Lights Out

The tiny house set deep in the woods, away from any neighbors or anything really, had everything Candace thought of when she dreamed up a vacation for herself. The kayak in the shed, the lake that glimmered when the morning sun shone on it which she could watch while she drank her first cup of coffee, the hammock hanging lazily between two sturdy oaks. She figured if she stocked up on enough groceries, she could stay there for a month without leaving. They only had a week, but she’d take what she could get.  

“Why are we doing this again?” Greg asked, his forehead pressed against the smudged glass of the car window, frowning at all of nature surrounding them. 

“Doing what?” Candace responded with a question, and a sigh. 

“Spending our week off from work in the middle of nowhere?” Greg whined. 

“You said you were okay with this. We agreed a quiet vacation just the two of us was exactly what we needed. It’s cheap, so we don’t have to worry about money. And there are no other tourists to get on our nerves, no markets to haggle at, no crowded lines to wait in. Remember?” Candace asked impatiently, listing off the pros side of the chart they had mapped out when deciding between a secluded nature experience and some famous city halfway around the world.  

“Yeah, I guess. I just didn’t realize it was going to be so...” he trailed off. 

Candace forced herself to ask, to care, what he was thinking. “So what?” 

“So in the middle of nowhere,” Greg said disappointedly. 

Candace grasped the steering wheel tighter, her knuckles grew white. The sun glinted off her diamond engagement ring, the one that had caused so many snags in her clothing. The one Greg had purchased for her after she had explicitly stated she wanted a simple band. She took a deep breath, in and out. We can’t start off with a fight, she told herself. She knew that meant she’d have to be the bigger person and move past Greg’s comment. 

"Well, let’s just see how it goes, right? This house looked beautiful in the photos. I’m sure once we get in, we’ll love the peace and quiet of it all,” Candace said optimistically, though she had no doubts she would enjoy the serene getaway. 

Greg turned up the music in response, blasting the old eighties music he had chosen for the entirety of the six-hour drive, which Candace had done all on her own while Greg slept the early hours of the morning away. This had been another point of contention. Greg had argued that if they were going to leave before the sun even rose, then the person who preferred to wake up early anyways should be the one to drive. Candace had pointed out that leaving at any other time would require them to sit in hours of traffic and could he just make the tiniest bit of effort? Still, she caved. She had reached her capacity for their bickering that day. 

Candace pulled into the rocky driveway, past the mailbox that was constructed out of wood to look like a giant fish. She smiled at the quirkiness, a different kind than she was used to in the city where they lived. She parked and cut the engine, then got out of the car and stretched. She took a moment to appreciate her surroundings, the birds tweeting their sweet songs in the background, the smell of the fresh summer air, the bright greens and whites and yellows and pinks bursting from the trees and bushes. Greg slammed the car door then walked over to the nearest tree. The sound of water running brought Candace back to reality.  

“Seriously?” Candace asked, annoyed. 

“Seriously what?” Greg asked with his back turned to her. 

“You know what,” Candace shot back. 

“I had to pee. You didn’t let us stop the whole time. There’s no one around, anyways. If I can’t even pee on a tree here, what’s the point?” 

Candace squeezed her eyes shut, coaching herself to not erupt at him, telling herself she didn’t really care if he peed outside. Instead of responding, she grabbed her duffel from the back of the car and walked over to the stone path that led up to the front door. The outside of the house was barely visible behind a curtain of branches and bushes. She followed the instructions she had typed into the notes on her phone and unlatched the lockbox that was hooked up to a wooden rung on the railing for the two simple steps up to the door. After a few tries, she was able to turn the knob and walk in. By that time Greg had rezipped his pants and had followed her inside. 

“This place is so cute,” Candace squealed. She hurried in, in a rush to take it all in. There were only three rooms in total; this was a tiny house, after all. The living room had a plush velvet sofa with cushions so overstuffed with fluff it was a challenge to stand up from sitting in them. There was a gas fireplace in between two sets of sliding glass doors leading out to a deck with a grill that overlooked the expansive lake. The kitchen had everything they needed to prepare simple meals, and a kitchen island big enough for them to eat their meals at. Candace’s favorite aspect of the entire place, which had been the reason she chose this location over the endless other choices, was its sleek and modern look and feel, with the stainless-steel appliances, crisp backsplash above the kitchen sink, shiny dark hardwood floors, cool blue walls. Nothing about this place screamed old school cabin. Candace wanted to escape from their city-living by relaxing in the woods, but not at the expense of modern luxuries like indoor plumbing and an ice dispenser in the freezer door. 

