quickly locked the door.

Now what? Shaken, and good thing I had slept a bit, because now it seemed the last thing I could do was sleep. Just then, I saw some movement out of the corner of my eye, behind the pile of wood. Was it the beer, nerves, or the lights playing tricks again on me?

There was a man’s foot at the corner of the woodpile. Dear God in heaven, what the hell is going on now? I took my gun out and slowly walked over to the shoe, which belonged to a young man’s body and voice. “Pl, ple, please don’t shoot me…”Come out now and give me one good reason not to blow your head off!”, I said. My hand was on the trigger, gun pointed right at his head. “Please, lady, lady don’t shoot”, said the slight boy that looked about seventeen years old. He was tall and thin with a light beard. He had a hat on and an army fatigue jacket. “I’m just warming up. I’ve been on the road for a while looking for work and a place to stay. I am tired, hungry and was cold. I have no place to go….”

“How did you get in?” I demanded, still aiming the gun at his head. “ I climbed thru the window off the deck out back”. So those really were footprints on the deck, I thought to myself. I asked him, “Why should I believe you?” “Well, lady, honestly if I had wanted to harm you, I could have done it already. I could have hurt you while you were sleeping, robbed you and left.” What the hell was I going to do now? I thought.

“I was wondering if I could just stay the night and leave early in the morning. I ain’t done nothin wrong. I’m not runnin from the law. I’m just on my own trying to make it. Things were really bad at home with sickness and no money. I promise I mean you no harm. I scouted the place out  for a few days before I came in. Seems like no one is ever around, and I thought what’s the harm in seeking shelter? When your car drove up, I panicked and hid. I didn’t want to scare you and have you call the police. I know you could have me arrested for breaking and entering, trespassing too. I am sorry, I really, really mean it.” He said all this in a very honest sounding way.

“Are you sure you’re not one of those escaped prisoners?”, I asked. “Yes ma’am, I swear it. I been here two nights already and that break out just happened today according to that cop. I swear I, ya gotta believe me. Please don’t call the cops. I’m not a bad kid. Maybe I done wrong by coming thru the window and hiding out. I only ate a few cans of food and just was keeping warm. I promise I will pay you back once I find some work.” Again, the truth seemed tied up in his words. I thought about the can opener on the table.

Oh God, I just came to the cabin to be alone and study. I didn’t feel like playing a part in some runaway’s saga or being in a prison break mystery weekend game. As I was trying to figure out my next move, he asked earnestly, “hey Lady, do you think you could put the gun down?”

I reluctantly agreed. I picked up the phone and it was still dead. The lights had dimmed and were almost out, so I lit a nearby gas lantern and put on a battery-operated one as well. The two lanterns lit up the place well enough. “Don’t try anything stupid, okay?”, I said. I train monthly at the gun range back home and I’m pretty handy with this baby, so don’t test me. Go sit on the sofa so I can watch you. Are you still hungry?”, I asked. “Yes ma’am. I gave him my other sub sandwich that I had bought in town earlier. I watched him eat it ravenously. He fell asleep on the couch with the blanket I gave him. He looked so young and my heart hurt.

I kept watch all night with the gun on my lap and one eye open. I would not sleep a minute; I was so  keyed up. At dawn’s first light he woke and started to get ready to leave. He said he might go to the gas station in town and see if they needed any help. He mentioned that he was rather good with cars so maybe they would hire him. Good thing to know since my engine light turned on for no apparent reason last night.

I got my bags together and was planning on driving him to the gas station. I thought it might be better if I took him to the local bus station in town so that he could get back home and be safer there. I offered him the bus fare and he seemed to like that option better.

We drove silently for the thirty minutes it took to get to town. When we arrived at the station, I handed him one hundred dollars and made him promise me he would never do this again. He smiled and assured me that he would not.  

He thanked me for all I had done for him. I believe that the love I received all those years ago, was still alive and as real today as it had been then. I was able to pass that love on to that boy who needed it so badly last night and today. I drove home for four hours feeling that I had accomplished quite a bit this weekend at the cabin that love built.