Wood never rusts

Only two things ever happen in a winter cabin. People either hooked up, or they got killed. Sometimes, it’s both. Since this was not his first rodeo, Edward knew that firsthand.

He met Becky, a green-eyed girl with chestnut hair, in the summer of 2008 when she was only 12. Her family bought a cabin not too far from where he lived after they saw a “For Sale” ad in a travel newsletter. They have been looking for a place closer to nature and farther away from all the hustle and bustle of a concrete jungle they called Salt Lake City for well over a year before they found “the one.”

The day they first arrived in Elk Ridge, Edward’s mother baked a peach cobbler and sent her son over to greet the newcomers.

“That’s so sweet!” – said Becky’s mom when she opened the door for Edward and saw the pie.

“I’d love to have you and your mom over for dinner tomorrow night” – she added, smiling.

“That’d be splendid. How about 7 P.M.?” – Edward asked.

“Perfect. See you then” – Becky’s mom replied, closed the door, and smiled.

She always wanted the clichéd neighbor that would welcome her to the neighborhood with a pie and one that she could borrow sugar from if she ever ran out mid-cooking. This wasn’t possible in Salt Lake City. She barely ever saw her neighbors, let alone knew them. They definitely never exchanged pies or sugar.

The next evening, Edward and his mother arrived at the cabin for dinner precisely at 7 P.M.

“I’m glad you were able to make it” – Barbara, Becky’s mom said as she welcomed the guests.

“Thank you for inviting us. My name is Dorothy, and this is Edward. We live just down the road from here” – Edward’s mother announced.

“Nice to meet you, Dorothy and Eddie” – Barbara said.

“Edward” – the young man corrected her.

“’Scuse me?” – Barbara asked.

“Edward. I go by Edward, not Eddie” – he explained.

“Ay, yes, of course. My apologies…, Edward.”

“I’m Barbara, and this is Robert - my husband.”

“And I’m Becky” – said the girl who just walked into the hall.

“Nice to meet you” – Edward and Dorothy said almost in unison.

A hint of blush crept onto his pale cheek. Even though Becky’s womanly features were only beginning to develop, it was at that moment that he made the decision, they would one day end up together.

That evening could not have gone any better. Barbara and Dorothy became fast friends, and during summertime, the two families would often meet up and hang out either in the cabin, by the lake, or around a fire pit. As much as Becky was polite to Edward, she was far from what he had hoped her to be. She appeared to exhibit no romantic attraction towards him no matter how hard he tried.

“It’s OK. Next time it will be different. I will wait for her” – Edward would tell himself every time he bid Becky goodbye at the end of summer.

He was tired of waiting patiently for over 10 years. Approaching his 30^th birthday, he made a promise to himself to do anything to make Becky love him.

“Maybe she already did, but had no clue how to show it” – he thought to himself.

“Yes, that must be it” – he had convinced himself.

“I have to teach her how to show love and affection” – he said to himself.

When he saw her at the local store today, he was beyond excited. Even though he did not expect her until the summer, he was positively surprised to see her and even more so to see her without her parents. Edward rubbed his hands together.

“Tonight’s the night” – he whispered to himself.

As he approached the cabin later in the day with a bottle of wine in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other, he noticed two shadows in the kitchen window. Another guy was with her, and they appeared close. Edward’s lips tightened, and so did his grip.

“Don’t judge a book by its cover” – he thought to himself, gently placing the wine and the flowers on the steps.

Edward walked towards the back of the cabin, towards the living room window as silently as he could. Becky and some blond, curly-haired guy were sitting on the sofa now. They were kissing passionately for a little while before he pulled down her oversized shirt to reveal her shoulder, and she reached for his belt.

“Enough!” – Edward exclaimed, standing by the TV.

“Edward? Uh… What are you doing here?” – Becky asked, covering up her shoulder.

“I saw you at the store earlier today, and so I came to welcome you” – he answered, revealing the bottle and the bouquet.

“How did you get in?” – Becky asked Edward as she combed her fingers through her disheveled hair.

“I knocked and called out your name a couple of times, but you probably couldn’t hear me through the TV” – Edward responded as he approached the couch.

“But I thought I locked the door” – Becky said.

“Yea, but we have a key. Remember? I always carry it with me just in case. And tonight, it came in handy” – Edward explained.

“What’s going on?” – the guy whose belt was earlier being undone asked.

“What’s going on is I am rescuing Becky” – Edward replied.

“From what?” – the almost lovers asked in unison.

“From you” – Edward answered, pointing at Becky’s companion.

“I don’t need saving from him” – Becky said, slightly alarmed.

“Who is he?” – Edward asked.

“I’m Ben.”

“He’s my boyfriend” – Becky added.

“Boyfriend, huh? And that’s why your parents don’t know you’re here?” – Edward asked.

“That’s right. I called Barbara earlier today, wanting to ask if you wanted to come over for dinner. She had no idea what I was talking about. She said you were spending the weekend at Wendy’s. Whoever that is” – he added.

“How about I make us all some hot tea, and we can talk this out?” – Becky asked, getting up from the couch.

“That’d be nice” – Edward answered.

“Hey, Pal, I don’t know what you think you’re doing…” – Ben started.

“I don’t know what you’re doing, either” – Edward said and made two steps forward.

“You wanna fight?” – Ben asked, getting up.

“Nah, no need for that” – Edward answered, stabbing Ben in the stomach.

“What’s going in there?” – Becky called from the kitchen.

“We’re just talking” – Edward answered, stabbing Ben again and again until his opponent fell onto the couch.

As Becky approached the coffee table and saw Ben in a pool of blood, she dropped the tea tray and screamed.

“No need to scream now; you’re safe. The Big Bad Wolf is gone, and it’s just the two of us now. We can finally be together” – Edward said, putting his arm around Becky.

She trembled, unable to say a word. Even though she knew there was no reception in this cabin, she peered at her phone. The screen revealed no bars.

“Go brush your teeth, Becky. I have been waiting to taste you for too many years to have the first lick spoiled by the stench of… What was his name? Ah, yes. Ben” – he said, motioning her towards the bathroom.