Greg dropped his bag on the floor, slipped off his shoes and left them right in front of the door, then jumped over the back of the sofa and plopped himself down with his sweaty socks landing on one of the couch’s ornately embroidered pillows. Candace jerked the pillow out from under his feet then stomped outside, protective of the pretty décor. On the deck, she dropped the cushion with its floral design onto a lawn chair. She didn’t want it, she just didn’t want his nasty feet stinking it up. 

Candace traipsed slowly down to the lake, taking her time to graze her fingers along the leaves of the azaleas and breathe in the sweet scent of the honeysuckle. There was a shed by the lake that housed floaties and rafts and life vests. Candace grabbed a blow-up alligator and puffed some more air into its deflating body, then laid it on the smooth surface of the water. She then laid herself, stomach down, on the plastic. It squeaked as her sweaty skin rubbed against it. The water lapped at the edges, getting the hem of her summer dress wet.  

--- 

“Hey, get up! Are you dead?” 

Candace lifted her head off her arms and wiped the drool from the corner of her mouth. 

“Is that really what you’d do if you thought I was dead? Just stand there and yell at me?” she asked Greg in an exasperated tone. 

“What would you want me to do?” he asked. 

“Can you ever just answer me without asking me another question?” Candace was losing her patience, and it was only the first afternoon on their weeklong getaway. 

“Can you?” Greg asked. 

Candace sighed. She set her feet in the water and stood up, careful to keep most of herself dry. She tossed the alligator back in the shed and strode side-by-side with Greg back to the house. 

“Should we grill up some patties for an early dinner?” Candace suggested, laying out an easy bait to keep them both in a good mood. 

“Already ate,” Greg said casually.  

“Seriously? You couldn’t have waited for me?”  

“Didn’t know where you were.” 

“Fine,” Candace said, and picked up her pace. Greg called after her. 

“The lights in the house don’t work, by the way. We should get some sort of a discount or something.” 

“Just the lights? Is everything else fine?” 

“Yeah, fridge is cold and everything. Microwave works. Just no lights.” 

“Did you call the owner?” Candace asked, though she knew Greg wouldn’t have taken that kind of initiative. At this point Candace was at the door. She walked in and tried the closest light switch. 

“Told you,” Greg said as he came in after her. 

“Well I’ll call in a bit, after I eat something,” she said with a glare at Greg’s back as he breezed by her to the bathroom. 

The two spent the rest of the day lazing about the house, Candace choosing to spend most of her time absorbing the warmth of the sun in the hammock, Greg choosing to sweat it out under fleece blankets by the fireplace in the living room. The owner apologized about the lights, informing her that had never happened before, but that the electrician wouldn’t be able to make it out there until the next day. Candace assured her it was fine; the windows let in plenty of light during the day anyways.  

As the sun set behind the tree line, the temperature dropped considerably, aided by the breeze coming in off the water. Candace trudged up to the house, taking one last peaceful look outside before shutting herself in for the night. Greg suggested they watch a movie, and Candace agreed as long as they could find a film they both would enjoy. They ended up watching on their own laptops, headphones plugged in, two separate stories playing out in front of their eyes.  

Greg got up halfway through to make himself some popcorn. 

“This house is so creepy,” he commented as he made his way over to the microwave. 

“Huh?” Candace took a bud out of one of her ears and tilted her head back on the couch. 

“Without any lights,” Greg said simply. 

Candace bunched her hands into fists, collecting the tension she felt before it could be released into a rude comment. 

“I said huh because I didn’t hear you, not because I didn’t understand. What did you say before?” Candace asked, her words slow, painstakingly explaining the situation as she would with a child. 

“Oh, this place is creepy,” Greg repeated, though now Candace couldn’t hear over the whir of the microwave. Candace willed herself from her spot on the couch, putting effort into her movement and the conversation. She sat at one of the stools at the island and nibbled on some almonds. This is something she never did at home – set out a dish of nuts for a snack as she passed through, but somehow it made the place feel homier, more like her own. 

“What did you say?” she asked again. 

“Oh my god, do you need hearing aids or something?” Greg asked in response, annoyed. 

Candace stared at him. “Just tell me what you said.” 

“Fine, but this is the last time,” Greg started, as if he had a word limit. “Look over there,” he pointed to a corner of the room. 

“What about it?” Candace peered, trying to interpret what he wouldn’t say. 

“Doesn’t that shadow make it look like there’s something there? I keep thinking there’s a dog or some animal sitting in the corner. It’s freaking me out. I wish this place had lights.”  

“You just want something to complain about,” Candace stated simply. “We’ve got the light of the full moon and the fireplace. We’re just watching movies. We’d turn the lights off anyways,” Candace shrugged. 

“It gives me the creeps,” Greg said and shuddered for effect. Candace rolled her eyes.  

“They’ll fix it tomorrow. You’ll get over it.” 

--- 

The next morning brought grey skies and a summer storm that’s fun at night but a drag during the day, especially on a vacation. A large clap of thunder woke both Greg and Candace, though Greg stayed in bed for a few more hours. Candace groggily placed her feet on the cool wood floor; once she was up, she couldn’t fall back to sleep, even though she had hoped to sleep in. Greg could sleep all day and have no issue getting shut-eye the next night. She checked her phone and realized it wasn’t all that early anyways, just a few minutes past seven-thirty. The fog and clouds had tricked her into thinking the sun hadn’t risen, when in fact the sun was up but fighting a losing battle against the cover of the other elements. 

She picked up a book and nestled into a corner of the couch, her feet tucked underneath her. Yesterday they had used the fireplace because it was a toy and this was a vacation; it was warm out, but they enjoyed the novelty of it. Today, Candace impatiently waited for the flicker of the ignition so she could warm her body.  

She lost track of time, engrossed in the fun read she had selected for the trip and hypnotized by the pitter patter of the heavy raindrops against the glass doors. The buzz of her phone snapped her out of her trance. 

“Hello?” 

“Hey, Candace? This is the owner of the house. Sorry to do this, but there are so many trees and branches down. Electricity is spotty all over town. Some places have it, some don’t. Electrician said she’ll make it there when she makes it there, but has to take care of some other houses first.” 

“Oh, that’s no problem. We still have electricity anyways. Just no lights,” Candace said. 

“Right. Okay, well sorry again for the inconvenience.” 

Greg walked into the kitchen immediately after Candace hung up, wearing nothing but his boxers and scratching his bare stomach. He reached for a bowl and the box of sugary cereal they had included in their grocery haul on their way to the house. He had begged her to buy it, like a bratty kid asking his mom to buy him candy. She obliged mostly to not have to hear him complain about her not. 

“I don’t think I can stay here without lights,” Greg mumbled through a mouthful of soggy flakes. “I keep seeing things in the shadows.”  

“You’re just being a baby about it.” 

“Nuh-uh. I swear I thought there was someone watching me from the bathroom when I woke up.” 

“Oh, a monster in the bedroom?” Candace responded with a smirk. 

“I mean it!” Greg barked back. 

“So what do you want me to do about it?” Candace matched his tone. 

“I want us to get out of here,” Greg said, raising his voice. 

“Because you’re scared of the dark?” Candace shot back. 

“I’m not scared. It’s just creepy,” he was nearly yelling now. “This place is dumb anyways.” 

“Well, I’m not leaving,” Candace said defiantly, her arms crossed across her chest. 

“Why do we have to do everything you want? I want to leave!” Greg said in a loud, high-pitched whine. 

“So leave!” Candace shouted back, stamping her foot. 

A snap of lightning lit up the entire house, followed immediately by clap of thunder. Dark clouds banded together to prevent any sunlight from beaming down, and the rain hammered down rapidly, the sound of it hitting against the roof and windows deafening, drowning out everything else. Candace was disoriented, unable to see or hear, smelling only a faint trace of electricity in the air. 

And then, it stopped. Within a minute the sun was peaking out from behind the clouds, and within five it was shining cheerful rays onto the leaves and grass, shiny with rainwater. Candance looked around.  

“Greg?” she called out. No response. She toured the house, peeking in the closet, behind the doors, in the bathtub, all the while calling Greg’s name. 

She walked outside, barefoot, letting the puddles simultaneously wash her feet and muddy them. She circled the building, but couldn’t find Greg anywhere. She entered through the front door, wiping her feet dry. The pair of shoes he had scattered in the foyer wasn’t there either. Candace had reminded herself to watch out for them so as not to trip, ever aware of Greg’s habits.  

She took a few steps in and noticed something she hadn’t before. They hadn’t bothered to turn off one of the lights, or maybe they’d simply forgotten to flip the switch back down, since it didn’t do anything anyways. Now though, the overhead light was illuminating the tiny entryway. Candace rushed through the house turning on all the lamps and lights. Each one worked. She called the landlord. 

“Hey, so, the lights are working now,” she said hesitantly, as if her voice alone could jinx it and cause them to malfunction again. 

“Oh. Really?” The owner asked, as befuddled as Candace. 

“Yeah. Weird, I know. But no need for the electrician to come anymore,” Candace reported. The owner thanked her for her patience and promised a hefty discount when it came time to pay the bill. 

Candace took one last look around, unsure if Greg was playing some sort of trick on her. Then she grabbed her book, a handful of almonds, and a beach towel from the closet and walked outside to bask in the sunlight.